The Word Edition 9 Page 1_Layout 1 3/26/2018 9:30 AM Page 1

Volume No 18 Issue No 9

March 23, 2018 LAB JOURNAL OF THE ASIAN COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM Senior citizens Scrap vehicles A medley of decline bus passes create nuisance artistry Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Protests over rath yatra rock TN Protest against Stalin and over 300 others arrested as yatra culminates in Rameswaram police station ASHWIN MANIKANDAN aimed at mobilizing support to build Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Build community hall: residents Chennai: Several leaders of the Earlier, Section 144 CRpC – Opposition, including DMK’s Wor - unlawful assembly of people – was BHAGYASRI land to the fishermen.” king President M K Stalin, were ar - imposed in Tirunelveli District and CHAUDHURY The government is ready to give rested on Tuesday for protesting more than 1500 police personnel the fishermen alternative land to against AIADMK Government’s deployed, in anticipation of possi - Chennai: Residents of Nochikup - build their community hall. decision to allow the Vishwa Hindu ble communal violence or disrup - pam, a fishermen’s colony on the “However, they don’t want to Parishad (VHP) backed ‘Ram tion of public order due to the Rath Marina, want to build a community use the land being given to them,” Rajya Rath Yatra’ enter Tamil Yatra. According to police reports, hall on land that does not belong to said Raja , “They need an alterna - Nadu. over 300 people have been arrested them, according to officials at the tive space nearby, and the space The Opposition, led by Stalin, across Tamil Nadu for violating D5 Marina Police Station. being given to them is not conve - created a furore in the State As - ban orders. The residents have been objec - niently close. There is no problem sembly after their calls to ban the Speaking to The Word, DMK ting to the Marina police station co - in actuality.” Yatra was dismissed by Tamil Nadu Spokesperson TKS Elangovan said ming up on over 9,000 sq ft of land After their hall was taken over Chief Minister E. Palaniswami. that his party was against the Yatra traditionally belonging to their vil - by an Amma Unavagam, the then “A government cannot be selec - because they deemed it as an attack lage. The station building had utili - MLA Haridoss D., promised the tive in its approach towards a parti - on the secular fabric of Tamil zed around 1,500 sq ft when it was fishermen a new one, but nothing cular religion and ban its Nadu. there earlier. The building has been has been done since. The residents activities,“ the Chief Minister said. “They (BJP) have trouble-ma - demolished for reconstruction and said that the hall was a necessity Unhappy with the response, the kers in all the states. This Yatra is the station is currently functioning since they had nowhere else to con - opposition then staged a walk-out only meant to antagonize the Mus - from a temporary structure on Ka - duct functions at nominal rates from the Assembly and demonstra - lim population in Tamil Nadu. The maraj Salai. .“We objected to the police sta - ted by blocking the road outside the ruling party should never have al - The fishermen said they could tion coming up in our village in the Secretariat, before police interve - lowed it, but instead, they further not part with the additional land first place. Since it has moved el - ned and arrested the protesters. Ac - imposed 144 in parts of Tamil since they required it for building a sewhere now, it might as well be lo - cording to eye-witness accounts, Nadu. I think they are afraid of BJP Protestors agitate against the VHP backed rath yatra at Anna Salai on Tuesday community hall. cated in that place permanently,” 100 to 150 people were detained by and are in power only because of ASHWIN MANIKANDAN “The station is not being built on pointed out Maran, a resident. the police. the BJP,” Elangovan said. fishermen’s land. The land does not The Nochikuppam residents The Ram Rajya Rath Yatra was Meanwhile, protests were held in Nambi Narayan, Editor of BJP among the people. Tamil Nadu and ding police support for the peace - belong to them. It is a housing cor - have planned to submit petitions to flagged off from Ayodhya on Fe - Chennai, Ambur, Vellore, Tirunel - Tamil Nadu’s official magazine Lord Ram have a historical con - ful passing of the Yatra through the poration area, so the land belongs the Chief Minister's special cell, bruary 13 by Sri Rama Dasa Uni - veli and some other places in the ‘Orey Naadu,’ responded to the nection,” he said. state. to the government,” said Inspector the slum clearance board and also versal Society, a religious body state by members of parties inclu - protests by saying that “Ram Rajya BJP National Secretary H Raja The procession traversed N. Raja from the Marina police sta - to the Mylapore MLA R. Natraj de - based in Thiruvananthapuram, Ke - ding DMK, VCK (Viduthalai Chi - was the ultimate vision of Gandhi said, “The DMK will lose on Hindu through Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and tion,. manding that a community hall, a rala, and travelled through five sta - ruthaigal Katchi), and some as well.” votes because of its stand against Madurai districts before culmina - “This temporary police station play area for children and a library, tes before entering Tamil Nadu on Muslim outfits to demonstrate their “The goal of the Yatra is to esta - the Yatra.” He further lauded the ting at Rameswaram on Wednes - has been here for ten years or so. be built for them..They have objec - March 20. The procession was opposition to the Rath-Yatra. blish a Ram Rajya and have peace AIADMK government for provi - day. The government sanctioned this ted to officials measuring the site. Teachers to boycott paper evaluation They want Plus One evaluation postponed to first week of July “We are ready to complete the to bear summer in a school with no EISHA NAIR Plus-Two papers by April end be - desk, fan, toilet, and no separate fa - cause we know they have to apply cility for ladies,” says Thasthahir. The Tamil Nadu Post Graduate for higher studies and entrance Also, the payment per paper has Teachers Association (TNPGTA) exams. It’s our responsibility to stayed at Rs. 15 for seven years will boycott the evaluation of Plus- give them their mark sheets on now, which is supposed to increase New Tamil film releases stopped as strike continues. One exam papers, according to the time. But Plus-One students are every two years, according to Su - DEBDUTTA MITRA association’s state president, KPO going to be with us,” says Suresh. resh. Suresh. SK Gulam Thasthahir, TNPGTA The association welcomed the The Plus-One public exam headquarters secretary, said “The government’s decision to hold pu - which began on March 7 this year, government introduced a no-deten - blic examinations for 11th stan - with around nine lakh students ap - tion policy for higher secondary dard. Re-releases bring pearing for it, is being conducted classes this year. So every Plus- “Many matriculation schools for the first time ever in Tamil One student will go to the higher (schools following their own curri - Nadu. class. If they fail, they can re-write culum until 10th and then State poor crowd “March is full of exams. Totally, that exam the next year.” Board syllabus for 11th and 12th 18 lakh students are writing 11th The other demands by the standards) and private schools, es - DEBDUTTA MITRA Meanwhile, some theatres are and 12th. The language teachers TNPGTA include increasing the pecially in the Namakkal, Salem playing movies from other langua - have to correct two sets of papers student-teacher ratio which it says and Erode districts believe in har - TNPGTA Secy SK Gulam Thasthahir says that Class 11 Chennai: Cinema owners are ges dubbed in Tamil such as Baa - per student …so that’s 36 lakh pa - is skewed in government schools vesting students. They don’t teach exams will give fair chances to all students. EISHA NAIR unhappy with the fall in the ticket hubali and No. 1. The owners pers. We have to start checking across the state. “The Teacher’s Re - the 11th standard syllabus. Now it sales with the ongoing tussle over explained that they were doing so from April 4 and finish by May 20, cruitment Board (TRB) has started will force them to give students the fee charge for digital prints of that their share from distributor’s in the peak summer, leaving us recruiting more teachers in the past equal opportunities,” says Thastha - the students for 600 marks in 11th pressure. At least earlier we had a movies. profit was more. with only two weeks of vacation,” three-four years but vacancies still hir. standard and 1,200 marks only in break between 10th and 12th,” says The entire South Indian film in - “For movies with big heroes, says Suresh. remain. There has been no appoint - However, the shift to public 12th standard. Now they are tested R Indumathi, studying Commerce dustry went on a strike against the distributors take away 70 percent of TNPGTA has submitted a peti - ments of clerical staff either so exams for Plus One has been for 1,200 marks in 11th and have to at Chennai Girls Higher Secondary Virtual Print Free (VPF) charged by the profit and theatre owners get the tion to the School Education De - many teachers are doing clerical abrupt. “No new books have been write the same answer for double School.