A BYTE OF LIFE Monday, April 6, 2009 03 07 150 AND ON Empowered Vote Dilli Rathnam collects t-shirts Interview with Barun Mi- tra, Liberty Institute FREE CIRCULATION Vol. 3 No. 64 History BECKONS Gautam Gambhir, without a doubt Team India’s best batsman in recent times, has once again played a pivotal part in a Test match setting up the opportunity to grab a historic series win at Kiwi Land. » PAGE 08 02 NAMMA CHENNAI ERGO Monday, April 6, 2009 CEO backs ‘No Vote’ option Launches website www.empoweringindia.org Strict senior, grumpy juniors A senior police officer under the suburban commissionerate is often addressed as the ‘sleepless terror’ by his juniors. The reason – the khaki remains insomniac, angry and agitated until a crime case handed over to him is cracked. Some subordinates even lament that the man doesn’t give them a moment’s peace till the case is over. Best bet Gambling has become a regular affair in many parts of the city, including places like T. Nagar and Ayanavaram. Apparently, in Central Chennai station an ‘influential’ man and his gang are regular gambling offenders and mostly go scot-free by paying a minimal amount as fine to the law and a higher amount to the khakis. Going undercover Police are getting ready a team of lady constables to act as baits to nab chain- snatching offenders as there has been a steady rise in the number of chain- snatching incidents in the city, especially over the last few months. Reliable sources Barun Mitra, Director, Liberty Institute, explains the website www.empoweringindia.org at Press revealed that more undercover constables Institute of India on Saturday. Naresh Gupta, Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu, T. S. will be posted on the ECR stretch. Krishnamoorthy, former Chief Election Commissioner of India, and Era Sezhian, former MP, are also seen. PHOTO: N. SRIDHARAN ERGO CORRESPONDENT option gaining momentum, he during an interaction with Pakis- [email protected] said it shows disinterest among tani journalists, they said the people. The CEO also backed the ‘smooth transition of power’ in hief Electoral Officer of Ta- No Vote option, saying, “It would India is absolutely great and the mil Nadu, Naresh Gupta, put moral pressure on political way elections were conducted in launched a unique website parties to field ‘efficient’ candi- India was amazing,” he recalled. Cwww.empoweringindia.org dates (as many parties have nom- As the regional parties are rap- on Saturday. Speaking at the inated contestants with criminal idly expanding their base and function, Mr. Gupta said the Elec- charges against them) and also gaining importance in national tion Commission has taken sev- the parties would be forced to politics, the former CEC urged eral measures to ensure that free rethink their policies, focus on them to have a national outlook and fair polls are conducted in developments, which will boost and work towards the develop- the country and encourage peo- the functioning of the democra- ment of the nation. ple to vote, in order to prevent cy.” He also admitted that there The programme was jointly or- bogus voting. are certain deficiencies on the ganised by the Press Institute of “Since the portal has informa- part of Election Commission, India, Liberty Institute and Frie- tion about all candidates and which have resulted in bogus drich Naumann - Stiftung fur die constituencies for the Lok Sabha names being included in the vot- Freiheit, a German foundation and Assembly elections, well- ers’ list and people left out of the promoting liberal politics. N. packaged in a user-friendly man- electoral rolls and said appro- Ram, Editor-in-Chief, The Hindu; ner, I hope this would improve priate steps will be taken to plug Era Sezhiyan, former MP; B.S. the polling percentage and result these loopholes so that high tur- Raghavan, IAS (Retd); Sathiya in meaningful democracy,” he nout could be achieved. Moorthy, Director (Chennai said. He also lauded the ‘Jaagore’ T.S. Krishnamoorthy, former Chapter), Observer Research campaign and said such private Chief Election Commissioner of Foundation; A.K.Venkatasubra- sector initiatives have the power India, said the EC has a mam- manian, IAS (Retd); Barun Mitra, to reach out to voters and en- moth task to perform during polls Director, Liberty Institute; and V. courage them to exercise their and employed 5 million people Murali, Director, Press Institute franchise. for poll duty. “I was sent to Pakis- of India, also attended the gather- On the issue of the ‘No Vote’ tan as an election observer and ing. ■ Monday, April 6, 2009 03 In full