Huts of 285 Dalits Set On Fire by Mob in Tamil Nadu

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <h5 style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; text-align: justify;"> <br /></h5> <div style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">DHARMAPURI (TN) (NNN-PTI) -- Angered by a man committing suicide over his daughter marrying a Dalit boy, a mob torched 285 huts in three Dalit colonies in the district, but there were no casualties as all the people had fled to neighbouring areas, police said.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">They said the crowd first targeted Natham, the boy's village and two other Dalit colonies Kondampatty and Anna Nagar on November 7 night, using petrol bombs to set ablaze the huts. The villagers had got wind of the impending attack beforehand and fled, they said.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The couple had got married on October 14.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /></span></div> <div style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Sanjay Kumar, DIG (<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Salem</st1:place></st1:city>), said 90 persons have so far been arrested in connection with the violence and that armed police personnel had been posted in the villages.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div style="background: white; line-height: 15.3pt; text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">He said the couple is now in a safe area under police protection.<br /> <br /> Collector Lily said the situation was now under control and that the administration had made all arrangements to provide those affected with food and water. The villagers would also be provided ration cards, she said. --NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div> </div>

Huts of 285 Dalits Set On Fire by Mob in Tamil Nadu

DHARMAPURI (TN) (NNN-PTI) -- Angered by a man committing suicide over his daughter marrying a Dalit boy, a mob torched 285 huts in thre...

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INDIA: 20 People Killed By Fire at Fireworks Factory in Tamil Nadu

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">MUMAI, India (NNN-Xinhua) -- 20 people were killed by a fire at a fireworks factory in Sivakasi of southern state Tamil Nadu, India, and at least 10 other people were burn heavily by the fire, according to local TV channel TIMES NOW. -- NNN-XINHUA<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div></div>

INDIA: 20 People Killed By Fire at Fireworks Factory in Tamil Nadu

MUMAI, India (NNN-Xinhua) -- 20 people were killed by a fire at a fireworks factory in Sivakasi of southern state Tamil Nadu, India, and ...

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INDIA: Buses Carrying Sri Lankan Pilgrims Attacked in Tamil Nadu

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">NAGAPATTINAM (INDIA) (NNN-TNN/PTI) -- A batch of 178 Sri Lankan nationals on a pilgrimage in Tamil Nadu faced protests for the second day on Tuesday with a pro-Tamil outfit trying to block their vehicles when they were returning after offering worship at the famous Velankanni Christain shrine near here. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">According to TV reports, buses carrying Lankan pilgrims were attacked but no passenger suffered any major injury. However, windowpanes of some buses were shattered in the attack.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Police, however, intervened and arrested nine activists of the Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam with pro-LTTE leanings, who tried to block the seven buses carrying the pilgrims.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Lankan nationals were meted out similar treatment during their pilgrimage to the Poondi Madha Christian shrine near Thanjavur on Monday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The pilgrims, including 75 women and 36 children, had arrived at Velankanni on Tuesday morning to offer worship at the Shrine Basilica, police said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As the activists protested, police personnel on security duty for the ongoing annual festival rushed to the spot, arrested them and brought the situation under control within a few minutes, sources said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The pilgrims later proceeded to Tiruchirappalli safely from where they are expected to leave for Sri Lanka.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Sri Lankan nationals had worshipped at the Poondi Matha shrine on Monday evening as part of their annual pilgrimage when activists of Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam headed by film director Seeman, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and P Nedumaran-led Tamizhar Desiya Poduvudamai Katchi, staged a demonstration asking them to go back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The incident comes a day after Sri Lanka issued a travel advisory asking its citizens not to visit Tamil Nadu until further notice in the wake of "increasing number of instances of intimidation" of Sri Lankans in the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">While, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had on Sunday ordered sending back home a football team from Royal College of Sri Lanka which played a friendly match against Customs Department in Chennai on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jayalalithaa, who slammed the Centre for allowing the Lankan football team into India, had also directed that eight students of a Lankan school who had come for a tournament with a city-based school and their coach be sent back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The ruling AIADMK and key UPA ally DMK and other political parties in Tamil Nadu have all joined the chorus of opposing India training Lankan military personnel, alleging the island republic's forces had committed war crimes against Tamils during the last phase of 2009 war against LTTE. -- NNN-TNN/PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Buses Carrying Sri Lankan Pilgrims Attacked in Tamil Nadu

NAGAPATTINAM (INDIA) (NNN-TNN/PTI) -- A batch of 178 Sri Lankan nationals on a pilgrimage in Tamil Nadu faced protests for the second day...

