THEVol. 1 No. 2 March, 2009 INQUIRERwww.pondiuni.edu.in For private circulation [email protected]
A Students Practice Journal of the Centre for Electronic Media and Mass Communication, Pondicherry University Inside In the driving seat of change! INKPOT Campus Buzz Women take to novel occupations in Puducherry is second issue of The Pages 2-3 Inquirer is another labour of love Many changes are sweeping over the from the students of the Department A retrospective of lives of women in general. Rising of Mass Communication. activities in the university educational levels and economic Long hours of brainstorming, necessities promote a willingness to try research, writing, editing and fun – what has not been attempted before sometimes leading to late evenings due to family and social restrictions. with tea, laughter and snacks – charac- ough it still remains a man’s world, terized its production. Diversity is this women are getting to play larger parts issue’s magic word. It brings you an in it undoubtedly. eclectic and heady mix of While we may be tempted to content to inspire, reflect upon, think that women achievers come provoke and enjoy. e recently from the upper echelons of our society, concluded International Women’s Day there is reason to believe that women provides the central motif of this issue from all social and economic classes and in their honour we dedicate our are courting changes readily in one On the Wings of lead feature celebrating the power of way or another, giving them a greater the feminine. the Muse & Features sense of self worth and independence. Like the addition of an exciting Pages 4-5 e increasing presence of women in new melody to an old song, we have the commercial sector – from shops Spotlighting cultural values outsider contributions this time as and restaurants to cinema houses and and the arts well, from PU students of other petrol stations – is evidence of a departments to faculty from other coming of age in the general populace colleges and organizations. We were who can now take kindly to their fortunate to have two remarkable social visibility in new areas of work artists – a painter and a musician – and livelihood. Needless to say, many grace our Arts page with a face-to-face employers also began to see the and a concert review respectively. A economic merits of employing women just started Green page brings you over men in many sectors as they some eye openers on the state of the exhibited a greater sense of focus and environment while our Wellbeing commitment to work. column offers you some very inspiring e spectacle of women drivers – thoughts on how greater awareness Earth Matters of autorickshaws, taxis or vans – is can add to the quality of one’s inner Page 6 a fairly recent one in India. Indian Jayanthi- an auto driver in Puducherry (above) Photo: Arivoucany life. Our Tamil pages brim with poems, Problems and Solutions society, until recently, offered no Sumathi- a van driver in Puducherry (below) Photo: Radhika musings and observations and the encouragement to women who may male preserves as driving public or goods. Campus page brings you a roundup of have wanted to enter such exclusive transportation vehicles - of people Continued on page 7 key happenings in the past month including workshops, seminars and other significant events conducted by PU Celebrates Women’s Day various departments and bodies of the University. is one’s birth right and it is not some- We hope you enjoy this issue too. thing that is to be given to a woman by Please continue to write in to us at her husband. [email protected] with your According to Dr. D. Sambandan, contributions and comments. Dean, School Of Social Sciences and Radhika Khanna International Studies, reverence for Editor women should not be confined to a particular day of a year but practiced, Snapshots Humanscape ideally, every moment. However, the sad reality is that our social and Page 7 judicial systems along with our Looking at society and religions and religious texts do not do trends in development much to support women. Dr. K. Pan- chagam, a feminist theoretician, and Malathi Maithri, poet and social Celebrating Women’s Day in the University Photo: Sandosh activist, spoke at the technical session held. Exclusive gym for women students Puducherry: e International girl students, particularly from e panel discussion on ‘Women and faculty in the University. Women’s Day is an occasion when one economically weaker sections, to seek and Moral Policing’ held in the aer- Inaugurated on March 9. can take stock of and reflect upon the admission here. noon had panelists from various Foundation stone of mega mess for changes that are happening in the Our university celebrated Interna- departments. It was felt that moral women also laid. world of women at large. e empow- tional Women’s Day on March 9 by policing is based on one’s own sense of erment of women is something that is conducting a Colloquium on ‘Women what is right but not on legal rights crucial for a healthy global society. and Moral Policing.’ Dr. Usha V. T., and duties. It follows the standard of Potpourri Taking this actuality into considera- Reader and Co-ordinator, Centre for behaviour considered acceptable by Page 8 tion, women staff at various work Women’s Studies, during the welcome society. e subtle details of the places are enjoying the benefits of speech, commented upon the complex subject of moral policing A mixed bag of opinions extra leave and crèche for their commercialization of Women’s Day. A were discussed and thought provoking and observations toddlers. Institutions of learning are presentation on the ‘Context of ideas and opinions were offered by the also paying a great deal of attention Women’s Day’ by Divya K., a participants. towards making higher education research scholar of the centre, dealt We hope that in future this special more accessible to women students. with the history and origin of Women’s day is celebrated with the participation Dr. Miriam Subirana Pondicherry University provides Day. e pub incident that happened of more students and faculty. Long writes in incentives such as free hostel in Karnataka was cited upon by Live Women Power! from Spain accommodation and free transport Mr. S. Loganathan, Registrar of Arivoucany A senior citizen running the from the town to the campus which the university, in his inaugural Monalisha Auroville Marathon has encouraged a good percentage of address. He pointed out that freedom Suja ( page 8) 2 Campus Buzz THE INQUIRER March, 2009 Painting exhibition Primitive tribes and their problems highlighted Puducherry: A painting exhibition, Puducherry: e Centre for Study of extinction and proper adoptive participated in the seminar. “Vivarta” by Prof. S. Murali, Depart- Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy strategies are necessary to safeguard is seminar has given us ment of English, at Alliance Francaise’s organised a National Seminar on them. Prof. N. Viswanathan Nair insights into the various problems Maison Columbani, was inaugurated “Adoptive Difficulties and Problems of highlighted the problems related to faced by tribes in our country - by Padmashri Prof. J. A. K. Tareen, Future Survival of the Primitive the future survival of the various regarding their health, education Vice Chancellor, Pondicherry Univer- Tribes” from Feb. 26-27. Prof. primitive tribes of Kerala, in and economic survival - and sity on March 18. e exhibition is on N. Ningaiah, Professor of Anthropology, particular, and of India in general. the various developmental till March 28. Suja Mysore University inaugurated the Many delegates from the south- programmes that are being Transport green and clean seminar. ern states of India attended the adopted to address these Prof. T. S. Naidu, Director of the seminar. Students and faculty from problems. centre commented that many tribal the Department of Anthropology and Rinoy populations are facing the threat of various other departments also Seminar on tribal society Prabakaran Intellectual exchanges in a global age Dealing with economic recession Puducherry: e Department of Cultural Centre, Pondicherry Puducherry: On March 9, Pondicherry Management Studies conducted University and inaugurated by Mr. University inaugurated two shuttles to SYNAPSE 2009, its annual Industry- Shankar, Vice President, and Edelweiss facilitate intra-campus transport. Institute Interface from Feb. 23-24. Capital. It consisted of four panel ese are non polluting electric e objective of the interface was to discussions that together represented vehicles that are silent and connect students with the the theme of the meet. ese panel