spirits Bike and Barrel at The Residency Towers has some interesting offers for guests. Buy one and get one select brand free on Monday and Tuesday between 9.30 p.m. and 11 p.m. On Wednesday, the ‘Ladies Day’ get complimentary beverage anytime from noon to 11 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday, sway to hip hop and house from 9 p.m. onwards. The T-shirt hunter met cricketer Anil Kumble there. I Yahoo! “I was running behind the J.S. Dilli Rathnam used this as an opportunity to get South Indian marketing head of Team India’s official t-shirt from STAR Sports for more than a fort- has a collection of him. I was surprised when he night to get that t-shirt. Similar gave it to me without hesitation.” was the case of the Yahoo! t-shirt. 150-odd official But collecting official t-shirts is But I still got them,” says Rath- not an easy task, he says. “Not nam, who says the size of the t- company t-shirts. everyone gives you one so soon. shirts doesn’t matter. For instance, when I approach a “One of the t-shirts I have be- And he’s looking company the instant answer I get longs to my nephew. It was given will be ‘company policy prevents to him by the Chicago Hospital, for more us from giving t-shirts to outsid- where he was born,” he says. ers’. But then they give me the But the one t-shirt that Rath- V. HARIPRIYA option of getting the t-shirts from nam is trying hard to get is Nes- [email protected] employees who are willing to part cafe’s. “Nescafe has a different with it.” policy. They will never give t- uy or barter – J.S. Dilli The next step is bartering – get- shirts to outsiders, and neither Rathnam makes sure he ting the t-shirt from the employee should their employees. Em- gets them by whichever and compensating it with a ployees have to give back their Bmeans. branded t-shirt. Money is not a worn-out t-shirt to get a new one. Come Fridays, the test lead at matter for Rathnam, who once So I know it’s hard to get. But I HCL Technologies flaunts his exchanged a prize for a t-shirt. will get it.” not-so-easy-to-get t-shirts at of- “Macromedia conducted a On whether his company pol- fice, much to the envy of his col- member the day he wore the Bulls, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Bacardi, seminar and in the end they gave icy allows him to wear to office leagues. The credit, or blame, Budweiser t-shirt the first time. “I Bosch, HBO, Pooh, Singapore away Macromedia software official T-shirts of other compa- goes to his brother J.S. Muralidh- enjoyed the attention I received Airlines, Master Card, Volkswa- worth Rs. 30,000 to three people nies, he says, “They are okay as aran, an employee of Capegemi- when I wore the brewing compa- gen, Red Hat, 2006 FIFA World selected by lucky draw, of which I long as I don’t wear their compet- ni, who presented him the ny’s t-shirt. I became the star of Cup and the Indian and Austra- was one. I told them I was ready itors’ t-shirts.” Budweiser t-shirt in 1997. Now, the day. So I started hunting for lian cricket teams, among many to exchange this software for If, by chance, you meet Dilli this 33-year-old owns 152 t- more such t- shirts.” others. And he has a story behind their official t-shirt and I got it.” Rathnam, the questions he might shirts, the recent addition being Rathnam is the proud owner of each of them. The t-shirts which made Rath- probably ask you are: “Which HBO’s. the official t-shirts of Macro- “Once I went for a seminar at nam run pillar to post to collect company? Got your official T- The techie says he can still re- media, STAR Sports, Chicago Taj Coromandel and by chance were those of STAR Sports and shirt?” ■ funtY for kids In the shadow heatre Y announces its summer and as a group activity. Special ex- Ttraining programme for children ercises on creative visualisation are and young adults, funtY. In addition conducted through solo and group to their ongoing programmes in exercises. acting, voice, scriptwriting and Individual assessment of the chil- communication skills, funtY is spe- dren will be shared at the end of the cially designed for the age group of programme so that parents and the eight to 16. child can sustain the learning proc- funtY is a 14-day programme ess even after the duration of the (two hours daily) that is a blend of programme. basic acting, voice, storytelling and theatre Y is also working towards writing skills. The techniques are its theatre production for children taught through fun-filled theatre as part of its endeavour to create a exercises focusing on the individual platform to perform for the children from funtY.