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Aerospace Park to be set up in India’s Tamil Nadu State

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">CHENNAI, India (NNN-Bernama) -- An Integrated Aerospace Park which will support the development of aerospace industry will be set up in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In a bid to support the booming aviation industry in the state, the government is planning to establish the hi-tech park in a 50-acres land near the airport here, Press Trust of India reported. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"The park will be set up with the aim of supporting the development of aerospace industry covering design, engineering, manufacturing, servicing and maintenance of aircraft in Tamil Nadu," according to a 2012-13 policy note tabled in the Assembly. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">At the same time, the government also proposed to develop a components manufacturing park for aerospace industry on a 300-acre area in Sriperumbudur near here. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"The land is being acquired by the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT)," the government said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The government will also announce the formulation of Tamil Nadu Aerospace Policy 2012 soon. -- NNN-BERNAMA <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Aerospace Park to be set up in India’s Tamil Nadu State

  CHENNAI, India (NNN-Bernama) -- An Integrated Aerospace Park which will support the development of aerospace industry will be set up in ...

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India: Tamil Nadu Okays Kudankulam Nuclear Plant

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">  <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">CHENNAI (INDIA) (NNN-IANS) -- The Indian state of Tamil Nadu on Monday gave the green signal for the Kudankulam nuclear plant on the same day an activist said that 10 people opposing the project have been arrested.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The state cabinet met on Monday under Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and decided in favour of the Kudankulam plant.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"The government studied the reports of various expert panels and has come to the conclusion that the plant is safe. We are of the opinion that there is no chance of a massive earthquake or tsunami occurring there. I ask all parties to extend their support for the commissioning of the Kudankulam plant at the earliest," said Jayalalithaa.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">India's atomic power plant operator, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), is building two 1,000 MW reactors at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district, around 650 km from here.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In Kudankulam, "10 people, including advocate S. Sivasubramanian and Rajalingam, have been arrested", Pushparayan, convener of the Coastal People's Federation and a leader of People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Police officials declined to confirm or deny the arrest.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On Monday morning, tension gripped Kudankulam and surrounding areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hearing the news of the arrests, activists at Idinthakarai village began ringing the church bell to mobile the villagers. Leading activists are in this fishing village.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Around 3,000 policemen were deployed in Kudankulam and surrounding areas," Pushparayan said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He said the heavy police deployment deterred them from accepting an invitation from the Tiruvelveli District Collector to meet him.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Two PMANE leaders - S.P.Udayakumar and M.Pushparayan- have started their indefinite fast demanding closure of the atomic power plant. -- NNN-IANS<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India: Tamil Nadu Okays Kudankulam Nuclear Plant

  CHENNAI (INDIA) (NNN-IANS) -- The Indian state of Tamil Nadu on Monday gave the green signal for the Kudankulam nuclear plant on the sam...

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India: Couple Put Up Online Ad for Sperm Donor of Bright Youth to Have Brilliant Child

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><b><br /> </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu state, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> (NNN-Bernama) -- An Indian couple, desirous of having a brilliant child, has placed an online advertisement seeking a sperm donor preferably that of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) for artificial insemination. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">According to Press Trust of India (PTI), the Chennai-based couples, in their advertisement, have said that the ideal candidate for sperms should be an IIT student, healthy, no bad habits, tall and fair, if possible. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Offering a compensation of Rs 20,000 (US$388) for the donor, they said they are ready to give a relaxation on the looks part if he happens to be the 'right person'. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The advertisement has shocked many students at the IIT-Madras with some describing it as 'insane and ridiculous'. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"This is insane. How can sperm from an IITian make any difference.Intelligence cannot be measured," Jatin Mandawat, a second year of theDepartment of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at IIT-M, said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">To Akash Jain (name changed) too, it sounds completely insane. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"I think this is weird. This does not make any sense at all, as if all the students in IIT are excellent in studies." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Alex, a Bio Technology student at the IIT said, "if they were right, Albert Einstein's relatives should be the brightest of all in the world. Excellence is mostly hard work." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The ad also said the sperm received will be used for in-vitro procedure and added reference was required, which will be verified. --NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India: Couple Put Up Online Ad for Sperm Donor of Bright Youth to Have Brilliant Child

CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu state, India (NNN-Bernama) -- An Indian couple, desirous of having a brilliant child, has placed an online advertisem...