efficient, making rides a pleasure. e contemporary business environment subjects were: shuttles originate from both university through live interactions with industry 1) Outsmarting the Economic gates (1 & 2) every 20 minutes and will personalities in order to understand Downturn for Emerging India Inc. stop at all important points on the and appreciate the happenings in the 2) David Vs Goliaths: Who Will campus for pick-ups and drops. world of management. Prevail and rive? 3) Widening the Arathi e theme of SYNAPSE ‘09 was Radius of Trust for Corporate Restruc- A Stepping Stone for ‘Outsmarting the Economic Down- turing 4) Actualising Entrepreneurial turn for Emerging India Inc.’ e event Spirit amidst Turbulence. Innovative Minds was held at the Convention cum Sandosh Puducherry: Recursion’ 09 was an All India Computer Science Meet for the Journee France: Educational and job opportunities in France student community. It was hosted by Trends in Bioinformatics the Department of Computer Science Puducherry: ‘Journee France’ was in France is being facilitated by many of the Pondicherry University on Feb. organised by the French Department French organizations who are prompt- Puducherry: e 26th National 14-15. Prof. A. Balasubramanian, of Pondicherry University in collaboration ing the cause of Asian students to Seminar on “Current Trends in Director, Culture and Cultural with Campus France, French Embassy, study in France. Mme Joelle Rayet, Bioinformatics Teaching and Relations of the University inaugu- New Delhi at J.N. auditorium on Feb. 21. Consul General of France in Research” was organised by the Centre rated the meet. In his opening speech e theme of the seminar was about Pondicherry invited the students for Bioinformatics of the Pondicherry he called attention to the rapidly grow- the various aspects of higher education to consider higher studies in France University, from Feb. 16-18, at the ing developments in the field of in France. e talk centred on various and did not fail to mention that visa Earth Sciences Seminar Hall. Prof. A. computer science. ese applications, possibilities and opportunities avail- procedures for students have been Gnanam, former Vice Chancellor, The crucial role of Bioinformatics in the he felt, should fulfill social needs and able for students to pursue their higher simplified to aid this. Pondicherry University and former modern world demands. studies in various universities and The students were given infor- Chairman, NAAC, Bangalore, gave the bioinformatics and chemical sciences. Papers were presented on many colleges in France. mation about various institutions inaugural address and highlighted the 15 eminent speakers elaborated upon related topics. ere was a quiz and Padmashri Prof. J.A.K. Tareen, where they could learn French in growing role of bioinformatics in the topics in 6 sessions during the other variety programmes that offered Vice Chancellor, Pondicherry India. ere was also a session to fields of pharmacy and biotechnology. seminar. a light air. Students who participated University highlighted the fact that highlight numerous job opportu- e participants were made familiar According to Nishant Singh, a presented a web concept for the access to educational oppurtunities nities available with French MNCs with various bioinformatics tools, student of Bioinformatics, the basic e-learning in 2009. in France has become easier these in India. guided by accomplished experts. e agenda of the seminar was to commu- Rinoy Mr. K. Vijayanand, Faculty Advisor days and that pursuing higher studies central purpose of this seminar was to nicate the latest trends in Bioinformat- for the event, commented that the aim popularise current techniques and ics. Students and participants had a of Recursion was to expose young Spirituality and Ethics in Business and Enterprise processes in this field among students great opportunity to become aware of, minds to trends in the industry and Puducherry: e Faculty of Manage- current world of business. Education and researchers from related fields, raise and clarify many a question in tap latent talent. ment Studies, University of Delhi and ought to encompass more than just and also to discuss the issues that lay this rapidly emerging field of study. Rinoy the Department of Management Stud- career building and serve to go beyond at the intersection of various fields of Rinoy ies, Pondicherry University, along with serving the economy alone. It should Akanksha ‘09 School of Global Leadership and promote the spiritual and ethical Conference on Bancquest and Workshop on Entrepreneurship, Regent University dimensions of one’s life as well, said Intellectual Property Rights and Infinity Foundation, USA, jointly Mr. C. S. Dwivedi, VP, HCL Info Health, Equity and hosted an unique International Systems, at the valedictory function of Puducherry: e Department of Research Workshop and Conference the workshop. Human Rights Banking Technology, Pondicherry at the Annamalai Hotel in Puducherry. Swami Tattwajnanananda, Puducherry: e School of Social University organised ‘Bancquest’, an The 2nd International Conference Principal, Ramakrishna Mission Sciences and International Studies of industry-interface on March 12 at on “Integrating Spirituality and Shilpamandira said that applied Pondicherry University and Indian university’s Earth Science Seminar Organisational Leadership” was spiritual and ethics in the workplace Association for Social Sciences and Hall. It also organised a workshop on th held from Feb. 9-12. Preceding can accelerate social and organiza- Health jointly organised the 6 “Awareness Programme on Intellectual Discussing tourism management this was the workshop from tional growth. It will unfold new International Conference on Health, Property Rights” on March 13 at the Feb. 5-7 on “Spiritual and Ethical dimensions and perspectives in the Equity and Human Rights from March J. N. Auditorium of the university. Puducherry: e Department of Foundations of Organisational world of scientific research, business 7-8 at J. N. Auditorium of the Many industrialists, bankers and Tourism Studies of Pondicherry Development.” It attempted to focus practices and managerial etiquette. university. Padmashri Prof. J.A.K. students participated in the events. University organised Akanksha ‘09, an upon the spiritual and ethical Tareen, Vice Chancellor of Suja Industry–Institute Interface, from underpinnings that ought to guide the Jitendriya Pondicherry University inaugurated March 6-7, at the University’s the event. Delegates from UNFPA, PU students win Convention Hall. Prof. O.P. Kandari, Environmental crisis management UNICEF, WHO, ICMR also Pro Vice Chancellor of Bundelkhand at the University’s Earth Sciences participated in the conference. tournament University was the Chief Guest of the Seminar Hall. More than hundred A technical session, ‘Symposium’ Puducherry: A tournament was occasion. He reflected upon the part students from various departments of was also held. Impact of social and cul- organized by Annamalai University played by the railway system in Pondicherry University and affiliated tural factors on health, poverty, equity from Feb. 27 to March 1. Pondicherry tourism. e event comprised panel Colleges participated. and vulnerability, the human rights is- University performed well at this meet discussions, a theme skit, paper Prof. A. Balasubramanian, Director, sues, gender inequalities in health sta- with students carrying away gold, presentations, quiz, lectures and Culture and Cultural Relations, tus and health care were some of the silver and bronze medals for various cultural programmes. Pondicherry University, inaugurated topics discussed in the events, which included shotput, Prof. A. Balasubramanian, Prof. A. Balasubramanian at the seminar the workshop and spoke on the need session. javelin, triple jump, 100 mts., long Director, Culture and Cultural Rela- Puducherry: e Centre for Adult for forming core groups in every e Young Researcher Award was jump, shotput, 4x400 mts relay, tions, commented on the role of media and Continuing Education and college to manage any situation. presented to two research scholars, kho-kho and table tennis. in the tourism sector. As the objective Department of Ecology and Environ- For V. Senthilnathan, an M. Ed. Somnath Bhattacharjee and Ranvir Jitendriya of the department is to understand and mental Sciences of Pondicherry student of Pondicherry University, the Singh. 