“It’s difficult to manage Digital Service Providers (DSP) remaining 30 percent. However, for partment to postpone the work too,” says Thasthahir. given…They have just passed the marks since the paper pattern has everything, and coaching classes from March 1 and decided not to other movies with smaller cast, dis - evaluation of Plus-One papers to One of the long-standing de - order without doing any work,” not changed,” says Thasthahir. for IIT.My friends are also studying release new films. tributors give away a share of 40 the first week of July, saying that mands of the association is the es - says Suresh. Students seem to be unhappy for NTSE .Now we have to study The Telugu and Malayalam film percent to us with them taking the no student will be adversely affec - tablishment of permanent Thasthahir says “It’s not a one- with thet new order.“Public exam hard for 11th standard also,” says industries called off their strike due remaining 60 percent,” said Janaki - ted. evaluation centers.“We might have day process. Before, we had to test marks matter more, so there’s more Shaffiya Begum, a Science student. to which many new movies such as raman, Assistant Manager of Anna Poomaram and Kirrak Party were Theatre in Mount Road which is also released in the state along with playing Mahesh Babu-starrer No. 1 Hindi and English movies. Howe - Film critic Baradwaj Rangan ver only old Tamil films are being said “The trend of re-releases star - screend in the theatres leading to a ted when a digitally re-released ver - ‘Ask nature, it will give you medicine!’ drop in ticket sales. sion of Sivaji Ganesan-starrer “Business was already bad and Karnan (1964) came in 2012 which now it has become much worse. was a critical and commercial suc - Lecture at Guindy Snake Park highlights cures available in nature Out of the 300 seats in a screen, cess. After that many movies of DEBANGANA GHOSH started smuggling it these days. Chinese re - blem during cell division as cell formation there are 40-50 tickets sold totally MGR and Rajini such as Baasha gularly use it in their soups.” also require fat and what it gets is a modi - for a single show,” said Ramras, (1995) and Rickshawkaaran (1971) “Chinese have been using this for ages fied and artificial form of fat. Assistant Manager of Woodland had their digital versions released Chennai: Elephants, which are the least li - claiming it to be a major factor for fewer But he later added that the body will Cinemas in Royapettah which is and for such hit films, the audience kely to get cancer in the animal kingdom, instances of cancer among them,” he said adapt with that kind of fat over the time. screening Wonder Woman and the get a tinge of nostalgia while wat - may offer hope to human beings, according adding that however, there is very little Not just humans, plants too are facing Tamil dub of Telugu movie, No.1. ching.” to an animal activist. scientific evidence to prove this. problems of unwanted gene mutation due Owners of theatres showing According to The Hindu, Digital S. Paulraj, Trustee of the Chennai Snake Paulraj said that at present, allopathic to excessive use of chemical pesticides and mainstream Tamil re-releases say Service Providers agreed to redu - Park Trust (CSPT) and a retired Indian Fo - medicines used 30-40 per cent of plant pro - fertilizers. they get a small crowd their scree - ced the virtual print fee by 18 to 23 reign Services (IFS) officer, said this was ducts in its preparation which would only Paulraj said that to create a disease re - ning superhit and classical movies. per cent. While producers in the Te - because compared to human beings, the increase with time. These medicines were sistant variety of paddy, the scientists nee - “New movies enjoy huge lugu and Malayalam, film indus - elephants have more P53 genes which were symptom-oriented and not cause-oriented. ded to take the gene from the original plant, crowds if they are good ones. But tries agreed to it, the others are still responsible for killing cancer cells. A Sea Cucumber Another major problem, he pointed out, which was not sprayed with any chemicals. only 15-20 people on average turn negotiating. “Elephants have 20 pairs of this gene as with today’s lifestyle was the food habit, That was something difficult for them to up per show for re-releases,” said The Hindu quoted Senthil compared to humans who have one or two. “Ask nature, it will give you medicine,” mainly the trend of using refined and pre - find under normal conditions. Mani, Manager of GK Marlen Ci - Kumar, one of the digital service Now scientists are looking for ways to ex - he said on the occasion of World Forest served food. Fifty years ago, refined oil Over the years, the percentage of oxygen nemas in Aynavaram which is providers as saying that the high re - tract and use the gene,” he added. Day on March 21 at Guindy National Park. was never used and oil was extracted natu - in the air had remained constant at 21 per screening Thani Oruvan and Aran - liability of tech support was neces - Paulraj spoke about numerous such ways “Sea Cucumber, a marine animal is often rally from oil seeds. Refining oil includes cent, but a slight increase of even 0.01 per manai 2. He added that despite ha - sary to ensure smooth operation of nature to cure different diseases which removed from seas despite its cleansing changing the fat composition of the natural cent in the otherwise 0.03 per cent of at - ving re-releases of movies such as across cities and that the VPF could are at research stages, reiterating the im - properties. It has certain components which oil which would not be readily accepted by mospheric carbon dioxide can cause ad - Vedalam and Mersal, which have not be reduced further because portance of forests and animals. are effective against cancer. People have the human body. This in turn creates a pro - verse ecological issues. big stars, the business was down. “We will go into the red.” The Word Edition 9 Page 2_Layout 1 3/26/2018 10:41 AM Page 1

CHENNAI March 23, 2018 THE WORD CITYSCAPE 2 Seniors pass up free bus passes The passes allow senior citizens a limited number of trips EISHA NAIR

CHENNAI: Despite the availability of free bus passes for passengers aged 60-years-old and above, many are opting to pay for a monthly pass instead. This is because the free pass al - lows only a limited number trips, among other things. The next renewal of the free pass will take place in the first week of April, according to a cashier at the Metro Transport Corporation office at Shastri Nagar in Adyar. “The pass is issued four times in one year. A total of 30 tickets are given for three months,” he says. When the scheme was launched The Besantnagar crematorium GARIMA BORA in February 2016, the commuter needed only to submit a proof of age and two passport-sized photo - graphs, but during the renewal of passes in January, this year, pas - sengers were asked to bring extra Commuters waiting at the Perumbur bus stop EISHA NAIR identity proofs. Eco-friemed asn ‘produdcer gas,l’ cauysing p ol -pcesy of firewoe od, whereas using “The senior citizen needs to get 2 the New Indian Express. train pass to test if it’s cheaper, and function, or I might decide to go GARIMA BORA lution and also leading to problems LPG people get human remains. photographs, and copies of Aadhar “My mother used to travel from it was, but the bus stop is nearer to shopping for them and that’s two CHENNAI: LPG powered gasifier in maintenance in the long run, ac - An average of five bodies are card, and ration card for address Tiruvanmiyur to T Nagar, and once my house than the train station,” he tickets gone. If one bus does not units have now replaced the old cording to