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India: Cyclone “Thane” Subsides After Killing 33 in Tamil Nadu State

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">By P.Vijian </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu state, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> (NNN-Bernama) -- Cyclone "Thane" eased off after storming across the southern state of Tamil Nadu, but the gushing storm killed 33 since Friday. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The ferocious gale moved across <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s southern states, threatening coastal hamlets, fishermen and keeping coast guards on high alert, but people escaped major calamity. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"It has crossed Cuddalore and Puducherry. Gradually it will weaken and there is nothing alarming, but there will be a lot of rain in the next few days," Dr S.R Ramanan, director of the Area Cyclone Warning Centre at the Chennai Regional Meteorological Centre, told Bernama. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Local officials estimated nearly 5,000 fishermen's houses and fishing boats were wrecked by the cyclonic storm, which arrived with a wind speed of 140km per hour -- leaving many homeless just hours before the New Year celebration. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">It was a grim reminder of the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami that killed nearly 8,000 people in Tamil Nadu on Dec 26, 2004. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">However, Andhra Pradesh another southern state and home to a major fishing industry, escaped without much damage to the coastal communities. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Friday announced a RM85 million financial package to rehabilitate damaged infrastructure and houses in the eastern part of the state. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Though weather experts predict the year-end cyclone threat is over, people along shore-lines are yet to return to their homes and are still squatting in government relief camps. -- NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div></div>

India: Cyclone “Thane” Subsides After Killing 33 in Tamil Nadu State

By P.Vijian CHENNAI, Tamil Nadu state, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Cyclone "Thane" eased off after storming across the southern sta...

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India: Tamil Nadu State CM Jayalalitha Allots Rs 150 Crore for Immediate Cyclone Relief

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">CHENNAI, India (NNN-PTI) -- Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa alloted Rs 150 crore for immediate relief measures and directed four ministers to visit the districts which bore the brunt of cyclonic storm ''Thane''. (Ten million: one crore) -- NNN-PTI</span></div></div>

India: Tamil Nadu State CM Jayalalitha Allots Rs 150 Crore for Immediate Cyclone Relief

CHENNAI, India (NNN-PTI) -- Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa alloted Rs 150 crore for immediate relief measures and directed four ministers to vi...

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Cyclone Warning for North Tamil Nadu and South Andhra Pradesh Coast

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div style="border-bottom: double windowtext 2.25pt; border: none; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: double windowtext 2.25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: double windowtext 2.25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The cyclonic storm ‘THANE’ OVER southwest <st1:place w:st="on">Bay of Bengal</st1:place> is likely to move westwards and cross north Tamil Nadu coast between Nagapattinam and Chennai, close to Puducherry around early morning of 30th December 2011. The system was centered at noon today about 180 km east of Puduchery andat the same distance southeast of Chennai, Tamilnadu. Sea condition is very rough. It will gradually become very high to phenomenal along and of north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts. Fishermen along north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & south Andhra Pradesh coasts are advised not venture into sea during next 48 hrs. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: double windowtext 2.25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: double windowtext 2.25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Under the influence of this system, rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls (25 cm or more) would occur over north Tamil Nadu & Puducherry during next 48 hours. Rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall would also occur over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalseema and isolated heavy rainfall would occur over south Tamil Nadu during the same period. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: double windowtext 2.25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: double windowtext 2.25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Squally winds speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph is likely along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts. The wind speed will increase gradually becoming 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph along and off north Tamil Nadu and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast from today coast from today night onwards. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: double windowtext 2.25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: double windowtext 2.25pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Storm surge of about 1.0-1.5 meter height above the astronomical tide would inundate the low lying areas of Puducherry and Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram & Villpuram districts of north Tamil Nadu at the time of landfall.<span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;"> ---PIB<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div></div></div>

Cyclone Warning for North Tamil Nadu and South Andhra Pradesh Coast

The cyclonic storm ‘THANE’ OVER southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to move westwards and cross north Tamil Nadu coast between Nagapattin...