15 scholars had presented their practice tourism management through University organised a workshop on seminar taught him how to tackle hard papers and the winners were selected Check out THE INQUIRER in research and outreach, the interface “Disaster Management and Environ- situation and he also got awareness on on the basis of clarity of presentation FULL COLOUR at served as a step towards this aim. mental Protection” from Feb. 20 -21, disaster management. and knowledge on the subject. www.pondiuni.edu.in Monalisha Jitendriya Rinoy 3 Campus Buzz THE INQUIRER March, 2009 e-Access will increase Research Demystifying Psychology Output in Institutions Puducherry: MindSPACE (Society for schools, colleges and surrounding which was followed by question and Psychological Assistance, Care and communities. Mind SPACE also answer sessions with Mrs. Shilpa Empowerment), Students Association organised various departmental activ- Ashok Pandit and Mr. Barani Kanth, of the Department of Applied Psychol- ities for students that included quizzes, faculty of the department. e aim of ogy, Pondicherry University, was debates, seminars and screening of the film festival was to demystify inaugurated on Jan 28 by documentary films. psychology through the medium of Dr. Jayachandran, a scientist and MindSPACE also organized a entertainment and information. e Professor of the department. e three-day film festival from Feb. 18- 20 movies screened were: e Sixth event focused on developing psycho- at the University’s J.N. Auditorium. Sense, 15th Park Avenue and logical assistance and support to the Before each screening, students gave a anmathra. people who are in need of it through brief presentation on the psychological Jitendriya counselling and awareness camps in phenomena portrayed in the movie Rinoy jkpoh; jpUehs; nfhz;lhl;lk; GJit gy;fiyf; fofj;jpy; GJr;Nrhp: GJitg; gy;fiyf; fofj;jpy; jkpoh; jpUehs; tpoh 2009 gpg;uthp 12Mk; Njjp mwptpay; jpd tpoh nfhz;lhlg;gl;lJ. ,t;tpohtpy;; A. GJr;Nrhp: GJit gy;fiyf; ghyRg;ukzpad; (,af;Fdh;) fofj;jpd; GJit thzp 107.8 Puducherry: Caliber 2009, the atmosphere in the library. Dr. Gulshan S. Nyhfehjd; (gjpthsh;)>; Nguhrpupah; rKjha thndhyp rhh;gpy; Njrpa th 7 International Conference organised Rai, in his inaugural address, said that A.mwpTek;gp kw;Wk; Nguhrphpah; ghujp mwptpay; jpd tpoh gpg;utup 28 by Pondicherry University and UGC we are an electronic generation who Gj;jpud; MfpNahh; fye;J nfhd;L md;W nfhz;lhlg;gl;lJ. GJit INFLIBNET, Ahmedabad was held also ought to be aware of cyber ciuahw;wpdh;. gy;fiyf;fofj;jpd; gz;ghL kw;Wk; from Feb. 25-27 at the security issues. GJitg; gy;fiyf; fofj;jpy; gz;ghl;L njhlh;gpay; ,af;Feh; Convention Hall of the University. It Prof. G. Sivakumar from Dept. of jkpo;khzth;fs; rhh;gpy; xt;nthU Nguhrphpah; A. ghyRg;gukzpad; was inaugurated by Dr. Gulshan Rai, Computer Science & Engg. IIT, Mz;Lk; jkpoh; jpUehs; epfo;r;rp mth;fs; tpohtpidj; njhlq;fp S. Nyhfehjd; ghpRfis toq;Ffpwhh; Director General, CERT-In. Bombay, discussed the concept of Web eilngWtJ tof;fk; ,e;epfo;r;rp S. uhftd; mth;fs; ghpR ngw;w Free access to e-resources in 2.0 and Library 2.0, pointing out that itj;J ciuahw;wpdhh;. ,t;thz;Lk; GJit gy;fiyf; fofj;jpy; khzt khztpfis tho;j;jpg; universities across the country has on-line resources enable one to access mwptpay; jpdj;ij Kd;dpl;L Ngrpdhh;.Nguhrpupah; increased research output by 42% as and publish. cs;s [tfh;yhy; NeU fiyauqfj;jpy;; 21-k; Njjp gy;NtW gs;spia Nrh;e;j A compared to the last 10 years. Several While speaking at the valedictory Nfhyhfykhf eilngw;wJ khiy 5 khzt khztpfSf;F mwptpay; jpU. . ghyRg;ukzpad; mth;fs; new programmes will be introduced function Prof. Balasubramanian, kzpaytpy; eilngw;w ,t;tpohtpy; rhh;e;j Nghl;bfs; mwptpaiyg; gw;wp $Wifapy; “ by UGC to enhance access to new Director, Culture and Cultural Nguhrpupah; A.ghyRg;ukzpad; elj;jg;gl;lJ.,g;Nghl;bfspy; mwptpay; fz;nlLg;Gfspy; tools, technologies and e-resources. Relations, urged that every library (,af;Fdh;)mth;fs; jiyik ciu ntw;wpg;ngw;wth;fSf;F gjpthsh; GJitapy; ahh; Nehgy; ghpR e importance of inculcating should have online assistance. e ahw;wpdhh; S. Nyhfehjd; jpU. S. Nyhfehjd; mth;fs ngw;whYk; GJitg; gy;fiyf; love for books in children was empha- UGC is also expected to take the (gjpthsh;) kw;Wk; Nguhrpupah; ghpRfSk; rhd;wpjo;fSk; toq;fp fofk; ngUkpjk; nfhs;Sk;” vd;W sized by Padmashri Prof. J. A. K. initiative to make e-learning a smooth A.mwpTek;gp MfpNahh; tho;j;Jiw rpwg;Giw Mw;wpdhh;.mg;nghOJ mth; njhptpj;jhh;. fy;tpNahL Nrh;e;J Tareen, Vice chancellor, Pondicherry process through library e-access, said toq;fpdh;. Nguhrpupah; ghujp NgRifapy;; “mwptpaiyf; fw;Wf; mwptpay; mwpitAk; tsh;j;Jf; University. e library would have a Dr. M. Koteswara Rao, the librarian, Gj;jpud; mth;fs; ,t;tpohtpy; nfhs;tNjhL kl;Lky;yhJ nfhs;;s Ntz;Lk;> fhy Neuj;ij children’s section in future. Priority is University of Hyderabad . fye;J nfhz;L rpwg;Giuahw;wpdhh; rhpahf gad;gLj;jp nfhs;s Jitendriya cq;fSf;Fs;Ns xU Njliy to be given to creating a user friendly ,t;tpohtpy; jkpo;khzth;fs; kl;Lk; Ntz;Lk;” vd;W khzth;fSf;F Suja ePq;fs; czu Ntz;Lk; ehk; my;yhJ kw;w khzth;fSk; nra;Ak; xt;nthU nraiyAk; mwpTWj;jpdhh;. Mu;tj;Jld; fye;J nfhz;ldh;. Muha Ntz;Lk;. Njlypy; jhd; ,t;tpohtpy; GJit gy;fiyf; Micro Finance - Scope and Potential ,ir> eldk;> ehlfk; Nghd;w Gjpa Njit fpilf;Fk;” vd fofj;ijr; rhh;e;j khzt Puducherry: An International Con- discussions. Delegates from various fiyepfo;r;rpfSk; ,t;tpohtpy; mofhf czh;j;jp ciuahw;wpdhh. khztpfs; kw;Wk; gyUk; fye;J ference on Micro Finance was organ- institutions spoke on the topics ,lk;ngw;wd. tpohtpy; gy;fiyf;fofj;jpd; epjp nfhz;L tpohtpid rpwg;gpj;jdh;. ised by the Department of Commerce concerned. e topics for panel v.tre;j; mjpfhhp m.Kd;dbahd; from Jan. 21-23, at the Convention discussion included were: ‘Status of Hall of Pondicherry University. micro finance in Asian and African Dr. K.G. Karmakar, managing direc- continents, corporate and self help PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY tor, NABARD, Mumbai gave the inau- group linkage as part of corporate EXPANSION EXCELLENCE EQUITY gural address. social responsibility, ‘Sustain Micro Important details for admission 2009-10 for the benefit of our readers More than 150 institutions Finance through Scientific and PONDICHERRY UNIVERSITY is a central university with an eminent faculty and cutting edge facilities. It invites students from participated in the conference, which Technology Intervention.’ across the globe to study and research in a highly stimulating and tranquil environment. Sprawled over nearly 800 acres of lush had technical sessions and panel Monalisha nature, it is nestled on the shores of Bay of Bengal. The University is located at R. V. Nagar, Kalapet, 10 km from Puducherry town, a bustling tourist centre known for its history and spiritual heritage. gf;jp ,yf;fpak; Fwpj;j POST GRADUATE, M.PHIL & DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES Our postgraduate programmes on offer are especially designed for students who seek academic excellence and cherish dreams of gd;dhl;Lf; fUj;juq;fk; dynamic and productive careers in areas of contemporary relevance. Our Choice Based Credit and Semester System offers sufficient flexibility and options for enterprising students.It also offers various scholarships. For detailed information about courses and ,f;fUj;juq;fpy; irtk;> itztk;> scholarships, visit the University’s website: www.pondiuni.edu.in fpwpj;jtk;> ,Ryhk;> rkzk;> HOW TO APPLY ngsj;jk;> rPf;fpak;> Nghd;w ONLINE rkaq;fspy; Vwj;jho 300 Application form can be submitted online fl;Liufs; njhFf;fg; ngw;W 6 through the University Website www.pondiuni.edu.in njhFjpfshf tbtikf;fg; ngw;W Send the hard copy (in A4 size) along with ntspaplg;gl;ld. mit gf;jpj; the original bank challan for the gf;jp ,yf;fpa gd;dhl;Lf; fUj;juq;fj;jpy; njd;wy;> gf;jp kyh;fs;> gf;jp kzp- prescribed fee. ACADEMIC INFRASTRUCTURE gy Kidth;fs; fye;J nfhz;ldh;. khiy> gf;jpr; Nrhiy> gf;jpf; BY POST State-of-the-art seminar halls and classrooms fsQ;rpak;> gf;jp myq;fs; Mfpa For Application Form and Information GJr;Nrhp: GJitg; gy;fiyf;fofr; QUALITY LIVING E}y;fis jQ;rhT+h; jkpo;g; Brochure, write to Computers and Internet, campus to Rg;gpukzpa ghujpahh; jkpopaw;GyKk;> Tranquil, pleasant and spacious be soon WiFi enabled gy;fiyf; fof JizNte;jh; The Deputy Registrar (Academic II) gjpg;Gg; gzpapy; nghd;tpohf; fz;l green campus Pondicherry University, R. V. Nagar, Central library with full access to fiyQd; gjpg;gfKk; ,ize;J Kidth; k. ,uhNre;jpud; ntspapl Hostels - rent free for women e-journals and e-resources mtw;iw nrd;id jpdkzp Kalapet, Puducherry 605 014. elj;jpa “gf;jp ,yf;fpak; Fwpj;j Exclusive hostel for international along with a self addressed envelope of Well equipped laboratories and gz;ghl;Lf; fUj;juq;fk; ekJ GJitg; ehspjopd; Mrphpah; jpUkpF