Tasmac ends on a high for Pongal with Rs 600-crore sales

Pongal festival witnessed tipplers across the State flocking to the thousands of government-owned liquor outlets, pushing sales to nearly Rs 600 crore.

Published: 18th January 2019 04:07 AM 

Image of a TASMAC outlet used for representational purpose (File Photo | Martin Louis/EPS)

By Harish Murali

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Pongal festival witnessed tipplers across the State flocking to the thousands of government-owned liquor outlets, pushing sales to nearly Rs 600 crore.

“It was a long holiday for people across the State. Sale of liquor increased from Friday night and the weekend alone saw a rise of at least 20-30 per cent sale totally touching Rs 230 crore, said a senior Tasmac official.

The official also said they had done business to the tune of Rs 600 crore since Saturday. “During normal days, sale of liquor will be around Rs 60 to 70 crore. During festivals, it would increase by 20 to 30 per cent. But, during this Pongal, the sale touched Rs 600 crore.” Brandy was highly preferred by liquor consumers, the official said.


For Pongal festival alone, there was 60 per cent sale of brandy. Whisky, wine, Vodka and beer items accounted for 40 per cent of sales, said a zonal TASMAC manager.

Pongal day alone saw around Rs 140 crore of liquor sale in Tamil Nadu. On Bhogi night, the sale touched Rs 120 crore, the official said.

The final day, ‘Kaanum Pongal’, witnessed about Rs 150 crore sale till evening, the source said.
Since Wednesday was Thiruvalluvar Day, the outlets remained closed. 

A manager said a sales target was fixed for each shop for Pongal.

N. Periyasamy, State president, Tamil Nadu TASMAC Employees Association said, “Working in government liquor outlets is not an easy job as employees have to risk their lives all along. However, their salary is just between Rs 9,000 and Rs 10,000 per month.

‘Why should we nurture BJP in TN?’ N Thambidurai’s remarks create flutter

Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, for the first time, hinted that an alliance with the saffron party had not been finalised.

Published: 18th January 2019 04:05 AM 

Deputy Lok Sabha speaker M Thambidurai (File photo | EPS)

By T Muruganandham

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Love me, love me not... That’s how the AIADMK-BJP alliance story seems to be going. With just around two months left for the formal notification of the Lok Sabha polls, differences within the AIADMK over having an electoral alliance with BJP have come out in the open.

“It’s not our duty to nurture BJP in Tamil Nadu,” said Deputy Lok Sabha Speaker and senior AIADMK leader M Thambidurai on Thursday. “We will not carry any other party on our back and help them gain a foothold in the State,” he said.

Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, for the first time, hinted that an alliance with the saffron party had not been finalised.


“BJP may wish to have an alliance with us, but our party should also wish the same,” he said. “As far as AIADMK is concerned, a consensus among all rungs of leadership starting from party coordinator and chief minister to grassroot level functionaries is a must,” Jayakumar said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, BJP’s election in-charge for Tamil Nadu, has postponed his visit to the State to January 20 as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is away from the country for treatment.

Thambidurai, who has been making anti-BJP remarks for quite some time, went one step further and made virulent comments on having alliance with that party. He also pointed out that Amma ( Jayalalithaa) had shown the path for the party in various elections. She faced all the elections since 2006 without having any alliance with both national parties.

Barely a week ago, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami asserted that “Only those who do good to the people of Tamil Nadu should come to power at the Centre and we will support them alone. We will not accept those who betray Tamil Nadu”.

This remark assumes significance since AIADMK has been strongly opposing NDA government on many issues as the Centre has been taking decisions unfavourable for Tamil Nadu.

Reacting to the remarks of Thambidurai, BJP spokesperson SR Sekar told Express that “Of late, Thambidurai has been making anti-BJP remarks. Other than Thambidurai, no leader in AIADMK has made such remarks against the BJP, especially those who are at the helm of affairs. I will say Thambidurai is an isolated personality and he is making such remarks with some ulterior motive. I sincerely doubt whether Thambidurai could be a sleeper cell member of the DMK”.

Piyush defers visit

Meanwhile, in yet another development, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who is BJP’s election in charge of Tamil Nadu has postponed his visit to the State from January 18 to 20 as Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is away from the country for treatment.