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125th Birth Anniversary of noted mathematician Srinivas Ramanujan celebrated

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5u6i3qpbcBDB96uQfE6AVF2vwch0XRRuAO2QFvuPaefiuRLfizVDCGgRILhuWcc4iL4gz-P7TvwIm_Dx3xJZW09jSPpGIk0tnnG288-isHIUYgpznoCoUgB3aFX7NtTm0lmy3fK6PtV8/s1600/The+Prime+Minister%252C+Dr.+Manmohan+Singh+inaugurates+the+new+building+of+the+Ramanujan+Centre+for+Higher+Mathematics%252C+at+Alagappa+University%252C+Karaikudi+in+Tamil+Nadu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5u6i3qpbcBDB96uQfE6AVF2vwch0XRRuAO2QFvuPaefiuRLfizVDCGgRILhuWcc4iL4gz-P7TvwIm_Dx3xJZW09jSPpGIk0tnnG288-isHIUYgpznoCoUgB3aFX7NtTm0lmy3fK6PtV8/s400/The+Prime+Minister%252C+Dr.+Manmohan+Singh+inaugurates+the+new+building+of+the+Ramanujan+Centre+for+Higher+Mathematics%252C+at+Alagappa+University%252C+Karaikudi+in+Tamil+Nadu.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurates the new building <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">of the Ramanujan Centre for Higher Mathematics, at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Alagappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>, <o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">Karaikudi in Tamil Nadu on December 26, 2011. The Governor of Tamil Nadu,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;"> K. Rosaiah is also seen.</span></i><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 7pt;"> PIB Photo</span></i><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div></td></tr> </tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, addressed the 125th Birth Anniversary celebrations of noted mathematician Srinivas Ramanujan in Chennai today.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Addressing the celebrations, the Prime minister said, “We have gathered here today to celebrate the life and work of a great son of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region u1:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></st1:place></st1:country-region> and of Tamil Nadu, and one of the greatest mathematicians the world has seen. It is a pleasure to participate in this function in the memory of Srinivas Ramanujan, whose extraordinary genius so very brightly lit up the world of mathematics in the second decade of the last century. Men and women of such dazzling brilliance and deep intellect are born but rarely. Indeed, Srinivas Ramanujan`s genius was ranked by the English mathematician G. H. Hardy in the same class as giants like Euler, Gauss, Archimedes and Isaac Newton. While we rightly claim Ramanujan as one of our own, he equally belonged to all humanity like the other great men and women in any sphere of human thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u2:p></u2:p> </span><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /> </div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u2:p></u2:p> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Before I proceed further, let me compliment the Ministry of Human Resource Development, and my colleague Kapil Sibal, for planning year long celebrations to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Ramanujan. As a tribute to the great mathematician, our government has decided to declare his birthday, that is December 22, as the National Mathematics Day and the year 2012 as a whole as the National Mathematical Year.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region u1:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></st1:place></st1:country-region> has a long and glorious tradition of mathematics that we need to encourage and nurture. I hope these steps will help in providing the additional impetus to the study of mathematics in our country, apart from making our people more aware of the work of Ramanujan, he said<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u2:p></u2:p> </span><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mathematics seems to have acquired an independent identity as an intellectual discipline early on in human history. This identity became more sharply defined in the second half of the millennium before Christ, thanks to major developments in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region u1:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on">Greece</st1:place></st1:country-region></st1:place></st1:country-region>. In this period,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region u1:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></st1:place></st1:country-region> too made great strides in mathematics, though in ways very different from the Greeks. In the early centuries of the Common Era,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region u1:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></st1:place></st1:country-region> was in fact in the lead in mathematical developments. Aryabhata in the fifth century, followed by Brahmagupta in the next are reckoned to be among the all-time great mathematicians. And we taught the world to think of zero as a number and the modern way of representing all numbers with 10 symbols. This arguably is the single most important mathematical development in all human history, he added<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u2:p></u2:p> </span><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Indian mathematics remained in the forefront for almost a thousand years following Aryabhata. The last name in the great mathematicians we produced in this period is that of Madhava of Kerala. I understand Madhava had discovered the essentials of Calculus some two centuries before<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city u1:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on">Newton</st1:place></st1:city><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></st1:place></st1:city> and Leibnitz. His work however was not known beyond the school he had created in Kerala. That school unfortunately did not last beyond the middle of the 16th century, the Prime minister said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u2:p></u2:p> </span><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Intellectual activity receded into the background in the country for the next few centuries to revive only in the nineteenth century. In the early part of the nineteenth century, most of our intellectual energies were given to humanities and it is towards the end of the century that<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region u1:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></st1:place></st1:country-region> began taking an interest in the sciences. In the second decade of the 20th century, the country could once again stake a claim to producing world class mathematics, and that was because of the work of Srinivasa Ramanujan. Ramanujan came from an economically disadvantaged background and had but a minimal training in mathematics and