students size 32cm x 25cm, stamped for Rs.65/- central instrumentation facility gy;fiyf;fof tshfj;jpy; 2009 gpg;uthp Nf. itj;jpa ehjd; Sports stadiums and fitness Request for application must be super- Campus recruitment and Job fairs gymnasiums for women and men Industry-Institute Interface and 20 kw;Wk; 21 Mfpa ,U ehl;fs; eil- ngw;Wf;nfhz;lhh;. ntt;NtW scribed on the envelope “Request for Placement Cells Ch;fspypUe;J te;jpUe;j Free transport facilities for application form for admission”. ngw;wJ. ,f;fUj;juq;if students from Puducherry town KJKidth; k.rh. mwpTilek;gp Kidth;fs; fUj;Jiu APPLICATION FEE to University For all courses Rs.200/- mth;fs; njhFj;J toq;fpdhh;. toq;fpdhh;fs;. kJiuiar; Nrh;e;j Kidth; rPdp.nrskpa ehuhazd; (Rs. 50/- for SC/ST, FREE of cost for Kidth; m. mwpT ek;gp (Gy physically and visually challenged Kjd;ikah;) tuNtw;Giu rhd;wpjo; toq;fpdhh;. jpU. ep[hKjPd; candidates - along with submission of Mw;wpdhh;.GJitg;gy;fiyf;fof mth;fs; tho;j;Jiw toq;fpdhh;. relevant certificates) JizNte;jh; Kidth; J.A.K. ,Wjpapy; KJKidth; Use separate applications for each IMPORTANT DATES jhPd; mtHfs; jiyik ciu k.rh.mwpTilek;gp ed;wpAiu Mw;wp> programme. The application forms can also be obtained from Indian Bank and the Issue of application forms from March 20 Mw;wpdhh;. jpUtz;zhkiy MjPdk; tpohtpid nrk;ikahf Kbj;J itj;jhh;. Pondicherry University Staff Co-operative Submission of filled forms till April 30 Fd;wf;Fbiar; Nrh;e;j jtj;jpU Credit Society at the University campus. Dates of Entrance Examination: June 6 -7 Fd;wf;Fb nghd;dk;gy mbfshh; www.pondiuni.edu.in njhlf;f ciu Mw;wpdhh;. f. fe;jd; 4 On the Wings of the Muse THE INQUIRER March, 2009 Painting on the palette of life! Exploring the mind and art of Ongkie Tan he first thing that strikes one about Ongkie’s paintings is Ttheir indefinability. ey don’t fit into artistic categories, apart from what the viewer is predisposed to giving them. ey are mystical to some, purposeless to a few and deeply moving to many. is mutable charac- ter of Ongkie’s paintings reflects his own fluid and dynamic view of life, which does not rest upon a fixed point. It is contemplative one season, aggres- sive in another, chaotic and tranquil Ongkie Tan in Puducherry respectively at other times. His art runs alongside his life and his would just sketch or experiences, some upliing, some doodle a painting into life, depressing but all worthy of consider- letting the unconscious ation as they issue forth from the same processes guide him. We source, he observes with a disarming Siesta Monsoon Mother Earth were surprised to learn lightness. that he viewed painting as Ongkie is a natural painter as just one aspect of his life, some would say. He began drawing at albeit an important one. a very early age in his native village Ongkie is a man of near Borneo in Indonesia and has had many parts. On different no formal training in art. Born into a occasions he has variously relatively affluent middle class agricultural been a hairdresser, a family of Chinese origin, his tendency movie set attendant and a towards art was frowned upon. Painting farmer. He divides his was not recognized in these social time presently between circles as a vocation that guaranteed travel and living in a Zen either respectability or prosperity. monastery. India, he He is a consummate travel bug, by confessed to us, exerted a his own description. He le Indonesia strong pull on him. “As I at the age of 26 for America. On get older, my Asian blood arrival he began to paint for a living, gets thicker” is how he selling his pictures on the streets of charmingly put it. He is Los Angeles. Luck smiled upon him drawn to Auroville with from the very start. People were its founding vision of Alone attracted to an inherent appeal in his Towards the Light Yin Yang shared communal life and paintings and he began to sell well. He many cities in Europe. But he travels inspirers and subjects of study. We asked Ongkie to tell us a human diversity and is keen to explore was noticed and approached by a gallery not just to exhibit his paintings. e Both of these turn up in his work in little about the famed “process of artis- living here in the years to come. in Hollywood that soon began to experience of travelling opens the doors of one form or another, some times tic creation”. He told us, in his charac- represent him. Over the years he creation for him. Nature and people – plainly evident, many times in teristic light hearted way, that there Radhika Khanna (Faculty) exhibited his work across America and ordinary people – are his chief metaphoric guise. was no mystery to it. Many times he Tejas Joseph (Guest faculty) Sensing the infinite! The moving spirit of music without boundaries he concert by fusion experimen- Ttalist musician Nadaka and his group at the Sri Aurobindo audito- rium on Feb. 28, to mark Auroville’s 41st founding day, was a truly moving experience. Appropriately named “A Sense of the Infinite,” it generated a palpable sense of harmony. ‘Global- spiritual’ would be the word closest to describing this music, which stands for a genre that looks beyond definable forms and types. It embraces a great variety of elements, from classical Indian music and chants to free jazz and folk improvisations, to endorse its diverse and free ranging spirit. Cascading melodies, perfect percussion, resonating vocals and precise instrumental interplay were all present in large measure for the enjoyment of novice and aficionado alike. The ethereal strains of Nadaka’s “veena-guitar” comple- mented Gopika’s emotive voice, the soothing sibilance of Balasai’s flute, the rhythmic refrains of Mishko’s bass and the punctuated nuances of Suresh’s percussion and Ganesh’s tabla. Together it served up a sound feast that was singular and stirring at the same time. For more information about Nadaka and contemporary Indian fusion music visit www.nadaka.org and www.shantakaram.com Tejas Joseph (Guest faculty) Clockwise: Gopika and Nadaka, Suresh Bascara, Mishko M’ba, Balasai Basavaraj, Ganesh Basavaraj. Photos courtesy: Nadaka 5 Features THE INQUIRER March, 2009 A sinking tradition: the fading art of hand made boat building recently as a century ago when many the largest Uru in recent times. people, including foreign traders, Today they own and run a small relied largely upon large hand-made shop that makes and sells miniatures boats. e crasmanship of the ship of these famous boats, now sold to builders of Beypore was impeccable, tourists as souvenirs and collectors which gave the place a unique items. status in the ship building world. Two things signalled the death of Beypore’s geography has played the boat building industry in Beypore. no small role in making it famous for It was hard for this industry, depend- ship building. Its location at the mouth ent heavily on labour and abundant of the Chaliyar river as it entered the supplies of natural materials like Arabian sea was perfect. e large teak wood, to compete effectively with logs (the principal building material of modern sea going vessels in terms of the Urus) could be floated down from cost and efficiency. the forests of Nilambur upstream to e commissioning of Urus still Beypore. Here they would undergo depended largely on rich patronage, seasoning before being worked upon particularly from that of Arab to metamorphose into a stately Uru millionaires. is handicap was that would soon embrace the waiting reinforced by another more critical waters of the Arabian Sea nearby. one when the Government of Kerala As the ship building industry of enforced a ban in the 1960’s on tropi- Beypore began to gain renown, it cal forest tree felling in an attempt to started attracting a large number and protect its rapidly dwindling forest variety of talent intrinsic to ship build- cover. It may be of historical interest to ing - from carpenters and wood note here that the plunder of the carvers to ironsmiths and stevedores. Nilambur rain forests was consider- Miniature boat souvenirs. Photo: Arathi Many families of ship builders also ably accelerated in the two centuries of began to earn a reputation for the British Raj in India who shipped themselves. ey were identified by large numbers of tropical trees to their specializations, handed down in England to lay tracks for the British hereditary fashion. e chief builder Railway system. went by the epithet of “maistry,” who A few Urus still get commis- was in complete charge of construc- sioned by rich oil sheiks who tend to tion. He conceived the design and use them as luxury sailing vessels. At plans, gave the orders and supervised the time of this survey, a 115 . long the project from