By Gopal Ethiraj, Chennai
CHENNAI, 25 August (asiantribune.com): The killing of an elderly couple at Neelankarai in Chennai on Monday evening is yet another shocking incident, which records the growing crime scenario in the city of Chennai. Not only that the custodial deaths is also on the increase, shattering the people’s confidence with the State police.
Ilangovan (69), a retired merchant navy captain, and his wife Ramani (62) were killed on the spot, when a gunman barged into the house and shot at them point blank. Their daughter-in-law Vasanthi (35) sustained bullet injuries on her right shoulder, face, neck and chest and was admitted to a hospital in Adyar in a critical condition. The assailant inflicted injuries on her children, Praveen (12) and Priyanka (8), using a knife. Her husband Vidya Shankar had gone to airport to see a friend.
Presuming all of them had died, the accused bolted the door outside after looting cash and jewelry and left only to return with his friends to look for more. In the meantime Vasanthi got up and locked the door inside, and had informed people outside. The public chased and caught the assailant, latter identified as Raja alias Shanmugaraja of West Mambalam, who was still holding on a 0.32 pistol. He was handed over to the police who took him to Adyar Police Station for interrogation.
The police took Raja early in the morning today to a private hospital in an unconscious condition, where the doctors declared him dead. According to the police, Raja died due to sudden heart attack. According to a source he was beaten up badly which lead to his collapse.
Vidhya Shankar works in France and had come on holiday to see his parents, and they were planning to leave in a few days. The two children are said to be out of danger.
The State Government ordered for an RDO inquiry about Raja's death in the police lockup.
Lock-up death on the increase
There is a sorry state of affair in the state of Tamil Nadu, where there has been 31 lock-up deaths in span of 90 days.
On August 17 mid-night, a thirty-five year old man was allegedly beaten to death by inebriated policemen after his wife sought their help in a domestic quarrel at Neelankarai. He was declared `brought dead' at a hospital where he was taken after his condition worsened due to the assault.
Residents of Kottivakkam were witness to the midnight terror unleashed by Neelankarai sub-inspector Gunasekhar and three constables, who were all in an inebriated condition. N Ramesh, the victim, was a cashier at Ullagaram petrol station, and his wife Usharani were quarrelling on Monday night, which matter was reported by a neighbour to the police. The couple had been married for 12 years and had two children.
"There was no attempt to hold an enquiry at all," his brothers N Anbu and N Loganathan said. SI Gunasekhar ordered the constables to hold Ramesh's hands and beat him so mercilessly that the cane broke, they said. Ramesh was then made to lie across his motorbike and another round of thrashing followed. Ramesh, who was unable to walk, was dragged into the patrol van and taken to Neelankarai police station.
However, before leaving for the police station Gunasekar demanded and got Rs 200 as fuel money, sources said. Anbu said that at the station, Ramesh was again severely beaten. He passed urine and stool and collapsed.
The police first took him to a local clinic and later to Malar Hospital, Adyar, where he was declared `brought dead'. The residents demanded the immediate suspension of the SI and constables.
Revenue Divisional Officer, Chengalpattu, Padmaja Devi, and Tambaram tahsildar Govindasamy conducted an enquiry.
Rights outfits’ recent charge on police
Rights outfits have identified the `pervasive regime of impunity' as the single most important factor for widespread use of torture by the police in India. The men in khaki are rarely punished for their transgressions, which run into a huge catalogue of torture, beatings and extrajudicial killings.
The absence of an effective redress mechanism for its citizens is glaring, thanks to New Delhi's reluctance to ratify the UN Convention against Torture, which it signed in 1997.
Ratification of the international human rights instrument would ensure that suitable measures are in place to prevent the use of the third degree by the police to extract confession in custody, they say.
While Maharashtra holds the dubious distinction for the maximum number of custodial deaths in India, Tamil Nadu does not lag far behind. Quoting media reports, rights outfits like People's Watch say there were close to 40 custodial deaths in the State during 2006 to 2009. Most of the victims were between 20 and 40 years of age and arrested for their involvement in theft cases or sale of illicit arrack.
“Custodial death victims usually hail from backward sections of society many of them Dalits with little or no means to seek legal help," said a rights activist. "False cases are filed against communities like `kal ottar,' who belong to kuttra parambarai," he added.
The interrogation methods used by the police are crude and obsolete. Sources say there are 51 interrogation cells in the State. These are different from the regular police stations and are usually located in the outskirts of the city or town. The police personnel here are `experts' in torture and employ different methods to force confessions.
While some succumb to the pain, others carry the scars throughout their life. For those who want to lead a reformed life after their release from prison, it is frustrating to find the police at their doorstep every time a crime is committed in the vicinity. The former convicts and their nearest relatives, most often their wives, are taken to the police stations, where they are abused and beaten. Many choose to end their lives unable to bear the torture.
Narrating a spin-chilling incident that took place in Theni district, an activist said a woman who was released after serving sentence for selling ganja, was forced by the police to take up the trade again. When she refused, she was burnt by four police personnel inside her house.