yet his genius overcame formidable difficulties to reach the pinnacle of greatness. The whole of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region u1:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></st1:place></st1:country-region> is proud of Ramanujam and many an Indian has been inspired by his shining example. Tamil Nadu of course has a special claim on him for he was a Tamilian. Along with Sir C. V. Raman and Subramanyam Chandrashekhar, he is among the three great men of science and mathematics that Tamil Nadu and<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region u1:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></st1:place></st1:country-region> have given to the world in modern times, he added<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u2:p></u2:p> </span><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Prime minister said that, the story of Ramanujan cannot be told without a mention of the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city u1:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on">Cambridge</st1:place></st1:city><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></st1:place></st1:city> mathematician G. H. Hardy, who was responsible for Ramanujan getting the recognition that was his legitimate due. The parts that Hardy and Cambridge, which became Ramanujan`s alma-mater, played in the great mathematician’s development represent the very best of the academic traditions of the West. The stories of the special relationship between G.H. Hardy and Ramanujan are a part of the folklore of mathematics.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u2:p></u2:p> </span><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The fascinating and inspiring story of Ramanujan needs to be told to the world. I am, therefore, very happy that the organizers have chosen this occasion to honour Professor Robert Kanigel who has written an excellent biography of Ramanujan and I am very happy that he is present here among us today. I greet you sir, and I understand that yours is a book that has made Ramanujan well known to the public at large all over the world, capturing vividly the atmosphere of the early nineteenth century academic world in that part of the world as well as in Britain. I am also happy that on this occasion, a new edition of the Notebooks of Ramanujan is also being released. These are photographic reproductions of unpublished mathematical work of Ramanujan, written out in his own hand in a series of notebooks during the days he spent in the city of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city u1:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on">Chennai</st1:place></st1:city></st1:place></st1:city>. The originals, I am told are in the<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on"><st1:place u1:st="on"><st1:placetype u1:st="on">University</st1:placetype><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></st1:place></st1:placetype> </st1:place>of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:placename w:st="on"><st1:placename u1:st="on">Madras</st1:placename><span class="apple-converted-space"></span></st1:placename> and I congratulate the University authority for preserving them in its archives, the Prime minister said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u2:p></u2:p> </span><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Government of India sets great store by science and has pursued a policy of encouraging scientific activities of diverse kinds. Given our traditions, we naturally attach special importance to mathematics. Since Ramanujan, a number of mathematicians from the country have distinguished themselves by performing at very high levels. However, it is a matter of concern that for a country of our size the number of competent mathematicians that we have is badly inadequate. Over more than the last three decades many of our young men and women with a natural ability in mathematics have not pursued the discipline at advanced levels. This has also resulted in a decline in the quality of our mathematics teachers both at the school and college levels. There is a general perception in our society that the pursuit of mathematics does not lead to attractive career opportunities. This perception must change. This perception may have been valid some years ago but today there are many new career opportunities available to mathematicians, and the teaching profession itself has become much more attractive in recent years.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u2:p></u2:p> </span><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The mathematical community has a duty to find out ways and means to address the shortage of top quality mathematicians in our country. It must reach out to the public particularly in the modern context where mathematics has tremendous influence on every kind of human behaviour. In many ways, mathematics can be regarded as the mother science. The Natural Sciences have had a long symbiotic relationship with mathematics. Life Sciences did not seem to have much use for mathematics till about a hundred years ago, but lately mathematical interventions have had a tremendous impact on Biology. Mathematics has also influenced the study of Social Sciences in a big way. The work of many of the Nobel Laureates in Economics is highly mathematical. Students, parents and people at large need to be more aware of these facts so that the study of mathematics as an academic discipline gains popularity in our country. I am happy that the activities planned in the National Mathematical Year would focus on promotion of mathematics at all levels- from schools to cutting edge research.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><u2:p></u2:p> </span><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br /> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Ramanujan story illustrates the inadequacy of the university evaluation system in the early decades of the last century while at the same time it shows that the system displayed enough flexibility to take care of mavericks like Ramanujan. There have been many reforms since those days but there would still be talent which would elude proper evaluation. Our institutions of higher learning, therefore, must be sensitive to this problem. A genius like Ramanujan would shine bright even in the most adverse of circumstances, but we should be geared to encourage and nurture good talent which may not be of the same caliber as that of Ramanujan, the Prime minister said.<u2:p></u2:p> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">---PIB</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

125th Birth Anniversary of noted mathematician Srinivas Ramanujan celebrated

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurates the new building of the Ramanujan Centre for Higher Mathematics, at Alagappa Universit...