building to launch. Uru, commissioned by a sheikh from He took credit for success and respon- Qatar, was undergoing construction. sibility for failure in equal measure. However, these orders are few and far Aandikutty and his brother between and the time is not far off Narayanan are two “maistrys” I when the demand for these hand happened to meet and talk to. ey made vessels will completely cease. All hailed from an illustrious line of boat that remains now is a vestige of what Crafting a souvenir ‘Uru’ under construction builders in Beypore going back to a once used to be – a memento industry few centuries. Both recall a time that makes miniatures of the once ituated at the mouth of the with Chinese, Arabs and later Euro- of the ‘Uru’ a traditional sailing vessel – albeit a few decades ago - when they proud and great Urus that proudly Chaliyar river in the Kozhikode peans. Fewer still know that Beypore used by Arabian merchants in the S were engaged in actively building roamed the oceans of the world, district of northern Kerala, Beypore is also flourished as a centre for ship halcyon days of its trade with India. majestic Urus for a variety of clients. fostering ties and adding to the coffers a busy port and fishing centre. building for many centuries up until e tradition of ship construction Narayanan has found a place in the of many nations. However, few know that Beypore was Indian independence. e boatyard at in Beypore is nearly 1500 years old. Guinness Book of Records for having an ancient maritime centre that traded Beypore is known for the construction e Urus had a large market as designed and overseen the building of Arathi The veena – queen of instruments Music is a part of all human beings. is made from the wood of the jack fruit board (palakai) of the Human beings need music for peace tree. Its design consists of a large resonator. A piece of music is and entertainment.ere are different resonator (kudam) carved and produced on four metal strings that forms of music like classical, jazz, film hollowed tapering hollow neck run above the frets. ese are and folk music. All these different (dandi) is topped with 24 brass or stretched over a wide bridge that sits forms of music can be expressed bell-metal frets. e end of the veena’s on the body of the veena. through instrumental and vocal neck is carved like the head of a mediums. e veena is one of the most dragon (yali). A small resonator ancient string instruments of India. is attached to the
ree other strings run alongside the neck of the instrument. ese are called the sympathetic or vibrating strings used for maintaining It is considered by many to be the time and for playing the drone. All the “queen of instruments.” Its origin can seven strings are made of steel and two be traced back to the ancient yazh, a among the four strings are coiled with stringed instrument similar to harp copper wire. from ancient Greece. e design of e South Indian veena has the veena has evolved over the years, adapted itself to changing times and probably from the form seen in South trends. Its singular and unique sound Indian Medieval paintings and temple can be heard in numerous sculpture: a string instrument with underside of the neck. A little table- present day hit tamil film scores and in two gourd resonators connected by a like wooden bridge (kudurai)—about various fusion experiments. It is likely central sha, possibly of bamboo. 2 x 2½ x 2 inches—is topped by a to be one instrument that will defy e veena then went through convex brass plate glued in place with time and retain its status as the queen several innovations and modifications. resin. Two rosettes, formerly of ivory, of Indian instruments. Presently, the veena is 1.5m long and now of plastic or horn, are on the top Iyappan 6 Earth Matters THE INQUIRER March 2009 IF TREES STOP BREATHING, I STOP BREATHING n Oct. 29, 2008 the World Wide 1. Avail of online options for finan- incorporate green features into their machines conserve both water and into energy savings. It can also help OFund for Nature, along with cial transactions if you are computer products services. power to the benefit of your bottom- the local economy and add value to Global Footprint Network and the literate. Pay your insurance premiums Visit www.karmayog.org/csr to get a line and the planet’s resource pool. your nutritional intake. Zoological Society of London came and other bills through the internet. list of socially responsible companies in Choose state of the art appliances with 8. Eschew plastic for packaging, out with the "Living Planet Report Opt for e-statements and receipts India and www.global100.org for a green features even if they are a little shopping and storage as much as 2008". (See illustration) whenever possible. list of companies worldwide that more costly. ere are gains of an possible. Use a cotton shopping bag e report highlighted the fact that 2. Don’t take receipts at ATMs. include sustainability in their intangible kind when we do so. (or one made of other biodegradable if we continue with our consumption Notice the amount of paper receipts corporate vision and philosophy. Reduced carbon emissions and net materials) for your daily needs. lying in waste bins at ATM kiosks? 4. Prefer public transport over energy savings are two such. Also 9. Unsubscribe from all the Now, think about the amount of waste private vehicles whenever possible. prefer staircases over elevators if you public/group e-mailing lists if you are created on a daily basis across the Unlike in the west, however, where are young and fit. It saves energy and not reading those mails. Data and globe as these receipts get discarded. public transport systems like trains, could add to your lifeline. Server Farms are heavy consumers of e only reason you will need these trams and buses, are dependable and 6. Use the electronic revolution to electric power. receipts is to tally your transactions at comfortable, here in India using ecological and economic advantage. 10. Reuse and recycle products, the end of the month. But since elec- public transport with its high levels of Prefer e-mails and so copies to print from ball point pens to paper and tronic transfers are for the most part pollution and crowding is likely to be outs, unless essential to your work. computers, in whatever way possible safe and error proof, there is no longer more of a forced choice than a volun- Recycle paper for your daily use to extend their lifelines and reduce any need to have to painstakingly keep tary one. Still, the gains for the planet (newspapers etc.) and use recycled planetary waste. receipts to cross check bank state- will be considerable if we can bring paper whenever available. 11. Gi text books/ journals/ ments at the end of the month. at ourselves to do it despite the incon- 7. Going vegetarian can help the study materials to libraries, educa- much paper and time saved! venience. planet to a great extent by reducing tional trusts for the poor and night 3. Support green initiatives and 5. Use technology fearlessly but use of fossil fuels and emissions schools. 12. Pay heed to the message of eco-documentaries that tell us honestly based business as usual models of the status of the planet and what can working and living, we would need be done to redeem its falling state. one more planet by 2030. Currently, Many of these films, like Al Gore’s “An our consumption exceeds the Inconvenient Truth,” combine a plea biocapacity of the planet by approxi- for lifestyle changes with hard scien- mately 25%. tific evidence to move skeptics. I remember reading an article in e Hindu Business Line that stated that if India and China meet the consump- tion standards of the United States, then these two countries (India and China) themselves would require the resources of the entire planet. While this problem is by no means an easy one to address and definitely in need of a multi-pronged approach, there is scope here for individual citizen Source: http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/world_footprint/ intervention to lessen the burden of the problem. policies whenever they manifest, even wisely. Technology can be a part of the resulting from mass scale agro Here are some “green” ways that I’ve if the predominant colour of the solution, not always the problem. production and transportation. It is been exploring, and which I believe if current economic and political Climate control in cooling systems like also good for your health. Support taken up by many others can cumula- landscape of India is not green. Vote air conditioners and refrigerators can organic farming and produce to the Ajith Sankar R N, tively