a report in The Hindu. cremated in the Besant Nagar cre - proof to submit with the form at in February, she was not allowed to says. come, I have to wait for another furnaces fuelled by firewood and Also it takes less time to cremate matorium. any bus depot. Someone else can travel on the free ticket,” says 46- R. Laskhmi, who has taken a one. If I get tired of waiting, I might electricity to burn the bodies in the a body using LPG. The renovated crematorium is get their pass for them by submit - year-old K. Savita, standing in a monthly pass for Rs. 1000 instead take a bus to one stop and carry on cremation grounds of Besant The time taken to completely now being managed by Isha Foun - ting their documents,” said the cas - queue at the pass issuing and rene - of availing herself of the scheme, from there to another bus stop and Nagar, Vyasarpadi, Mylapore, and turn the body to ashes depended dation since the Greater Chennai hier. wal counter in the Tiruvanmiyur says “I’m always busy. I practice that means two or three tickets Velankadu. upon the physical dimensions of Corporation turned over the main - Apart from this, the passengers bus depot. acupuncture, so I have to go from gone in a single trip,” says Laks - According to Aruljyothi, a burial the body, Aruljyothi said. tenance to private contractors. were also required to bring their old Other passengers believe that the Tambaram to Chengalpet every hmi. ground assistant, switching to LPG “It takes an average of 45 minu - The Corporation manages 211 ID cards, according to regular com - number of coupons issued a month day.” “Being a retired person, I don’t cylinders as an alternative to heat tes using LPG and would take more burial grounds in Chennai city. muter S. Perumalsamy. are inadequate. “I am buying a monthly pass be - have much cash with me. But as - the furnace had turned out to be than an hour and half using fire - A total of 25 gasifier crematoria Many passengers said they faced “They give just 10 tickets cause I have to take care of so king children for money is a sensi - cost-effective and less-polluting. wood,” he added. are being operated in various parts problems after the hiking of the bus monthly and that they are calling it many things, being a widow— I tive topic. Even if they say The existing gasifiers at the cre - The ash produced using the fire - of the city, replacing electric facili - fares on January 20 and then its a pass. If you use it to get to the have to go meet my family and help Mummy you take…I feel bad as - matoria convert firewood into a wood would not be purely human ties and the use of firewood. subsequent partial roll back Ja - next stop, you’ve lost one entire tic - them out. They might ask me to go king. Whatever pension I get, I will mixture of combustible gases ter - remains as it would have some tra - nuary 29, according to an article in ket,” says D Johnson. “I took a to my grandchild’s school for a manage in that much,” she says.

Physicians and Maggi resurrected, claims Nestle their moral AYESHA ROY The District Administration of grounds that the lead content came taste. He was fond of Nestle Maggi Shahjahanpur, UP, had slapped a through the fertilizers used for the but after he heard in the news about obligation CHENNAI: Nestle, makers of fine of Rs. 45 lakh on Nestle India cultivation of onions that was part adulterations being found, he “lost Maggi, claims to have regained the in 2015. It was the first lab to find of the Maggi masala and that there - trust” in the brand. HRIDKAMAL ROY trust of the people some three years ash content, high levels of lead fore it was not direct contamina - Ramya of Jerusalem College of after the “two-minute noodles” was (17.2 ppm) and monosodium gluta - tion. Engineering said, “As hostellers we CHENNAI: Family physicians ma - banned. But doubts linger in the mate (MSG) that was not fit for After the court battle Maggi hit binged on Maggi even after the king house visits are a disappearing minds of some consumers even human consumption. the shelves through extensive mar - speculation.” breed. These doctors knew all their - though the ban relaxed on March According to the Food Safety ket campaigns. On March 18, Nes - A Masters in Climate Science, K patients starting from their medical 14, 2016.The ban was imposed and Standard (Contaminants, To - tle claims to have regained the Kalaiarasai said, “I never ate ins - history, lifestyle, dietary habits, after Nestle failed the food com - xins and Residues) Regulations, consumer trust. tant noodles. My parents feel it’s educational standards and, social pliant tests under Food Safety and 2011, the permitted level of lead in At the Nilgiris supermarket, Dr. unhealthy. However my brother status Senior doctors blame it on Standards Authority of used to eat while he the attitude of some patients and the India (FSSAI) in Tamil worked on different urge to run to specialists. Nadu. shifts in office as Dr. Sandip Panicker of SRM Ge - High quantities of they were easy to neral Hospital said, “A doctor can lead were allegedly make but now he work anywhere provided he is found and a five month has stopped. Due to given respect and his fair share of ban was imposed on his stomach pro - money. The problem is that when Nestles’s Maggi pro - blems, doctors sug - people have a headache and they ducts on June 4, 2015. gested that he stop google it, they run to the neurolo - According to World eating any kind of gist before even knowing what it is. Health Organisation junk food.” They even consider visitingthe ge - (WHO) lead has cumu - Ravi Shankar, a neral physician. Everything is so lative effects as it gets junior project ma - much consumer based now. People distributed to brain, nager at Hyundai, look at their doctors with suspi - liver, kidney and accu - Chennai said, “yes, cion.” mulates in teeth and instant noodles are People nowadays want all their bones over time. It is harmful but we can treatment to be conducted under Lakshmi, with her team BHAGYASRI CHAUDHURY particularly harmful for eat it for its taste.” one roof and they visit multispe - young children and Sudharshana, cialty hospitals. Now they have dif - pregnant mothers as Sports Nutritionist ferent specialist doctors and all the fetus is exposed to the (MSc), Sano Holis - medical tests under one roof and lead present in mater - tic Nutrition Clinic, due to the benefit of health insu - Empowering and nal bones which is re - in Chennai said, rance, money is also not a major leased into her blood “Nestle has always factor. SOURCE: IRISHTIMES.COM during pregnancy. A shopkeeper lays out his new wares been transparent All the doctors who used to be fa - feeding the poor Although Nestle de - with its products. mily physicians wee general physi - AVANISH C. The Hindu, donors from Ooty came nied every allegation, it withdrew instant noodles is 2.5 part per mil - Anita Rao, a professor of Architec - They clearly mention all the ingre - cians. They continued their practice to the rescue, as they provided fresh the popular instant noodles from lion (ppm). MSG, a “flavour ture said, “I think of other noodles dients and their quantities. After the only with a bachelor’s degre in me - CHENNAI: The ECO (Enhancing vegetables and rice to the kitchen, the market and destroyed 35,000 enhancer” is not permitted in “Pas - before picking up Maggi. Although ban was lifted, it is completely safe dicine and surgery, and with that Community Opportunities) Kitchen enabling them to serve 5000 fresh tonnes of the product. It then sent a tas and noodles (only dried pro - they got themselves cleared, the to have it. However, it is entirely in knowledge only, they treated the at Injambakkam has been providing meals per day. fresh batch to the market. ducts)” but is allowed in the thought of adulteration always the hands of consumers to choose, wide range of problems in their lo - food kiosks to be operated by Ever expandingM, more than “The new products were tested seasoning used in them. comes into my mind.” especially parents who have to de - cality. Dr. Mrityunjay Mukherjee of women all over Chennai. The ini - 500 KATHIR entrepreneurs are on November 9, 2015 and Decem - From 80 percent market share in She now prefers other brands cide what to give to their children. the Sagardutta Medical College and tiative, known as the KATHIR pro - now spread across the city, and the ber 17, 2015,” said a food security India, the Swiss company’s share like Yippee, Patanjali atta noodles. Anything consumed in excess is Hospital, Kolkata, said, “It can de - ject, was