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India: Only a Mouse-Click to Dispose Household Garbage in Chennai

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">CHENNAI, <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> (NNN-Bernama) -- Now, Chennai citizens can clear their mounting piles of household garbage, with just a mouse-click following the launch of anew online portal www.kuppathotti.com (kuppathotti stands for trash can).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The website, created by a couple Jegan and Sujatha Jegan, will offer various kinds of services at customers' doorsteps including collecting old-hold junk-milk covers, old newspapers, plastics, iron and aluminium. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Jegan said those who want to avail the services, can send an email request in the portal, and customers wishing to deposit garbage can inform them in advance by email or a telephone call, so as to enable the couple to collect it at a convenient time, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Once a request is posted, Jegan said he will visit each home, collects the garbage, pays customers on the spot and sends the trash to godowns owned by them at various parts of the city. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">For now, Jegan and his wife are offering this service in places like Ashok Nagar, <st1:place w:st="on">West Mambalam</st1:place>, Kodambakkam, Valasaravakkam and K K Nagar areas. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"We will extend the services to other parts of the city soon," he said, adding that now there are over 150 registred members. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On registering fees, Jegan said: "Registering online is free and members can avail the service free of cost." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><br /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On their brainchild project, Jegan told PTI: "We always wanted to do something innovative and after an indepth study, decided to launch this service after an extensive study. We launched our website on Nov 11 this year." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Asked why they decided to create this website, Jegan added that there is no proper solution in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region> exists for offering such services. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Sujatha, who gave up her job as a softwre engineer, to hold the Managing Director of the portal said that the target is to cover Chennai and Coimbatoire in a year.--NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India: Only a Mouse-Click to Dispose Household Garbage in Chennai

CHENNAI, India (NNN-Bernama) -- Now, Chennai citizens can clear their mounting piles of household garbage, with just a mouse-click follow...

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India Should Take Tough Action against Sri Lanka, Says CM Jayalalithaa

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">CHENNAI (NNN-Bernama): Describing India's concerns on safety of its fishermen as having fallen on 'deaf ears' of Sri Lanka, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has asked the central Indian government to take a "strong stand" against Colombo and "convey its serious apprehension through tough words and action".<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, she said the attacks should be viewed as a national issue and not as an isolated problem of Tamil Nadu located in the southern part of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"I request you to kindly take a strong stand against the government of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sri Lanka</st1:place></st1:country-region> with regard to such attacks on our fishermen and convey your serious apprehension through tough words and action", Press Trust of India (PTI) quoted her as saying.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Jayalalithaa said there had been over 22 incidents of attacks of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Lankan authorities since May this year and six major ones during the past one month.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"It seems to be a 'definite pattern' of attacks by the Lankan navy or miscreants to create a "fear psychosis" among innocent Tamil Nadu fishermen with a view to forcing them to desist from eking out their livelihood in their traditional areas of fishing in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Palk</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">"There is a deep feeling of unrest and concern among the fishermen community in particular and the entire state in general due to such incidents that have not stopped despite our repeated appeals to the Government of India and diplomatic efforts of the Government of India", the Chief Minister said.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In the same letter, Jayalalithaa also thanked Manmohan Singh for his action and reply to her letter sent on Sept 10.<span>            </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">On Sept 10, Jayalalithaa sent a letter to Manmohan Singh on the same issue, and after her meeting with <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region>'s Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, she said <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sri Lanka</st1:place></st1:country-region> had promised to seriously investigate these incidents.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">However, the Chief Minister claims that <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place> concerns have only fallen on 'deaf ears' of Lankan authorities.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had taken up the matter with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse at their meeting at <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state> recently. ---NNN-BERNAMA</div></div>

India Should Take Tough Action against Sri Lanka, Says CM Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI (NNN-Bernama): Describing India's concerns on safety of its fishermen as having fallen on 'deaf ears' of Sri Lanka, Ch...