lead to the survival of more trees for candidates/parties that have green result in considerable power savings. extent possible! Opting for food items Faculty, PSG Institute of on the planet, for starters. agendas and support companies that Similarly, most of today’s washing that are locally produced can translate Management, Coimbatore Men who will stop the water e skirt Paikdev’s temple for thirties, this is home. It’s July, the hills stretch towards Sulcorna to join fields of rice, and lean-tos of thatch le growing high on either side, as if W‘Paikdev Zor,’ where this tribal traditional paths covered with thick the taller ghats, home to the over from the summer months when planted by a divine farmer and we get snake deity bathes. e story goes that grass and shrubs well over Aki’s head; Kushawati; directly below, sprawling shepherds watch over cattle grazing. the hang of going down, grabbing a the village of Maina in Quepem creepers and vines form a thick web, to our right, the four hills we have e shrine leaves Zaeen, usually handful of the plants as if they were Taluka, in the foothills of the Western through which we stumble and pick trudged over. on constant alert, in repose. Pauto says ropes. “You’re way too slow,” Zaeen Ghats that border Goa to the south- our way. To our le, across the Maina- Paikdev takes the form of a snake. To tells me, pushing past with Aki. east, once received all the water from I mutter a loud prayer to Paikdev Kawrem road, barely 500 metres from me, his face is a giant rock darkened We are touched by the succour of the zor or spring, and people from and ask him to ensure I do not put my the Government High School at with age, buried in the hill, and Paikdev Zor, the legend resonating as adjoining Kawrem, none. en aer a foot on a snake’s head. Maina, is the rogue mining operation festooned with bright-green ferns and we cross a mountain stream four terrible tragedy, an angry father from “Not all snakes are poisonous,” Zaeen that dug out two hills in barely six lichens, tiny sprigs of wild flower, times, awed by the magnificence of Maina, grieving for his inconsolable says. months, leaving behind a bottomless grasses, creepers and vines; his eyes flowing water. With innumerable daughter whom he had given into ‘Yeah…sure…I just don’t want to find cavern. “is is what will happen glow rich with the blackness of ore. brooks, this stream joins the Curca, a marriage at Kawrem, forced Paikdev out which is which” here?” Aki asks. “ey’re stupid Around his forehead are entwined the tributary of the Kushawati. It is to send water, through the hill, to that Shantaram points to an old mine, people.” thick roots of an ancient kusum, its difficult not to believe, as Pauto does, village too. abandoned in Portuguese times. It No, I want to say, just very greedy and trunk a pillar to the sky, its canopy of that these waters are not part of a I glance back. Seeing how the takes thirty years for the earth to very, very dangerous, the kind who leaves welcoming the clouds. From divine force. mining company ‘renovated’ Paikdev’s recover from mining, so, apart from a will murder for ore. Zaeen’s just read Paikdev’s mouth, along the furrow of We come back full circle, to the temple, I feel a chill of sadness, only sudden incline and overhang in the the Goa Foundation’s Goa, Sweet Land his pursed tongue, water courses out. canal built at a cost of Rs. 4 Crore to heightened by the fine spray of a dying distance, and a deep bowl, the forest of Mine. “How do they get environ- Before his great-great grand- carry water from Paikdev Zor down- drizzle. Some years back, Paikdev’s has returned in vengeance, the mud ment clearances?” he asks. father’s time Pauto tells us, the water stream. Villagers here know contrac- temporal abode was a labour of love road all but disappeared, although one “ere’s a laboratory in Hyderabad only flowed to Maina, where lived a tors and politicians made money from craed in laterite, mud-plaster and can spot recent wheel tracks. e earth that fabricates reports saying there’s man who gave his daughter in the canal, but, they add cynically, at whitewash, nestling in a small clear- regenerating could have made a nice nothing on these hills except ore.” marriage to Kawrem. Blessed with least they gave us Paikdev’s water. On ing, surrounded by hundreds of trees. story. “at’s it?” beautiful child, one day she came to fill the other side, Kawrem is still blessed Now, as if in a mockery of archaeolog- “is is where they intend “It’s worse”. her pots at the spring only returning with its abundance, both villages ical surveys, contempt for ‘tribal’ mining,” I say. I tell him what Joao, a lawyer to find her infant lifeless, his tiny body touched by the munificence of a tribal beliefs, it seems manufactured in a “What will happen then?” Aki asks from Quepem, says: that the mining covered with tiny black ants. e deity towards a grieving father. factory. Paikdev in concrete; garishly me. operations have already begun with- father grieved a full year, then, carry- “at’s dumb,” Zaeen tells me as painted into dissonance; in return for “is hill will disappear,” I tell her. out ‘environment clearances.’ Zaeen ing a big stick, walked to the zor with we trudge the last hundred yards to a this paucity, the absence of his hills, Her frown says she can’t comprehend snorts in disgust. He’s figured out that nine men, berating Paikdev for not hot shower and change of clothes. His trees and water. the scale of destruction, or maybe she’s back in school, they’ll tell him he must giving water to Kawrem and hitting teeth are chattering. “Her father hit a Aer an hour and a half, unlike trying to figure out how anyone could respect the law! the rock. From that day three-quarters rock to give water, now these swine my motley colleagues, I am tempted to be stupid enough to make a hill just We pass full grown cashew trees, of the water flowed to Kawrem… will hit that rock to stop the water… sit. Aki, all of eight, eagerly bunking disappear. bhendi, teak, and mango, planted Returning, we descend 45 degrees that’s dumb!” school, skips ahead like a sprite; We climb clumps of grass wedged some twenty years back by the Forest from Paikdev Zor. Zaeen trekked the Hartman de Souza Zaeen, fieen, playing truant to iden- between ancient laterite burnt a deep Department, who will watch silently as Himalayas this summer, so he looks at Lecturer in eatre Arts tify birds, looks like he would rather brown. At the summit we look out at they are hacked down. I see pots to me witheringly, Aki readily following Mahindra United World not go back to school; and to Pauto, in a morning clear enough to plot the distil feni, and as we skirt the last hill, suit. Naturally stepped by water, the College of India his mid sixties, and Shantaram, in his rain. In the distance, cloud-misted plantations of areca, tiny terraced path down twines between plants Paud, Maharashtra 7 HumanScape THE INQUIRER March, 2009 gbapy; gazk; nehbapy; kuzk; kf;fs; Xhplj;jpy; ,Ue;J kw;nwhU fpuhkq;fspy; ,Ue;J gbg;gjw;F kw;Wk; ,lj;jpw;F nry;tjw;F Nghf;Ftuj;J mYtyf NtiyfSf;F nry;gth;fs; trjpfs; ,d;wpaikahjJ MFk;. ,ilA+W ,d;wp ghJfhg;Gld; nrd;W tu Nghf;Ftuj;J kf;fspd; tho;tpy; muR kw;Wk; jdpahh; NgUe;Jfspd; gphpf;f Kbahj xd;whf cs;sJ. vz;zpf;ifia cah;j;JtJld; mit ,d;W cyfk; etPdkakhtjw;F Vw;g Fwpj;j Neuj;jpy; ,aq;f Ntz;Lk;. Nghf;Ftuj;J Jiw tsh;e;J NkYk; NgUe;Jfspy; NghJkhd msT ,Ue;jhYk;> Nghf;Ftuj;J nehpry;fs; egh;fs; kl;LNk gazk; nra;a Fiwatpy;iy. Fwpg;ghf ,d;W Ntz;Lk; vd;w tpjpKiwia GJitapy; Rkhh; 8 yl;rj;jpw;Fk; Nkw;gl;l nray;gLj;jpdhy; kl;LNk gadj;;;jpd; thfdq;fs; ,aq;Ffpd;wd. vdpDk; NghJ Vw;gLk; rhiy tpgj;Jfis ,jpy; NgUe;Jfspd; vz;zpf;if kpfTk; Fiwf;f KbAk;. 