In her dying declaration, she named the four men, who were placed under suspension. "All these measures are an eyewash. There is need for systematic changes to check police abuse and make them more accountable," the activists say.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Sunday Celebrity: Tamil poet Salma’s empowerment is praise-worthy
By Gopal Ethiraj , Chennai
Chennai , 23 August (Asiantribune.com): When her outspoken thoughts were poured out in prose and poetry, she became cynosure, followed by praise and criticism. That she is a woman and Muslim, and that she was in her marital home did not matter—no stopping her views, her ‘literary fund’ breached the bund. That is women empowerment poet-writer Salma hitch-hiked with.
Salma found her personal identity as a free and frank writer, and her personality as a free thinker found acceptance with her family, marital home, in her community and in the society. But, of course, not immediately, in a phased manner.
But to establish herself, Salma had to go through the mill, the rough and tumble of it with trials and tribulations. When success kept coming that leveled everything.
A school drop out she was, self-educated and ambition-fired Salma’s raise in life and socially is just by hard work. “School and college education are immaterial for writing poetry and novels; it should swell from within, ebb and overflow,” Salma says.
Salma is not having many works to boast off. Two books of poetry, and one novel and its translations in a few languages, that has already perched her in literary firmament. And she has created a niche for herself.
She is not a rebel poet and writer, but there is almost that element in her writing; she is simple and serene, but her writing is fiery and heavy with authority. She is just a women next door, but has the making of a leader placed distant, a social activist. That is the strange composition she is made up of, that makes her different, different from others.
Salma has already got the recognition as a progressive writer of growing importance in Tamil literature. Her works stand out for outspokenness about taboo areas of the traditional Tamil and also Muslim women’s experience. The suppressed women’s feelings and sensitivities, she gives easy expression. Her handling of the Tamil language is of compressed intensity and it smacks of metaphoric resonance.
Salma’s poetry breaks new ground in Tamil poetry for its articulation of an unapologetically female worldview. It expresses boldly life in a traditionally restrictive patriarchal context, and personal sensitivities. It evokes a world of love, sexuality, betrayal, frustration, motherhood and a self that will not be silenced, belittled or suppressed and subjugated.
This life, the sufferings, pangs and pains of women are not an individual affair. It is same with millions of women in similar life situations. "Neither my pain nor my feelings are solely that of an individual; they belong to all such women," Salma says. That is why the stark reflections in her writings. She wants to call a spade a spade.
Her writing calls for social awakening in the Muslim world. Woman deserves a better treatment, she says, but says it without offending the religion and establishment.
She is comparable with Bangaladeshi writer Taslima Nazreen in three respect— Muslim woman, writer and social activism. But drawing from her experience and that of Salman Rushdie, Salma kept herself clear out of any controversy of that kind.
Debarred from education and confined to her home from the age of 13, in keeping with the rigid conventions of her cloistered community, Salma remained a voracious reader and she gulped down the pages of Tamil translations of Russian literature, Walt Whitman, Kaleel Gibron and Poplon Neruda, which were only books available in the library of her tiny village. And the books were few in the small library; she had read and re-read the same books again and again. Heavy reading material all these, it made Salma those big authors personified and she emerged a fiercely committed writer. Despite periods of personal crisis, she remained firm in her resolve to continue her writing even in a somewhat orthodox marital home.
Imprisoned in the house with no body of her age to share her feelings, she felt extremely lonely in the tender age. This loss of liberty ‘angered’ her and to avenge on that only she became a voracious reader, and to express her anger she found a vent with writing, first poetry that condensed her bent-up feelings and then fiction.
Salma’s parent-given name was Rokkaiah and was fondly called as Rajathi, while ‘Salma’ was her nom-de-plume. She started writing under the name of Rajathi even before marriage. Her bold expressions of female subjectivity and the foregrounding of female desire, in her first collection of poems, came as a rude shock to the male dominated Tamil literary world. There were criticisms from the literary world, and also from her relatives.
She became an under-ground writer under the pseudonym ‘Salma’ thereafter. This she continued from her marital home too. She recalled how she and her mother paid a surreptitious visit to Chennai for the launch of her first book of poetry, without divulging details to any other members of her family. When the success came, the cat was out. And no body could stop or prevent her.
Salma’s entry into politics was by chance. Her husband, a businessman, wanted to contest the post of panchyat board president. Unfortunately for him and fortunately for Salma, the local body was declared reserved for women. So her husband fielded his wife, Salma, and she was elected Chairperson of Ponnampatti Town panchayat in 2001. Now her husband Abdul Mallick is panchayat union president of Thuvarankurichi.
In 2006, Salma contested on DMK ticket the elections to the legislative assembly (Marungapuri constituency) and lost by a narrow margin of 1200 votes. The next year she was appointed as the Chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board. Salma’s concentration in the new responsibility is on counseling and mitigation of family problems, women and child development and creating awareness on women’s rights. City Police Commissioner’s office and Social welfare board jointly have a family counseling centre started last week at the CoP’s office.