However, a senior functionary in BJP said that informal talks with AIADMK on alliance were going on.
Last time when the AIADMK and BJP worked together was in 2004 Lok Sabha elections. In that elections, both parties drew a blank while the DMK-led front won all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu. Following this, the late AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa declared that she would never have an alliance with BJP.

No talks so far: Ponnar

No political parties from Tamil Nadu have made talks with BJP for Lok Sabha poll alliance, said Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan in Nagercoil on Thursday

This 'mother' of a Jallikattu bull has stormed another male bastion

Selvarani lives in Madurai's Nadupatti with her only 'son', whom she fondly named 'Ramu', but he is no ordinary child.

Published: 16th January 2019 04:58 PM

Selvarani with her bull Ramu. (Photo | EPS)

By Online Desk

Those who still believe that certain feats are beyond women will change their minds after listening to 45-year-old Selvarani's inspiring story!

Women often get stereotyped as the weaker sex. When it comes to bull taming, it's an absolute no-no for them. But just as women have been breaking barriers across the world, Selvarani's story shows that the women of Tamil Nadu are no less capable than men.

Selvarani lives in Madurai's Nadupatti with her only 'son', whom she fondly named 'Ramu', but he is no ordinary child. Twelve years ago, Ramu, the bull, walked into the life of Selvarani who from then on began to take care of him.

Selvarani's love for bulls began when she was just 10. She chose not to get married and instead decided to devote her life to Ramu, as reported by News7.


She takes the bull to the Jallikattu vaadivasal (arena) by herself at various venues. Ramu has indeed made his 'mother' proud by winning prizes in bull taming tournaments.

Tamil Nadu boy is youngest Indian grandmaster

Happy and satisfied was how Gukesh described his state of mind.

Published: 17th January 2019 06:25 AM | 

By Ashok Venugopal

Express News Service

CHENNAI: When his seven-year-old son took a sudden fancy to chess after watching a school tournament, D Rajinikanth, a Chennai-based ENT specialist, would have been forgiven for dismissing it as a passing fancy.

Five short years on, his son D Gukesh is now part of chess history. On Tuesday, he became a Grandmaster after achieving his third norm with a victory over Dinesh Kumar Sharma at the Delhi International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament. At 12 years, 7 months and 17 days, Gukesh is the youngest Indian to get there. Only one player — Russian GM Sergey Karjakin who challenged Magnus Carlsen in 2016 — has got there faster in the history of the game.

Happy and satisfied was how Gukesh described his state of mind. “I was expecting the GM title since I was close to getting that norm in the last few events,” he said.


“I was confident that I could make it in Delhi. The field here was pretty strong as usual.” It is perhaps no surprise that Gukesh became a GM in record time — his precocious talent had been singled out by his coach at Velammal Vidyalaya, Melaynambakkam and his work ethic ensured his potential did not go to waste. However also part of the narrative are the sacrifices made by his parents. Rajinikanth is now more or less fully devoted to his son’s career.

Grandmaster seeks support for next move

Gukesh’s first GM norm came at the Bangkok Open in 2018, where he defeated Nigel Short. He followed it up by winning the round-robin tournament in Paracin, Serbia, where he got his second GM norm.
“A lot of hard work and preparation has gone behind this achievement. I like to thank my parents, coaches and my school administration for their support. Also, Microsense Networks helped me financially in 2018 for tournaments,’’ the 12-year old said.

However, Gukesh, who will next be seen in action at the Gibraltar Masters from the 22nd of this month is in need of sponsors to move ahead in the game. “Till mid-2018, my expenses were wholly covered by my parents. After my IM title in April my school and Microsense helped me financially. I need more support to get better exposure and play tournaments abroad in order to improve my ranking and also my game,’’ he said.

GM Vishnuprasanna is the one who coaches Gukesh at the moment. “Apart from Vishnuprasanna, Krishnaprasad who is a sports mind trainer helps me to stay positive. I practice regularly for at least four to five hours a day,” revealed the youngster.

Gukesh always looks calm and composed in action and has shown maturity beyond his age. “My coach says that strategic planning and patience are my strengths. Time management during games is one area I need to improve and I am working on it,” insisted the chess prodigy.

Statewide protest in Tamil Nadu by Anna University students to flay arrear system

The protest will be held outside varsity campus in Chennai and outside several affiliated colleges across State.

Published: 18th January 2019 04:48 AM |

Anna University in Chennai. | (File | EPS)

By Sushmitha Ramakrishnan

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Hundreds of students from Anna University and its affiliated colleges have decided to hold a statewide protest on Friday to condemn the current arrear system that allows them to retake exam in a failed subject only a year after.