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Fwpj;j ,lj;jpw;F nrd;wilAk; GJitapy; kl;Lk; fle;j Mz;by; gazq;fshy; caphpoe;jth;fs; ,j;ijifa capupog;Gfs; Vw;glf; nghUl;L NgUe;Jfspy; vt;tsT Kd;dbahd;> Rkhh; 150-f;Fk; Nkw;gl;lth;fs; rhiy vj;jid vj;jid Ngh;? ,jdhy; fhuzk; Fiwthd NgUe;Jfspd; nehpry;fs; ,Ue;jhYk; mtw;wpy; tpgj;Jf;fspy; capupoe;Js;sdh;. mth;fs; jq;fSila capiu vz;zpf;ifAk;> Nghjpa rhiy fe;jd;; gbfspYk;> Nkw;$iufspYk; gazk; ,it ehsiltpy; mjpfhpj;Jf; ,og;gNjhL kl;Lk; my;yhJ trjpfs; ,y;yhikNa. NkYk; nra;Ak; epiyf;F js;sg;gLfpd;wdh;. Mde;juhR Reaching the Unreached: A technical In the driving seat of change! institute with a difference (Continued...) The liberalization of the Indian commitment. This was ten years she took her market resulted in a large variety ago. She looks back at all that license and has been driving a van of unconventional job profiles happened since with a sense of for three years now. Initially there coming the way of women. Those pride and achievement. were difficulties of a social nature, who were ready took advantage of Over this period she has been coming from that posed by male these opportunities. While women able to repay her loan with drivers who sensed competition of taxi and autorickshaw drivers earnings from her autorickshaw, a sort that did not exist before. gained quicker assimilation into which is her own today. She But before long they accepted the social and economic fabric of remembered that there were about their female colleagues and began the large cities, enthusiasm was 15 women who trained along with to work harmoniously with them. harder to come by in the smaller her, only five of whom continued Sumathy is a happy lady van cities and towns of the country. earning a living as autorickshaw driver today who earns enough The Women’s Welfare Society drivers. Over time, however, more money and respect to make her of Puducherry started offering women came in and there are recommend driving to more drivers training in the late 1990s some 15 women autorickshaw women. to women from the poorer drivers in Puducherry today, in Marie was the last woman sections of society. Those addition to another 8 women driver I met. She was very short interested in testing these new small van drivers. and this handicap seemed to be a occupational waters were welcome Jayanthi was the second difficult one for her to overcome. The Inquirer team with Principal of Auroville Industrial School. Photo: Radhika to take the training to drive one I met. Again, economic She was delayed her license on A considerable number of the with small classes in pleasant autorickshaws and mini transport insufficiency was the main reason this ground even after completion country’s population works in the surroundings. In addition to vans. As a result of this initiative she took the autorickshaw drivers of training. Being a fiery woman, unorganised sector, mainly because professional skills, students are also training for women she insisted that though short, she they are not educated and trained in taught communication skills, medita- under the aegis of the was as good as anyone else. Today any particular discipline. e deprived tion and conflict management to Women’s Welfare she is a successful woman driver population of villages can be trained in improve personal and social skills. Society. Today, she is too. All these instances show that vocational skills through offering On completion of their courses happy with this deci- there are seismic changes happen- qualitative general and technical students find successful placement in sion, which has helped ing in the world of women, across education, which can help provide companies like General Electric, supplement her the spectrum of nationality, class, valuable employment opportunities. WIPRO, LENOVO, GT-Electronics family’s income caste and economic grouping. e Auroville Industrial School (AIS), and various Computer Centres in c o n s i d e r a b l y While we hear of more women located on the outskirts of the interna- uducherry and Auroville. In the near besides giving her a CEOs and research scientists who tional township of Auroville near the future, AIS plans to reach out to its renewed sense of make our news headlines and blur legendary temple of Irumbai, is such a audiences through community TV. achievement and the gender divide with their vocational training institute servicing We spoke to some of the students Photo: Radhika independence. achievements, let us not forget, on students from economically backward at AIS for their impressions about the Sumathy, who is a the occasion of the International families of South India. AIS provides school and its courses and how they Puducherry has quite a few small van driver unlike the oth- Women’s Day this year, those high quality technical education at felt it could benefit them. ey were all women drivers today, though their ers, used to be the head of a Self Help simple and ordinary women who affordable costs to rural youth. Over unanimous in claiming that the numbers ought to increase more G r o u p 450 students from economically courses at the institute helped to widen substantially. I took the opportu- (SHG) in backward families were enrolled since their awareness at large and taught nity to talk to a few of these Oulgaret classes commenced in 2005. them vocational skills that added value ‘pioneers.’ Selvi was the first one m u n i c i - For more information visit to their futures. Many of them had I met. She is married and has two pality who www.ais.org or e-mail office.ais@ difficulties with English in the sons. Her husband is an autorick- had ap- auroville.org.in beginning and found it hard to follow shaw driver who found it hard to proached e institution works on a classes owing to this handicap. But make ends meet with his meagre their SHG non-profit basis and charges nominal with time they overcame this difficulty earnings. Though she wanted to h e a d fees in order to foster responsibility with dedicated inputs from their augment the family’s income in office for and accountability amongst its teachers. e institute places some way, her options were job open- students. According to its executive importance upon extracurricular limited she realized, not having i n g s . and principal, Lavkamad Chandra, the activities like sport and yoga apart more than a high school I n s t e a d school’s primary objective is to from the regular courses of study. is certificate and no working they were enhance the employability of rural helps its students achieve a fuller experience what so ever. This is o ff e r e d youth through offering value based perspective of life. when she decided to take the d r i v e r s’ technical training that is relevant and e staff and faculty of the driving course offered by the training, effective. e courses offered in institute are supportive and Puducherry Women’s Welfare which was Photo: Arivoucany AIS include Computer Hardware dedicated to their students and their Society. On completion of the not so popular then. Many brave social and economic odds to Maintenance, Soware Development, needs. is, according to them, is what course she applied for a bank loan, declined. Sumathy, however, win a much needed sense of self Renewable Energy Applications, sets the Auroville Industrial School only to be turned down. There wanted to train as a driver but and economic freedom. Secretarial Skills, Industrial Training, apart from others of its kind. was no precedent of women auto faced some resistance from her The Inquirer salutes Electronics, Civil Draughtsmanship is unique feature is what will drivers in Puducherry and the husband initially. Her mother-in- their enthusiasm and determina- and short term certification courses in continue to attract students. bank manager was not sure if Selvi law supported her desire and soon tion to forge new paths for MS Office and Accountancy. e Arathi would be able to repay her loan. convinced her son of the benefits themselves and for many others Auroville Industrial School has Anbarasi Selvi refused to give up and of this new initiative that his wife like them. May their tribe qualified faculty and is well equipped Jitendriya convinced him with her zeal and wanted to avail of. Soon thereafter increase! V. Arivoucany 8 Potpourri THE INQUIRER March, 2009 Be Aware Advisory Board Prof. A. Balasubramanian tho;j;Jg;gh houghts and thought models have a r m o u r , what creates these thoughts, you will xg;gw;w jiytd; eP ! Gopinath. S a big influence over our lives. attitudes and probably come across a series of T Tejas Joseph ctikapy; Mjtd; eP ! Many people are not aware of the roles. We have deeply-rooted habits within you. ctikapy;yhjtd; eP ! effect they have. inking is some- come to believe e only way of strengthening the Editor ghujj;jpd; gfytd; eP ! thing we do every day throughout the that we are in power you have to choose and make it Radhika Khanna ,e;jg; gy;fiyf;fofj;jpd; gfy; whole day. In fact, we never stop fact these roles effective is through an inner voyage to Sub Editors mtd; eP ! thinking. Even when we sleep we and we identify understand and manage how your Arathi Krishnakumar ghh;g;gjw;Nfh gyhg;gok; eP ! continue thinking in dreams. ourselves with mind works in a better way. is is Iyappan. E cd;id Ghpe;J nfhz;lhy; When you form your thoughts them. what meditation is all about. Sandosh Kumar. J.M. Dr. Miriam Subirana Suja Das gyhr;RiseP ! you produce feelings, attitudes, words Be aware of the Be aware of the influence your Page Design & Layout rpw;nwUk;gha; ciog;gtd; eP ! and actions that make up the book or quality of your thoughts. You