launched in 2010, with a food from their kiosks reaches the officer of the Food and drug safety came down to nothing. However, it But her son, Aditya, a sixth stan - bad for health.” finitely be inferred that perhaps view toof serving a dual purpose- orphanages and the underprivile - department of Tamil Nadu. won the legal battle with FSSAI on dard student does not like their they didn’t have specialized know - to feed the less privileged masses ged. As per a source from the kit - ledge about anything, but were in a of the society and, while provideing chen, the women work 5-6 hours a position to diagnose a varied range employment to women from trou - day from Monday to Saturday, and of problems and suggest treat - bled homes as cooks. serve a minimum of two meals. The ment.Almost all the sectors of me - “Through this project, we want arrangement serves to distract these dicine at a basic level could be to help women escape their daily women from the troubles of their Full grooming, not just cut and dry covered by a family physician with woes and troubles, and help them households, with most of them HRIDKAMAL ROY lons across the city. presently employed there. cial styling done when they step out ease. stand on their own two feet,” said being victims of domestic violence Chandan, one of the stylists at Chandan said, “Nowadays boys of the place. A simple hair cut Being a family physician was a Sethu Lakshmi, manager of ECO and abuse at the hands of their fa - CHENNAI: The first thing which is Naturals Lounge said, “When I first generally don’t visit small barber won’t do. They want to take care of lot of work. He had to be ‘Johnny Kitchen. mily members. It serves the added seen right after anyone steps into came to Chennai three years ago, I shops because of the few facilities their hair and their body, they want on the spot’ for any kind of medical As part of the KATHIR initia - purpose of making them financially Naturals Lounge, Adyar is the list started working as a stylist at a par - there. They come to places like this to become up-to-date with fashion emergency.” tive, 100 women are trained in mat - independent of their spouses and of services they provide along with lour which had specialised fashion Dr. Rathnaswami, Professor of ters of food preparation, social families. the price list _ it includes hair cut treatments but only to a limited ex - surgical gastroenterology from skills, matters of finance and social Apart from training underprivi - to hair dyeing and pedicure to fa - tent and the quality of material used Chennai said, “Surely it is happe - skills for a period of six weeks each leged women, the kitchen also con - cials all provided under one roof. by the proprietor wasn’t good too. ning to a certain extent in the cor - year. They are then allotted kiosks ducts awareness programs. Until a couple of years ago bar - Many customers used to get angry porate sector, now more than ever to vend food, with the costs under - These programs are designed to ber shops in Chennai just offered a over the quality and quantity of the because people are more and more taken by the Kitchen and by gene - understand the depth of issues af - hair cut and a shave. These shops treatment. After some of those in - getting inclined towards speciality rous donors. fecting the target group of women were mostly patronised by the local cidents I left the job and got ap - treatment but there is also a subs - The initiative previously served the kitchen seeks to train. Recently crowd and manned by the owner pointed here.” tantial amount of physicians who food to affected people at inunda - during Pongal, an event called and two or three assistants. Earlier This salon in Adyar is one of the are acting like before.” ted areas during the 2015 Chennai “Dine and Dialogue” was organi - there used be barbers sitting with a examples of the multispecialty fas - “They have a specific client set floods. While other kitchens were zed, wherein corporate heads, mirror under a big tree. hion treatment. It has a ladies sec - may be in a specific geographical running out of fuel, ECO Kitchen KATHIR entrepreneurs and orpha - Now the trend has changed with tion and a gents section. It also has Adyar Naturals lounge SOURCE:JDMAGICBOX.COM area but they have it and they per - gained an edge over them, as they ned children discussed their hards - the business being taken over by a section where only high end hair form everything possible in their used used renewable sources of hips and successes. companies like Lakme, VLCC and styling is done. As many as 12 because they want all round treat - trends and which only multispe - power to maintain the well being of energy like solar power and steam. Lo’real Paris which own several sa - beauty and style professionals are ment. They want proper hair or fa - cialty salons can provide. their client set.” According tos per a report from The Word Edition 9 Page 3_Layout 1 3/26/2018 10:01 AM Page 1

CHENNAI March 23, 2018 THE WORD CITYSCAPE 3 March for Scrapped cars are public nuisance Secularism GARIMA BORA Act, 1988 holds the police respon - vehicles in the city blem cannot be addressed by crea - sible for the removal of motor ve - was conducted by ting a city impoundment yard on DEBANGANA GHOSH CHENNAI: Abandoned vehicles hicles that have been abandoned or Satyarupa Shekhar, ‘vacant’ open spaces in cities that are becoming a nuisance to the left unattended in public places. As who heads the Go - are already grappling with the lack CHENNAI: Taking inspiration city even after being impounded the police stations lack space to vernment Outreach of land for social housing, landfills from the success of the Kisan by the police, as they turn into gar - keep these vehicles, they move and Advisory team at and dump yards in water bodies Long March of Maharashtra, bage bins and take up public spa - them to places where they do not the Citizen consumer and other precious lands. the People’s Platform Against ces. cause obstruction to traffic flow or and Civic Action The Greater Chennai Corpora - Fascism (PPAF), a citizens’ A bunch of deserted vehicles cause any health hazard. Such ve - Group(CAG). In her tion (GCC) recently issued an group with its members coming has been lying opposite the Tamil hicles including autorickshaws, a survey, she mentions order asking the owners of disused from different corners of the Nadu Electric Board Office in Be - Tata Indica and Maruti Swift were that rather than lea - vehicles to clear them within a 15- country will soon set on a 10- sant Nagar for the past two to three found in around four streets of Be - ving the abandoned day window period and warning day voyage across 21 districts years, according to residents and sant Nagar. Scrapped vehicles lie abandoned at 1st Main Road in Besant Nagar or seized vehicles on them that they would be towed and 49 cities of Tamil Nadu to GARIMA BORA workers at the office. A security The issue of abandoned vehicles the streets, the city away by police to designated spots protest against what they call guard at the Besant Nagar crema - is not new to the city. A media could create a vehicle and auctioned. “saffron terrorism.” torium, which lies next to the elec - report in September 2016 vehicles being held by the police 2015, the Madras High Court allo - impoundment yard where they GCC Commissioner D Karthi - tricity board office, said “These discussed the problem of police stations in various parts of the city. wed the railways to identify the would be stored. However, the im - keyan said parking vehicles at the Apart from students, farmers are vehicles impounded by the po - stations not having adequate space In 2013, the Chennai Traffic vehicles that had been abandoned poundment yard should only be roadsides and street corners posed and fishermen, this group will lice as they were abandoned after for impounded vehicles. This Police impounded several abando - in their premises, verify if they treated as a temporary space for a hindrance to the public, and also see an active participation of an accident or when nobody clai - report cites an RTI query by ned vehicles due to security con - were in any crime and if not, to the vehicles to be housed while the lead to health hazards as these be - individuals affiliated to va - med them for more than a month.” Chennai-based NGO Arappor cerns in Chennai following a dispose them in five months. A police go through the legal and ad - come a breeding spot for mosqui - rious political ideologies like The Central Motor Vehicles Iyakkam on the number of bomb blast in Bengaluru. In July survey regarding the abandoned ministrative processes. This pro - toes. Ambedkarites, Dravidians, Communists and Tamil lin - guistic outfits. The ‘March for Secularism,’ which was supposed to begin on March 21, was postponed Sasikala’s spouse Natarajan dies after the Tamil Nadu Police HARIPRASAD Agrahara prison in Bengaluru, was affection towards him. His loss is decided to ban the march. The RADHAKRISHNAN granted a 15-day parole to perform irreparable,” The Hindu quoted the last rites. Amma Makkal DMK working president M.K. Tamil Nadu State Government CHENNAI: M.Natarajan, husband Munnetra Kazhagam chief and Stalin as saying. too did not support it. The of sidelined AIADMK leader V.K. nephew of Sasikala, TTV VCK leader T. Thirumavalavan members then approached the Sasikala and a powerful backroom Dhinakaran, accompanied said he was a political strategist Madras High Court on March player during the Jayalalithaa era, Sasikala from Tiruchi to who “played his cards carefully.” 