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India: Arch rivals in TN politics to clash after six months

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span>  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Over 1.5 lakh candidates are seeking their electoral fortunes in the civic polls.-NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The civic polls, held after five years, have changed the political alignment in the state with major parties deciding to go alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The ball was set rolling by DMK, which first announced it would contest the polls on its own, without allying with Congress, its poll partner since 2004.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi made the announcement that his party would face the polls on its own, following the wish of party cadres who wanted their party to contest the civic polls without an alliance.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The cadres felt that the alliance with Congress had led to the party's rout in the April 13 Assembly polls where DMK was relegated to third position, for the first time since 1957 when it started contesting polls.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The ruling AIADMK also wants to test its popularity as it unilaterally announced its candidates for all civic bodies even as it was holding seat sharing talks with Left parties.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">It did not even invite DMDK, its second partner in its rainbow alliance formed in March, for talks, signalling the end of the honeymoon between both parties. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Though actor Vijaykant, who floated DMDK, has not so far criticised the AIADMK government, he has expressed displeasure over functioning of the Jayalalithaa government by abstaining from the Assembly on the day leaders congratulated Jayalalithaa for completing 100 days in office.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">This led to the formation of a front led by DMDK, which includes CPI-M and CPI, for the civic polls.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Congress, for the first time since 1989, is contesting an election without an alliance in the civic polls. Though most of its leaders wanted to contest the polls in the DMK-led front, Youth Congress insisted the party go alone to help it grow at the grass root level.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">PMK, which snapped ties with DMK three months back, also decided to contest polls without any alliance. MDMK, which boycotted the Assembly polls after its failure to clinch a poll deal with AIADMK, is also in the fray on its own.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Contesting on their own, parties now have a golden chance to show their individual popularity among voters.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">There are a total of 31 district panchayats, 561 town panchayats, 50 third grade municipalities, over 12,000 village panchayats and over 85,000 wards, 98 municipalities and 10 municipal corporations in the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Over 4.75 crore electorate would cast their votes to elect ward members for district panchayats, panchayat union, council wards, village panchyat wards, panchayat presidents, municipal chairman, municipal wards and mayors.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">CHENNAI (NNN-PTI): Arch rivals in Tamil Nadu politics ruling AIADMK and DMK will clash for electoral supremacy for the second time this year, six months after the Assembly elections, in the two phased local body elections on October 17 and 19. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

India: Arch rivals in TN politics to clash after six months

   Over 1.5 lakh candidates are seeking their electoral fortunes in the civic polls.-NNN-PTI The civic polls, held after five years, have ...

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India: Transgender for Madurai Mayor’s Post?

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /> <div class="MsoNormal">CHENNAI (NNN-Bernama): To ensure their voice is better heard in the corridors of power, the marginalised transgender community in Tamil Nadu has begun venturing into politics.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps, for the first time in the southern state, a third gender candidate is gearing to contest the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Madurai</st1:place></st1:city> corporation mayor's post.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal">Bharathi Kannamma, 51, a computer programmer and transsexual rights activist, would be among the six contesting the fierce polls on Oct 17.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal">"Politicians promise but they never deliver. If elected, I want to make <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Madurai</st1:place></st1:city> a more liveable city. Priority is to create jobs, not only for 'Aravani' (transgender) but for everyone," the native of the temple city of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Madurai</st1:place></st1:city> told Bernama.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal">About 1,500 transgenders live in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Madurai</st1:place></st1:city> and there are over 100,000 in Tamil Nadu alone, one of the few states which gave special status to them.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal">The often-isolated group is allowed to contest in elections, offered jobs, third gender ration cards and special healthcare facilities.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal">After suffering prolonged prejudice, many dare to walk out of their cocoons to make a mark in the changing social and political realities.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal">In Tamil Nadu, career-minded and socially conscious transsexuals are taking up jobs, ranging from computer programming, television talk-show hosting, to hair styling and managing beauty salons.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal">"We are still discriminated, people often tease us, it is hard to even open up an 'idli' (a delicacy) shop. How long can we depend on begging and the sex trade?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /> </div><div class="MsoNormal">"Many are qualified but opportunities are not given to them," noted Bharathi, who is banking on sympathy votes for a victory.-NNN-BERNAMA<o:p></o:p></div></div>

India: Transgender for Madurai Mayor’s Post?

CHENNAI (NNN-Bernama): To ensure their voice is better heard in the corridors of power, the marginalised transgender community in Tamil Nad...

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