can live thoughts have over your quality of life. Iyappan. E. painting of your life. You are the artist each moment of your life knowing Be aware of the creative capacity you rpq;fk; Nghy; elg;gtd; eP ! Kandan. C gy;fiyapd; tpj;jfd; eP ! and creator. Develop the wisdom that how to choose beneficial and quality have in order to choose the kind of Sandosh Kumar. J.M. gy;Jiwapd; tpj;J mtd; eP ! teaches you to produce the highest thoughts quite consciously, and learn thoughts you want to create at any Illustrations fy;tpahsdha; rpwe;jhYk; quality of thoughts whenever, however to protect yourself from diverse nega- time. Iyappan. E. fsg;gzpapddha; ciog;gtd; eP ! and wherever you wish. Getting out of tive influences. To improve the quality Develop a more positive attitude Reports & Features nts;sp tpoh NtisapNy the routine so that you are no longer of your thoughts you must be aware of towards life. Create positive thoughts Anbarassi.K tpbnts;spaha; te;jtd; eP ! influenced by the whirlwind of your how you think, and recognise that and feelings towards situations, people A. Prabakaran ,d;Kfk; nfhz;ltNd thoughts and emotions, and by those each one of us creates our own and circumstances. Widen the Jitendriya Jena created by others around you, depends thoughts, whether positive or useless understanding of your spiritual ,iwaUs; ngw;wtNd Kandan. C on you. and negative. From this you can lay the identity. Munnadiayan. A gj;k~ tpUJ kl;Lky;y gy tpU- As a result of the daily bombard- basis for real positive change in your Learn meditation as a way of Monalisha Basumatary Jfs; ngwNtz;Lk; ment of information (television, life. channelling the energy of your mind. Rinoy Basumatary vd tho;j;Jk; md;G neQ;rd; telephones, work, the media and Look at your thoughts and how Discover your potential abilities and V. Arivoucany uhkrhkp Re;jufpU\;zd; intense relationships), we have you feel. From here arises a natural powers. Vasanth. V Kjd;ik cjtpahsh; rendered our hearts insensitive and desire to try and understand several Research njhiyJ}uf; fy;tpj;Jiw (Njh;T) find it hard to control the flight and things: why do I think and feel like Miriam Subirana, Ph.D. Anandarasu. T GJitg; gy;fiyf;fofk; speed of our thoughts and to put them this? Where do these thoughts come Director of Yesouisi, Sankara Rao into practice. All this has distanced us from? By looking into your inner self, International Space of Creativity, Srinath. G tpopj;jpL kdpjh! from our true identity, of who is or to put it another way, being Values and Coaching, Vasanthy. K V. Nathy behind these masks, protective introspective, in order to understand Barcelona, Spain tpopj;jpL!! Vijayakumar. A tpopj;jpL kdpjh! tpopj;jpL!! Wellbeing The power of positive thinking cd; J}f;fj;jpy; ,Ue;J nkhopj;jpL!! ositive thinking influences human idea and enterprise. Some- MAIL BAG positive actions. We can times our thoughts (desires and ,d;Dk; vj;jid fhyk;jhd; P What our readers have to say. . . remould the world in which we live wishes) are fulfilled. Many times ,e;j J}f;fk;? to suit our genuine needs better they are not. Being able to think cd; cupikfSk;> flikfSk; through changing or manipulating positively helps us deal with gupg;NghFk; tiuah? our thought processes. Physical temporary setbacks. Every failure ,e;j J}f;fj;jpy; vd;d gyd; health, mental harmony and is an occasion to remind us that fz;lha; eP ? general happiness are influenced we have the power to overcome rpy fdTfSk; cd; through positive thinking. little steps. Each step takes us to difficult situations. It is a power Nrhk;Ngupj;jdKk; jhNd Our thinking is linked to our the next and sets the stage for us that lies within us. It is the power cah;e;jJ!! NtNwd;d gyd;? immune system, heart, hormonal to grow to new levels of under- of appropriate thinking. Use this eP tpopj;jhy; cd; eyDf;fhf and cholesterol levels. What we standing. None of us know what power consciously and diligently cioj;jpLtha;! Cioj;jhy; think affects how we feel. The twists and turns await us. But if we and witness the results of change e Inquirer brought out by the cah;tha;!! quality of happiness we enjoy is can learn to think positively, we for yourself. Department of Mass Communication eP cah;e;jhy; cd; ehL caUk;!! directly related to the way we may manage to control the effects S. Ugin Mary is savvy, professional, informative and kdpjh! tpopj;jpL!! cioj;jpL!! think – about ourselves and our of our life to a large extent and Principal-in-Charge makes for an interesting read.e cah;e;jpL!! world. You are what you think! retain our hold on happiness. Vasavi College of Education layout is attractive and diverse topics gpiwepyT Life is composed of many Thought is behind every Puducherry are covered. Kudos for your attempt. ,Ul;L thdpy; Keep it up. Cheers! Ketaki Chowkhani Mspy;yh ntz;zpw Running for unity- 2nd Auroville Marathon M.A. English, glF! “gpiwepyT”!! Pondicherry University g.fhh;jpfh M.L.T We can't believe that it is your [pg;kh; inaugural issue. e presentation and editing is appreciable. WORD SALAD S. Ugin Mary, Principal-in-Charge, e words given below have a com- Vasavi College of Education, mon feature. ere are letters ‘on’ in Puducherry each of them. Can you solve this puz- Your inaugural issue was good in zle with the help of the hints given? content and get up. I hope more colour For e.g.: _ _ _ _on (Ambani brothers, gets added over time. You may like to Tata et al fall under this group) and the consider adding more columns in answer is Tycoon. future like ‘Inspiring oughts’ and 1. _ _ _ _ _ on (A geometric shape ‘Personality Development’. May your having more than nine sides) magazine grow bigger and more 2. _ _ _on_ _ _ _ (Amitabh Bachchan popular. donned this character in Jhoom S.Vasudeva Rao, IPS Barabar Jhoom ) IGP, Puducherry 3. ______on _ _ _ _ (Open mouthed Congratulations to all your team engineering) members on bringing out the 4. _ _ _ _ _on_ (A metal bone which Don your running shoes and shorts 6 a.m. and a quarter marathon at some were graced by their unexpected inaugural issue of e Inquirer. is is produces music ) everybody! Marathons have come to 7 a.m, all originating from the Certi- presence across a path. an awesome beginning and the 5. _ _ _on (Strike a match and go to our town too. ey are becoming tude play fields in Auroville. e paths e runners ranged from 12 years coverage and layout were indeed very jail) regular events across the nation to were well marked with coloured to senior citizens of 80 years. Break- professionally done. Looking forward 6. _ _ _ _on______(A tanned Greek endorse various events and publicise arrows. Posts along the way offered fast was provided to all participants to all future issues as well. in a math classroom) worthy causes from sports to AIDS. water, juice, bananas, biscuits and, and volunteers aer the run. Salt water Dr. Uma Chandrasekaran 7. ______on (What do you have to Puducherry is also getting firmly most importantly, encouragement. foot baths were available to those who Dept. of Management Studies do to not drown in a French pool?) established on the marathon map of Volunteer cyclists accompanied the wanted this. Everyone was given a blue Pondicherry University 8. ______on_ _ (A demanding the country. runners, as did photographers. A band tee shirt with the marathon logo on it e 2nd Auroville Marathon was of drummers near a turn cheered the and certificates were given by the THE INQUIRER is a lab journal nightingale in a musical drama) brought out by the students of Dept. 9. _on_ _ _ (Express yourself in 14 held on Feb.15. It witnessed some 500 runners. e early morning chill marathon organisers headed by runners across all ages and became bearable aer a few hundred Chandresh Patel. ere was a general of Mass Communication, lines) coming from many places. Inciden- meters and the sun’s rays pouring mood of jubilation aer the run, with Pondicherry University. 10. ______on (Athens to Sparta in tally, the Chennai Marathon was also through the trees along with the lush everyone feeling like a winner. It was Colour version is available at two days)
Suja Das held on the same day. greenery along the track provided a indeed a victory for the human spirit! www.pondiuni.edu.in
8) prima donna, 9) sonnet, 10) marathon marathon 10) sonnet, 9) donna, prima 8) Suggestions and inputs invited at
4) trombone, 5) arson, 6) trigonometry, 7) natation, 7) trigonometry, 6) arson, 5) trombone, 4) e marathon event started at sense of warmth and well being. Ketaki Chowkhani
1) decagon, 2) raconteur, 3) orthodontics, 3) raconteur, 2) decagon, 1) Answers: 5 a.m. ere was a half marathon at Peacock calls greeted the runners and M.A. English [email protected]