20 seeking cooperation and passed away here on March 20. He Thanjavur. He added that Natarajan, during protection of the police. Howe - was 74. Natarajan’s mortal remains private conversations, used to ver, the judgement is still pen - He died of multiple organ were then taken to his residence at express his unhappiness with the Nallore Vattam emphasizes on ‘ Makkal Shakthi’ (People ding. DEBDUTTA MITRA failure early Tuesday at the Besant Nagar, where a number of inequalities in society and the Power) to bring in social change. Sathish Kumar, a member of Gleneagles Global Hospital. political leaders paid homage to oppression of dalits. the PPAF and a leader of the “Every possible clinical attempt Natarajan was hospitalized the former AIADMK leader. Later Marumalarchi Dravida Communist Party of India was made to sustain his revival. in the afternoon, his body was Munnetra Kazhagam leader Vaiko on Saturday after he (Marxist-Leninist) (CPIML) However, despite our best efforts complained of chest pain taken to in Thanjavur. said, “At a time when the nation is NGO calls for he was unable to recover,” a A bevy of political leaders and becoming saffronised, his said, “The Tamil Nadu govern - hospital press release said. THE HINDU acquaintances arrived at Besant presence will be missed.” ment has become a tail of the He was admitted to the hospital was the last time he had seen his Nagar to pay homage to the Puducherry Chief Minster V. BJP. Our movement is not re - following a severe chest infection wife, who was out on an deceased leader. “As a student, Narayanasamy also came to DEBDUsTToA McITRiA al cwhas toa erandicatge coe rruption, he lated to any political party. It on Sunday. He was put on emergency parole. Natarajan joined the anti-Hindi Chennai to pay his condolences. “I said “We will be also looking at is individuals’s initiative. At ventilator support after undergoing Sasikala, who is serving her agitations. He had great interest in have met him several times when CHENNAI: Social group Nallore improving the education system of present we have over 40 core a tracheotomy. four-year sentence after being the Dravidian ideology, and we our parties were in alliance. Vattam announced on Wednesday the state not only in terms of members in the group. We are Last October, he had undergone convicted in a disproportionate Kalaignar (DMK chief However, political allies or not, he that it would be creating public syllabus and learning but also in expecting more participants a kidney and liver transplant. This assets case at the Parappana Karunanidhi) had a special was a friendly person,” he said. . awareness among the citizens of terms of campus infrastructure and joining us on our way during the state in order to bring changes behaviour within it.” the march.” in society. Around 1000 social The group had also tied up with Once they get a clearance workers including youth members various other NGOs. “There is a from the High Court, the par - from all districts of Tamil Nadu huge need for not only cleanliness ticipants will begin their travel would be volunteering for the but also the proper utilisation of Dinakaran’s new party, AMMK, group. water especially in the city. There in vans from Chennai, then go Addressing a press conference, are three mega sewage-water to Kanchipuram, Vellore and MA Balasubramaniam, who treatment plants which send the other districts. It will conclude flagged off with controversy founded the organisation, treated water back to the Cooum in Kanyakumari covering emphasised the role of ‘Makkal River. Though the plants have around 2300 km. Ruling party AIADMK objects to use of red, white and black in AMMK’s new flag Shakthi’ (People Power) in social their own parameters for working, He added, “We will have pu - responsibility. they can use blic meetings and distribute ASHWIN MANIKANDAN Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalitha (Amma) because people deem him as the find him in the news.” “People are ignorant The group’s aim the water for pamphlets every evening along imposed over the red, white and heir to Jayalalitha’s throne. I think With actor Kamal Haasan about their was much similar many with cultural programmes at CHENNAI: Within a week of its black strips. The symbol of the he is trying to hit the same chord launching his party Makkal responsibility towards purposes the places we visit. We have launch, TTV Dinakaran’s party party is a pressure cooker. with the people of Tamil Nadu by Needhi Maiam recently, society and they should to that of Dr. APJ such as toilet decorated a canter van to pro - Amma Makkal Munetra Speaking at his party launch using Amma again in his flag and Rajnikanth also announcing his realize the importance cleaning,” mote our ideas of secularism Kazhagam (AMMK) finds itself Dinakaran, who was ousted from the party name. His party however imminent entry into politics, and of maintaining a good Abdul Kalam’s said Ammu caught in controversy. The Madras the AIADMK, said “We will win lacks any kolgai (motive),” Srika the BJP trying to make inroads in society,” said Rajeshwari and pluralism.” High Court on Wednesday all upcoming elections from now Selvam, a third year LLB student the state, Tamil Nadu politics Balasubramaniam India: Vision 2020 from Their demands include stop - directed Dinakaran to file a by using our latest name and party from Madras Law College said. seems to be entering a new era. adding that the group’s Greenwish ping violence against women response to the AIADMK’s flag. We will also try to retrieve The RK Nagar election “It’s great for Tamil Nadu and the aim was much similar to that of Foundation adding that they would and oppressed castes and end objection to letting him use the the two leaves symbol (of campaign, however, was democracy in general. AMMK Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s India: also look into the inadequate to exploitation of natural re - red, white and black colours in his AIADMK), till then we will use embroiled in controversy. might just have been floated by Vision 2020. number of public toilets in the sources which destroys the li - party flag, as it was similar to the the cooker symbol.” Dinakaran was alleged to have Dinakaran to win back his position Saravanan S, a member of the state. velihood of fishing ruling party’s flag. Dinakaran won the R K Nagar bribed voters in order to secure the in the AIADMK, but the bigger organisation, said “We are The group also announced that it communities, tribal and pea - The date for hearing of the case bye-election which was seat, with some reports suggesting the competition for power, the planning to co-ordinate with 30 will be holding a meeting on sants. The major focus will re - has been set by Justice C V necessitated by Jayalalitha’s death Dinakaran paid up to Rs. 6000 for more will be the pressure on the government departments where March 25 at SRM University in main on stopping the Karthikeyan on March 27. in December 2016. As an a single vote. ruling party to deliver, It’s the there will be a field expert Potheri where 100 volunteers from saffronisation of education AMMK, which was launched on independent candidate, he A 30 year-old software early days of the aprty, let’s see representing our organisation who all 32 districts of Tamil Nadu and judiciary and the violence March 15 by Dinakaran at a public defeated AIADMK’s E professional, V P Navaneeth said how much it would impact.” T M will make necessary suggestions would be meeting to formulate unleashed on the re ligious mi - meeting in Madurai, has a sketch Madhusudanan by 40707 votes. “I think he is popular because he Murthy, a retired government for the betterment of the state.” policies for the betterment of the of the former Chief Minister of “He won the R K Nagar election is controversial. You can always officer said. Declaring that their first priority state. norities. NIWE promotes green energy Is money more precious than skin? AYESHA ROY (kilo watt) of wind energy. The Solar radiation and Research Assessment station DEBOLINA BISWAS CHENNAI: On the road to the 175 GW (gigawatt) has mapped the solar potential of the country through renewable energy target (installed capacity) set during Phase I (51 stations) and Phase II (60 stations) and CHENNAI: Despite having risks of getting the Paris Agreement in October 2016 (till 2022), India created a solar atlas. The station consists of solar rashes and skin allergies, Indian women prefer achieved 62 GW of installations by November 2017 trackers with three radiation sensors. buying lead and nickel mixed brass bangles due latest. And the National Institute of Wind Energy “We do not have battery backup here, whatever is to their low pricing, said Jyoti, Manager at (NIWE) is contributing its bit to this target. saved after on-campus consumption (5kw out of 45 Kovhar India, during a jewellery exhibition NIWE organised an ‘Open for all’ event to visit the kW produced) is sent into the grid,” said Pradeep, organised by Chennai-based Shanmathi available facilities here on March 21 technician. Creations at CP Art Gallery here on Tuesday, (from 9.30 a.m. -12.30 p.m.) so as to Operations are on March 20. create public awareness about the to integrate Kovhar India, based in Brass City of India - renewable energy systems available electricity Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, manufactures two in the State. produced from varieties of bangles - the lead free ones priced The facilities that were open for both fossil fuel at Rs. 275 each are exported to the United public visit were wind solar hybrid and renewable States and United Nations while the ones mixed system, wind monitoring station, sources so as to with lead and nickel are sold in India at Rs.100 biogas plant and solar PV panels (20, The station consists of solar trackers cut down of fossil each. “Lead is banned in the UK and US. India, each 80 W) [used to run an AC motor with three radiation sensors. AYESHA ROY fuel usage. however, has no such rules,” said Jyoti. The installed in the campus]. The Institute uses designs of these bangles are inspired from the Students from different colleges and schools visited its “kitchen waste, plant waste, sewage (10,000 litres ancient Egyptian civilization. the event along with some professionals. per week) and cow dung to produce 3 kg of biogas “I get to buy two different designs at the price Maheswari, a final year Civil Engineering student each day that in turn runs kitchen and is converted into of one and anyway I only use them Soumya Sundar sells Ganesha and lingams carved from precious stones from SRM Institute of Science and Technology said, electricity for laboratory operations,” said M. occasionally,” said home-maker Anitha who DEBOLINA BISWAS “I came here to collect wind assessment data for my Nandakumar, technician, Engineering Service bought the cheaper bangles. 900 from the seller, they have good re-sale since the last 20 years has been selling lingam project in college.” Division. This 50 KLD biogas plant has been in Independent artists and jewellers from all value,” said Khaled. “Our profit range has gone and Lord Ganesha idols crafted from precious In addition, the institute is the nodal agency running operation since February 14, 2014.The plant was set across the country came down to showcase their down after GST, now we are only trying to get stones. “Stones like rubies, rose quartz and wind turbine research stations across country. It up by a third party, Grace Line Bio Energy at a cost of state’s speciality. Despite the unique collection, a turnover,” said Khaled. hessonites are sent to Jaipur where the artisans comprises a metrological mast that collects yearly data Rs. 5 lakh. The Ministry of New and Renewable not many seem to visit the exhibition. “I have Andhra Pradesh’s speciality kalamkari are available. They craft out figures and send and provides it to third parties who want to install Energy (MNRE) provides subsidies Rs. 4000 – Rs. been to Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi as well jewellery sets were sold by Suprabha who them back to us for sale,” he said. The artists wind turbines in an area. Through wind resource 8000 for states other than in Northeast zone (Rs. but the sale has always been maximum in priced them at Rs. 1500 each. “Artists hand receive only five percent of the sale amount. assessment “we collate four years of ground data and 14,700 except plain areas in Assam). Chennai,” said Khaled Majeed who had come paint scenes from mythological classics on The most expensive Ganesha priced at Rs. 20 15 years of satellite data (with a 3 km resolution – Shekhar added that according to the new data down all the way from Kashmir to sell his silver cotton cloth pieces,” she said. lakhs was carved out of a huge ruby. good for large scale projects) measuring wind speed, collected, “Ennore has the potential to tap wind energy jewellery. “This year however, there hasn’t “With the online availability of these Besides these, he also sold rudraksha costing direction, ambient temperature, atmospheric pressure more than the other existing centres in Tamil Nadu.” been much sale yet. We are expecting more jewellery, not many want to buy them from Rs.1.2 lakhs. Fossils from Nepal’s Gandaki and humidity,” said Shekhar, Project Assistant. The MNRE has approved NIWE as testing and type customers in the next two days,” he said. exhibitions,” Suprabha added. River and natural shiva lingams from River institute currently has a wind turbine producing 2 kW certification body in India for all wind related issues. “For a jewellery costing Rs.500, we charge Rs. Once a government officer, Soumya Sundar, Narmada were showcased for sale as well. Page 4_Layout 1 3/26/2018 10:02 AM Page 1

THE WORD CHENNAI MARCH 23, 2018 4 CITYSCAPE

For the closet perforAparmt from hostieng openr mics events, GOWRI S A medley of arts RBP also organizes ‘unstage’- perfor - Chennai, March 22 : “Tintinnabula - mances by renowned artists in intimate Kaushik Sridhar makes films on weekends tion,” said Abishek Kumar, a budding spaces where the audience are allowed stand-up comic, carefully pronouncing to freely interact with the artists, thereby AVANISH several aspects of filmmaking, His latest film, “Medley” is a the word with a distinct American ac - eliminating the distance between an ar - CHANDRASHEKHARAN like the story, the music, the per - marked departure from his pre - cent. As the significantly small crowd tist and his/her audience. formances etc,” he said. vious thrillers. It is a romantic of six people in Convo café, Adyar Musical events like the secret gigs by Chennai, March 22 : Kaushik On YouTube, Sridhar started a piece set in a café that captures the strained their ears to decipher the word, Sofar are also gaining pace in the city. Sridhar leads a multi-faceted life. channel called Experimental lives of random people through he said,”You know what that means? It Though they are much more stringent By the weekdays, he is a software Films. With actor Balaji Rajshek - bits of conversations. means the ‘ringing of bells’! Imagine than open mic performances in terms engineer at Fidelity Investments. har (known for his role in the - “I want each film of mine to going to a temple and hearing the pujari of selection, the comfortable atmos - By the weekends, he transforms contrast from the other. I want to say ‘naan tintinnabulation paneendi - phere they provide attracts large into an auteur of film- writing, try different genres, and focus rukken’.” He had the small crowd in Abhishek Kumar at an open mic in Convo Cafe, Adyar crowds. editing, directing and acting in more on making the screenplay splits. |GOWRI S “We used to have 50 to 70 applicants short films. His latest short film, good.” Sridhar said, adding, “I al - For stand-up comics, open mic events per shows two years back. Now, we “Medley” has won critical praise, ways improvise with each new are testing grounds. The few odd peo - rest are hosted by The Pundits and “A lot of closet singers, poets and per - usually have more than 200 applicants and has been