The protest will be held outside varsity campus in Chennai and outside several affiliated colleges across State.

Currently, students who fail in an exam conducted in the even semester will have to re-register and appear for the test only in the next even semester. The rule came into force in all affiliated colleges from 2017 academic year that started on September 1.


This is problematic to final year students, particularly final semester students. If they fail in an exam, they will have to wait a year before seeking employment or applying for higher education.

“Students will have to waste a whole year after finishing college before they take the next step in their life. The management should conduct arrear exams in the subsequent semester itself,” said a final year student from Anna University. Earlier, students were allowed to take the exam in the next semester itself.

Students allege that the situation is further complicated as they are allowed to take only three arrears in one semester. “If a student has failed in five exams, they have to wait a year to take up three exams and another year to write the other two. This will essentially take two years to pass those exams,” rued another student from Anna University, Tirunelveli, adding that the varsity should not cap the number of arrears they can take.

Speaking to Express, MK Surappa, Vice-Chancellor of Anna University said the university will allow students who fail in the seventh semester to re-take it along with their final semester exams.

“Last week, we decided to make leeway for seventh-semester students alone. The academic council will meet soon and discuss the possibility of conducting arrear exams in the subsequent semester itself,” he said.

Scoot to launch flight services from three South Indian cities

With the introduction of the services, Scoot will become the only airline operating direct non-stop flights from the three cities to Singapore.

Published: 18th January 2019 04:07 AM 

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Scoot, a Singapore-based low-cost airline, will soon launch new services from Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram and Visakhapatnam as part of its plans to strengthen its presence in India, a company release said on Thursday.

With the introduction of the services, Scoot will become the only airline operating direct non-stop flights from the three cities to Singapore.

Flights from Thiruvananthapuram to Singapore will commence on May 7 and flights from Coimbatore and Visakhapatnam will start from October 27, all subject to regulatory approval. The flight will operate from Thiruvananthapuram and Coimbatore five times a week while for Visakhapatnam it will be available only thrice a week.

In India, the airline already operates from Amritsar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Lucknow and Tiruchirappalli.


To attract flyers, it has introduced a major limited-time sale on flights from all its India points - including Thiruvananthapuram, Coimbatore and Visakhapatnam - starting from January 14 to January 28. As per the offer, one-way promotional fares begin from as low as `4,500 for trips to 27 exciting cities in Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam via Singapore.

Speaking on the development, Vinod Kannan, Chief Commercial Officer, said, “With addition of three new cities, India is a big part of our growth in Asia this year. Customers can look forward to more affordable fares and innovative offerings from us.”

Dip in turnout at Chennai's tourist spots this kaanum pongal

Though Vandalur Zoo, Marina Beach, Guindy Park, Island Grounds, MGR and Jayalalithaa memorials remained favourites, officials said there was a considerable dip in the numbers.

Published: 18th January 2019 04:17 AM |

People thronged the Kasimedu fishing harbour on Thursday as part of Kaanum Pongal celebrations | P Jawahar

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The ‘Kaanum Pongal’ on Thursday saw thousands visiting tourist spots in the city as part of the celebrations. However, officials said when compared to last year, there was a decrease in footfall at various places.

Though Vandalur Zoo, Marina Beach, Guindy Park, Island Grounds, MGR and Jayalalithaa memorials remained favourites, officials said there was a considerable dip in the numbers.

Around 30,000 people visited Vandalur Zoo, much lesser than last year’s footfall of 56,000. “Both Guindy Park and Vandalur Zoo were crowded on Thursday morning. But, there was a visible decrease in the number of visitors this year.

The ongoing fair at Island Grounds saw a whopping 1.5 lakh visitors on Kaanum Pongal. Despite a considerable footfall from surrounding districts, no major traffic jam was reported in the city. According to Chennai Police, close to 50,000 people visited Marina Beach on Thursday alone. “No untoward incident has been reported so far. People are visiting the beach and leaving peacefully. Traffic was also under control,” said a police official.


Close to 14,000 special buses were operated by State Transport Corporations benefitting 7.17 lakh commuters. According to a release, a total of 14,263 buses were operated from the city. In Chennai, special bus services were operated from KK Nagar, Tambaram, Madhavaram, CMBT and Poonamallee.