Music is at the core of Indian culture, says Vice-President

Venkaiah Naidu inaugurates the 173rd Thyagaraja Aradhana in Thiruvaiyaru

12/01/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,THANJAVUR

Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu being felicitated by G.K. Vasan, president of Sri Thyagabrahma Mahotsava Sabha, in Thiruvaiyaru on Saturday. M. MOORTHYM_Moorthy

Music is the core of Indian culture and heritage, said Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu.

Delivering the inaugural address of the 173rd annual Thyagaraja Aradhana at Thiruvaiyaru near here on Saturday, Mr. Naidu said art united hearts and music was one among those elements in Indian culture that had great potential to unite people, to help connect and understand each other. Music in its pure form led to spiritual nourishment of the soul, he added.

‘Tallest figure’

Praising saint composer Thyagaraja as the tallest figure in the world of music, Mr. Naidu said his contribution to the enrichment of Indian cultural heritage could not be quantified.

His compositions cherished over centuries would continue to be treasured by the young and the old for all time to come. Pointing out that share and care was the core of Indian philosophy, Mr.Venkaiah Naidu called upon the people to practice, promote and imbibe this philosophy in children.

Being one of the most ancient civilisations of the world, Indian culture was often described as an amalgamation of several cultures and influenced by a history that was several millennia old, he said. Commending the contributions and dedication of the Moopanar family in organising the aradhana festival, the Vice-President expressed confidence that the annual event would reach greater heights in the years to come.

Tourism Minister Vellamandi Natarajan, Sri Thyagabrahma Mahotsava Sabha president G.K. Vasan, secretaries Arithuvaramangalam A.K. Planivel and V. Rajarao were present.

Pastor allowed to travel abroad

12/01/2020, STAFF REPORTER,MADURAI

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court allowed pastor Gideon Jacob, founder of Mose Ministries in Tiruchi, to travel abroad and meet his wife, who is undergoing medical treatment in Germany.

The pastor had moved the court seeking permission to travel.

Three weeks

Justice S.S. Sundar set some conditions before allowing Mr. Jacob to visit his wife for three weeks.

After the petitioner agreed to submit a surety to this effect, the court directed him to appear before the CBI and produce the necessary documents. The petitioner was also directed to give an undertaking that his stay abroad would not exceed three weeks.

Headmaster beaten up by teachers

12/01/2020, STAFF REPORTER,ERODE

The headmaster of Government Middle School at Sundapur tribal hamlet was allegedly beaten up by his colleagues in Gobichettipalayam on Saturday after he refused to return school documents taken away by him.

During an inspection on January 8 by the Assistant Elementary Educational Officer, Anthiyur, over 10 documents, including the attendance register of teachers and school management council records, were found missing. Despite officials asking the headmaster, Chandran, to return the records, he refused. On Saturday, he tried to escape when his colleagues asked about the records, but was nabbed. He later returned the records and no complaint was lodged.

Those with normal BP should also cut salt intake, says expert

12/01/2020, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,CHENNAI

Having normal blood pressure (BP) level does not mean one can take more salt with their food. Cutting down salt intake by 10% to 20% could prevent strokes, heart attacks and kidney failure to a great extent, according to Rajan Ravichandran, chairman of Sapiens Health Foundation.

“Everyone knows they should reduce salt once they have high BP. We want to target the normal population. They should reduce salt intake to prevent high BP. Hence, we have shifted our target to students so that they reduce their intake at a young age,” he said while distributing prizes to schoolchildren for an essay writing contest on “Salt in Diet and Health” on Friday.

The foundation that has been campaigning for low salt intake for the last 11 years wrote to nearly 300 food manufacturers to cut down added salt in their products, Mr. Ravichandran said.

He said the world’s number one killer was hypertension and its complications such as heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. K.N. Ramaswamy, director of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (Chennai Kendra), said extra tax on salt would create awareness on the impact of having excess salt.

“Schools should ensure that children avoid processed food,” he said. Vijaya Bharathi Rangarajan, president of Rotary Club of Madras and P.N. Mohan, ex-president of Rotary Club of Madras spoke.