selected for scree - film, with a view of improving ple who happen to be in the café at the Evam (Entertainment groups). formers like the fact that they have a each month, which I think speaks for it - nings at national and international my current skill set.” Ever since time are their guinea pigs. Most of the “In the beginning, those who come to platform to perform. In fact, poets and self,” said Anu Bhaskararaman, one of film festivals like the Cefalu Film its debut on YouTube, it has recei - content written for bigger shows is per - the café at that particular time, end up writers have started writing more in the organizers of Sofar Chennai. “We Festival. ved favourable notices. “The res - formed in open mic events and refined being the audience. In four to five order to come and perform,” said Deep - do try to bring in different types of Sridhar was drawn to the world ponse from the audience has been based on the responses. months, the venue will start getting thi Vinod, the co-founder of Red Bindu music- which are unheard of. But we of film from -a young age, “I fabulous, and the fact that inter - “Open mics are where it all begins. known for the open-mics and the co - Project. have also had Carnatic and Hindustani loved watching films in the thea - national film festivals want to There would not be a native comedy mics are likely to get a ‘break’,” conti - According to Deepthi, the freedom ex - musicians performing,” said Bhaskara - tre as a child. I noticed the res - screen it is very motivating,” Srid - scene, if there were no open mics. In an nued Ramamoorthy. perienced by performers when they are raman. ponse a good film receives from har remarked. open mic, it is okay to fail. This encou - However, first-timers with redundant amongst women, is what makes all- Gauging the city-dwellers’ response to its audience- both I the theatre and At present, Sridhar has three rages anyone to come and test their ma - content, based on their qualms regar - women open mic events special. such events over the last couple of through word of mouth. Films Kaushik Sridhar AVANISH shorts lined up for release- two of terial,” said Sudharshan Ramamoorthy, ding ‘engineering’ and ‘bad sex-lives’, “When we initially started out, our in - years, Prashant Oliver, musician and must be very powerful to generate them as actor-director, and one as popularly known as Soda, who is cur - are disappointing. tention was not just to host open mics. theatre-practitioner, said, “People show such an impact,” said the 25-year Vijay TV serial ‘Dharmayutham’ an editor. He has also filmed an rently at the helm of Chennai Comedy, On the other hand, Red Bindu Project We wanted to create community for a lot of interest in evenings that are en - old. On his influences he said, and a bit-part in the Vijay-starrer appearance for a full-length fea - a platform founded by a group of co - (RBP) hosts open mic performances women across Tamil Nadu. Through tirely dedicated to such events. They “They vary, from Christopher ‘Vettaikaran’), he has made three ture film. However, he has no mics from Chennai. meant exclusively for women on a the interaction that happens in these want to be surprised. Also, performers Nolan to Shankar. But in the end, short films, ranging from thrillers plans to quit his job. “I plan to go In a week, six open mics are hosted in monthly basis. Their aim is to create a events, we chance upon women who need that kind of an audience who are all the good films I have watched to tributes. In making these films, with the flow and see where it the city, exclusively for comedy. Four collaborative environment for women need help. So, as a community we start open as well as positively-critical of the influenced me. All the people I’ve Sridhar puts in his own money, takes me,” he said. On what dri - are hosted by Chennai Comedy and the to speak or perform without inhibitions. working towards it,” continued Vinod. performances.” interacted with on films inspired and shoots during weekends. ves him to continue his passion, me.” “The weekends are the only he said, “Audience response, and Sridhar first started out by edi - time I have available for making my desire to learn something new ting the short films of his friends. films. But I manage to make one about film.” “I realized that a complete film every quarter of the year.” structured by piecing together Inspirations are plenty for the Poetry celebrated at the Akademi small bits of shots and scenes on travel-loving Sridhar. HARIPRASAD RADHAKRISHNAN ges especially Tamil and English. readers,” he said. the editing table.” After editing “Music and travel are primary “Medley”has been “Prose reaches your mind through our ears, Poet and former professor Dr. M. Boopathy three short films, he felt ready to sources of inspiration for my selected for Chennai, March 21 : On Wednesday evening, but poetry has the ability to directly touch peo - also read a number of his English poems at the take on the major task of filming films. If I listen to a song that has Tamil poet Mu. Metha read out a couplet titled ple’s hearts,” said Metha. event. his own stories. “I wanted to tell profoundly moved me, I am de - screening at the ‘Anitha’. It goes like this: He also quipped about the occasion. “Today’s He recalled the time when Indian writing in stories, and by becoming a direc - termined to capture the mood Cefalu film festival “Than madhipenn thooki vidum endru ninait - World Poetry Day. When poets start writing, English was taking shape. He said: “In the 18th tor, I started gaining control over created by that song,” he said. hiruppal, thoongi vidum endru ninaithiruppala?! they cry. When the poems are read, they also and 19th centuries, Indian writers imitated the (She’d have hoped that her marks would help in make the readers cry. styles of English writers from Britain and other her uplift, but would she have thought it’d lay Eventually, water flows down all our eyes. parts of the world. her to rest?)” And funnily enough, the next day is World Water Then, they started building a rich style of their The poem is clearly about the dalit girl Day!” own that was shaped by local culture.” From Anitha, who killed herself over the NEET exam Dr. A.S. Ilangovan, Officer in-charge of Sahi - then, India went on to embrace the language. results. tya Akademi, Chennai, said that the Tamil lite - “English is a non-Indian national language of Brew awards city women This and many other currently relevant poems rature has been enriched by translations from India,” he quoted Rajaji as saying. were recited at the Sahitya Akademi on the oc - other languages. A young poet Kavimugil, who also writes hai - DEBOLINA BISWAS casion of ‘World Poetry Day.’ The event also “The poems of Shakespeare, Keats, Schelling kus, recited a number of death-themed poems in - took stock of trends in poetry in various langua - and Milton have brought immense joy to Tamil cluding Kallarai, Moongikuthhu and Elavu kada. Chennai, March 22 : “You pass by these homeless people near the traf - fic signals, I don’t stop until I reu - nite them with their families,” said Inspector A.S Thahira while recei - ving an award wearing the khaki- uniform at the Brew City painted in vibrant strokes Women’sAwards 2018 at Crowne BHAGYASRI CHAUDHARY pose Bhavya to the possibilities of colors Plaza here on Tuesday. and designs. Chennai-based lifestyle maga - Chennai, March20 : Chennai, Although Desai is venturing out to ex - zine, Brew, conducted the fourth March20: On the shores of the Thiru - periment with more subjects and places, edition of its Women’s Awards ho - vanmiyur beach, an ordinary eight-year- the signature characters most popular nouring women across different old boy saw the world through among his social media followers are fields for their achievements and extraordinary eyes. So when Bhavya those of a lungi-clad yogi with a paunch services towards the society. A.S Desai failed after he pencilled big heads effortlessly acing different poses, and a Thahira of the State Crime Records Recipients of the awards and wicker-thin bodies during a drawing black cat with bright yellow eyes almost Bureau received an award for her test that year, he did not take it as defeat. as big as its head. commendable job of reuniting 180 work,” said Shanthi who is now The magazie also released their He picked up his colours and designs, The yogi series is sold as a set of six coas - mentally challenged people with breaking stereotypes to work in an latest issue during the function ho - and followed his father’s footsteps to be - ters inside a cardboard box with illustra - their families. otherwise male dominated space. nouring actress Sridevi. Brew wri - coming an illustrator. tions on all sides called the ‘Mylapore “Sponsors always ask me about Other awardees were singer ter Aarti wrote a cover story on It is no surprise that Desai, at twenty six, Box’, along with a 3D fridge magnet and the glam quotient of the award Maalavika Sundar; actress and In - Sridevi. Indian band Staccato, who has quit his job at an architecture firm, to a mug with similar artwork, for Rs 1200. function. They ask me which film dian Educational Promoter Y. G. previously played at the London pursue his beloved career as a 3D car - The Mylapore box concept was born out person is being awarded but I Madhuvanthi; Sherin Bosk, social Olympics, performed a tribute to toonist. of his admiration towards Indian cartoo - choose women who work without activist and co-founder of Naksha - India’s first ‘female superstar’.”She “I love silently watching people. I draw nist Mario Miranda. “Miranda made me expecting any awards and recogni - tra, an NGO that assists rape vic - was the first heroine to become a my inspiration from the roots of Chennai want to feel my art. A painting or sketch tion,” said Sameer Bharat Ram, tims of red light areas all across hero,” said Sameer. life. My characters are relatable and they is two dimensional; I wanted my crea - CEO and publisher of the magazine India. “This is a great initiative to cele - portray the everyday scenarios which tion to be more than that” Desai said. who selects the women to be awar - She dedicated the award to her brate the spirit of women. The you and I undergo,” he said. “Good sense He also sells postcards, stickers, posters ded. children and their parents. highlight is getting to listen to their prevailed in me and I left my job. It was and notebooks with his illustrations. Fol - Awards were given to Neerja National level cricket player, Na - stories and achievements. It is very eating up a good eight hours of my crea - Desai’s Mylapore Box is a favourite among customers lo w i n g requests from Instagram follo - Mallik, a teacher, social worker and tional Frisbee champion and now motivating,” said Robert Waller, tive time each day. This move gave me |BHAGYASRI C wers, the artist turned his work into two-time cancer survivor. “I was an actress, Lakshmi Priyaa Chan - U.S. Consulate General who pre - an opportunity to take up my art se - physical objects that they could own rat - first detected with breast cancer at dramouli said it was her second sented one of the awards. riously,” said Desai. sent. Desai draws inspiration from the Auto-rickshaws honked their way for - her than limiting the art to a digital plat - the age of 30, I have cycled from award as an actress. Special guests including Coun - Street hawkers arguing with hagglers, everyday goings-on of Chennaiites. ward. The gold hoops on the ears of the form. “Thus I began merchandising my Chennai to Pondicherry after that Architect by day and vocalist sul Generals from Britain, Belgium lungi-clad vegetable vendors, and Every weekend, he cycles his way women dangled as they drew rice flour illustrations two months back.” and have also ran up a hill in two and songwriter in her free time, and Angola, and art director Thota women with plaits garlanded in jasmine through rural pockets near Chennai, no - kolums with kaavi borders. Dangerously However, he wishes to stack-up on his hours and twenty minutes. If I can Shaktisree Gopalan, received an Dharani, tennis player Vijay Amir - were his subjects. ting every strand of information down on nailed-in wooden stools in tea stalls sat in repository of artwork before taking it furt - conquer it, so can you,” said the 60- award for her exceptional impact in traj, cinematographer PC Sriram, A Gujarati by birth, Desai was born and his pocket sized yellow notebook, to be il - front of blackened pots that smoked be - her. year-old awardee who now works the independent music scene. She fashion photographer Venkat Ram, raised in Chennai. “So I call myself a lustrated later. As he prefers highlighting neath the moon. This is the microcosm “I refrain deliberately from meeting any with the Apollo Cancer Support has previously collaborated with presented the various awards. Chennai paiyyan,” he quipped. the character more than the background, of the city that his art makes larger than investors now. For now, I am happy ma - Group. composer A. R. Rahman. “Women The magazine conducts two A cartoonist can in many ways, function the characters are outlined in bold whe - life. king sketches and telling people’s stories S.Esther Shanthi, first woman to are more than just mothers, sisters awards every year, one around the as a journalist and a clown, caricaturing reas the rest of the elements are sketched His father, Kuntal Desai, an abstract through my cartoons,” the artist, cuddling work in a burial ground was awar - and daughters. We have to all come International Women’s Week and a constantly the life and times of the pre - with a finer pen. painter for 35 years, was the one to ex - his golden-eyed black cat, said. ded for breaking the social norms. together and chase our dreams,” ‘Person of the year’ award, con - “Initially I was questioned for my she said. ducted at the end of the year. Pushing boundaries through movement: March Dance 2018 GOWRI S Dance, a week-long contemporary saying things with your body,” said the Vikas Rao, a physical theatre practi - dance practitioner and one of the foun - dance festival organized by Basement veteran performer who was an integral tioner who is one among the partici - ders of Basement 21. Chennai, March 22 : People should not 21, a collective of creative artists, in part of the Pina Bausch Company for 15 pants, said “I felt that this workshop According to Athreya, the contem - be bound by the rules and technicalities partnership with Goethe Institut Max years. gives a lot of attention to expressions porary form has always been an integral of dance forms and should instead allow Mueller Bhavan, at the Russian Cultu - According to Carallo, a week-long and not just physical movements, which part of the city’s dance movement from their body to express itself in different ral Center on Monday. workshop does not provide enough time is quite interesting and unique. Other the ‘60s with the advent of dancer-cho - ways, according to Antonio Carallo, a “There is no ‘one-direction’ in dance. to look at specific genres of perfor - dance workshops concentrate a lot on reographer Chandralekha and her stu - choreographer and performer based in There are multiple ways in which your mance in detail. technicalities and forms.” dent Padmini Chettur. Berlin. body can express itself,”continued Ca - “It’s more like a collection of expe - This festival aims at bringing artists “It has a strong history of develop - “We are not blank pages. We are full rallo as he guided his students to leave riences. A lot of participants have a who predominantly concentrate on ment but has been fairly underground. of colours which are capable of surpri - their comfort zones and explore new background in traditional art forms. So, body-centric performances. There is a need to revive this art form,” sing us,” said Carallo, a choreographer forms of movement. it’s interesting to see what each one of “Dance-theatre is a term which is said Athreya. and performer based in Berlin, while tal - The workshop has two components- Krishna, during her performance in the workshop them can contribute on the basis of what often mistaken in our city. Our aim, The festival which is scheduled till king about the possibilities of the human a movement-based warm-up session |GOWRI S they already know,” said Carallo who through the festival, is to focus on the March 29, includes live performances, body, to a group of 15 artistes in his mo - and a freestyle session. In the freestyle intend to give the participants a glimpse theatrical aspect of dance and help the workshops and conversations by move - vement-based workshop. ses sion, the participants experiment dif - stick to the rhythm or pace of the music. of dance has less to do with movements of the possibilities of contemporary artists explore more on the same front, ment artists across the country like Nav - The workshop was part of March ferent styles of dance which need not “I think that the contemporary form and technicalities. It is more about dance. “said Preethi Athreya, a contemporary tej Singh Johar and Meghna Bharadwaj.