Mylapore street comes alive with kolams

Contest held as part of Mylapore Festival

12/01/2020, STAFF REPORTER,CHENNAI

Fifteen kolams were selected and participants given prizes at the end of the contest. K.V. Srinivasan

As V. Mythili, a resident of Mylapore, deftly drew an intricate pattern on the road at North Mada Street, a group gathered around her, clicking photographs of her kolam.

The octogenarian was one among over hundred participants of the kolam contest, organised as a part of the Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival, on Saturday evening.

“For many of us here, drawing kolams has gone from an interest to a passion. Every day, I think of a new design and draw it at home,” Ms Mythili said.

For many other participants like V. Raji from Alwarpet, several designs online and video tutorials on how to draw kolams helped develop interest in recent times.

Participants at the contest were given around an hour to complete their kolams, and watching them keenly were several onlookers. Several tourists visiting the Kapaleeswarar Temple too stopped by to see the competition. As many as 15 kolams were selected and the participants given prizes at the end of the contest.

“Having participated in the festival for many years now, I’ve learnt a lot of interesting kolam techniques from other participants here,” said Jayanthi Murugesh, a participant from T. Nagar, who also won a prize at the competition.

Vincent D’Souza, director of the Mylapore Festival, said the festival initially began with the kolam competition as a standalone event, and over the years, had evolved into a much bigger cultural festival. “The festival and events such as the kolam contest are aimed at spreading the message that the temple and its surrounding areas need to be preserved and promoted as a cultural heritage zone,” he said.

The kolam contest will also be held for more participants on Sunday, from 3.30 p.m. As part of the festival, a rangoli competition, for a limited number of participants, will also be conducted on Sunday.

Nirbhaya case: SC to hear plea on Jan. 14
12/01/2020, LEGAL CORRESPONDENT,NEW DELHI

A five-judge Bench led by Justice N.V. Ramana will examine the curative petitions filed by two Nirbhaya gang-rape case convicts, Vinay Sharma and Mukesh, on January 14.

The other judges on the Bench are Justices Arun Mishra, Rohinton Nariman, R. Banumathi and Ashok Bhushan. The judges will examine the petitions in their chambers at 1.45 p.m. and decide to either accept or reject them. The curative petitions were filed by both convicts on January 9, just days after a Delhi sessions court scheduled the execution of all the four convicts for January 22, at Tihar Jail.

Sharma and Mukesh, in separate petitions, said there had been a sea change in the death penalty jurisprudence since their convictions.

Need to reorient syllabus, teaching methods: Venkaiah

TNN | Jan 12, 2020, 04.24 AM IST

Trichy: There is a need to reorient syllabus and teaching methodologies in educational institutions to train students at par with industry requirements, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu has said. Addressing the 21st convocation of Srimad Andavan Arts and Science College, Thiruvanaikoil on Saturday, he said institutions must lay greater emphasis on skill development and establish industry linkages. This would give students first-hand experience of working in an enterprise and at the same time cultivate the spirit of entrepreneurship.

He appealed to students to protect nature and preserve culture for a better future. “When I crossed the river Cauvery, I noticed water flowing on the river. I got down from the vehicle breaching the protocol and went to the bridge side and saw the water and I felt very happy. Because water is our life, rivers are life. Unfortunately, because of neglect all rivers are drying and dying,” the VP said adding that the time has come to rejuvenate and connect all rivers. For the past few decades, people have been seeing the adverse impact of global warming and climate change. People have tinkered with nature for too long and now they are experiencing the impact of nature’s fury. Despite being a perennial river once upon a time, Cauvery is not flowing, he said. “Water problem will be a severe problem for the whole world. So, we have to find ways how to use, reduce and reuse water. Rainwater harvesting system should be part of our education system”, he stressed. Former chief election commissioner of India N Gopalaswami, chairman of national executive committee of Andavan Ashram R Rajagopal, college secretary C A Ammangi, correspondent V Balaji and principal, staff and students attended the event.