Salma is the author of two books of poetry: Oru Maalaiyum Innoru Maalaiyum (An Evening and Another Evening) (2000) and Pachchai Devathai (Green Angel) (2003). Her novel and fiction Irandam Jamangalinin Kathai (Midnight Tales, 2004). Its first edition was sold out as fast cakes; the second edition is under print. This book was long-listed for Men Asian Booker Prize, but lost to a Philippine author.
The book has been translated into English as The Hours Past Midnight by Lakshmi Holmstrom. It’s Malayalam and Hindi translations are slated for release shortly. When she attended the Frankfrut Book fair recently a Spanish publisher evinced interest to translate into his colinshe language.
In 2002, Salma was invited for an international conference on women’s issues held in Sri Lanka. The National Book Trust of India nominated her to the Frankfurt Book Fair (2006). She is the featured author at the first Norman J. Cutler conference of South Asian Literatures at the University of Chicago (2007).
- Asian Tribune -
Chennai turns 370 today
By Gopal Ethiraj, Chennai
Chennai, 22 August (Asiantribune.com): It was on this day (22nd August) in 1639 that British East India Company Administrator Francis Day bought a small strip of land on the Coromandel Coast from the Vijayanagara King, Peda Venkata Raya.
This region was then ruled by Damerla Venkatpathy, the Nayak of Vandavasi, who granted the British earlier permission to build a factory and warehouse for their trading enterprises. A year later, the British built Fort St. George, which became the nucleus of the growing colonial city.
Chennai, as Madras recently came to be called, turns 370 years today. The founding of the city is being celebrated only for the past six years as ‘Madras Week’. The seventh edition of the Madras Day celebration commenced on August 16 and it will go on upto September 1. The organizers have crowded all important functions today, which is flanked by one week before and one week after celebrations in a fitting manner.
As the old history is ‘flash-backed’, the fortnight-long celebrations are marked with cultural and literary activities, intertwined with heritage walks, debates and contests, poetry, patti mandram, music, quiz, food festivals, rallies, photo exhibition and a wide range of events. Sure it brings back the glimpse of old Madras, the present Chennaiites never knew, otherwise would never come to know.
It was this day, the deal was struck by Francis Day, his 'dubash' Beri Thimmappa and their superior Andrew Cogan, with local Nayak rulers.
The original document relating to the purchase of the piece of land on the border of Bay of Bengal is said to have been signed at Chandragiri fort, near Tirupati in neighbouring Andhara Pradesh. And it was on this land the building of Fort St. George, a historic fort which was for a while the seat of power of the East India Company, came up. Robert Clive, founder of British empire in India, got married in a church inside the fort. His marriage certificate is still the prized possession of the museum in the fort.
Once the fort was established, settlements grew around it—the black township and the whites colony and all that. As the settlements grew with expanding trade and industry, the villages around it were absorbed into the newly formed city. One of them was ‘Madrasapattinam’, another was ‘Chennaipattinam’. The English name of the city seems to have been coined by the Britishers by shortening the former, while the Tamil name for the city was shortening the latter, the city got recently by the present rulers.
The idea of celebrating the founding day of the city (August 22, 1639), shaped six years ago. ‘Madras Day’ was an idea that three people put together — the city’s famed historian, S. Muthiah, journalist Sashi Nair and editor-publisher Vincent D’ Souza. Later, they have been joined by three others — senior journalist and editor Sushila Ravindranath, entrepreneur and writer-historian V. Sriram and journalist and web site entrepreneur, Revathi.
There had been a controversy regarding the exact day the land where Madraspatnam came up later was handed over to the British East India Company's Francis Day and Andrew Cogan. The actual date confusion is between 22 August and 22 July. The controversy arose since the agreement documents dates the records to 22 July 1639 rather than 22 August of that year.
It is often stated that since Francis Day and Andrew Cogan did not arrive to the coast which is now Chennai until 27 July 1639. The evidence comes from writings of Henry Davison Love, whose monumental three-volume history of Madras from 1640-1800 is the Bible of all searchers after Madras’s early history, which states that
"The Naik’s grant, erroneously styled a farman, which was probably drafted by Day, was delivered (to Andrew Cogan at Masulipatam on September 3, 1639… Three copies are extant … all of which are endorsed by Cogan. Only the last bears a date, 22 July, 1639, where July is probably a slip for August, since Day did not reach Madras until 27 July.”
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Chidambaram Natarajar case: Swamy submits arguments
By Gopal Ethiraj, Chennai
CHENNAI, 18 August (asiantribune.com): Dr. Subramanian Swamy, Janata Party President, today submitted his written arguments in the Madras High Court in the matter relating to an appeal in Chidambaram Sabanayagar Temple, known as Chidambaram Natarajar Temple case.
According to the direction by the division bench of the court, Swamy filed his written arguments. In his arguments, Swamy said, the Pothu Dikshidars were maintaining the ancient temple for several hundred years. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Board (HR&CE) has no right to take over the administration, he contended.
Also quoting several citations from the rulings of the high court and apex court, Swamy sought to set aside the single judge order of February 2 to uphold the HR &CE department’s notification to take over the temple administration.
The Bench comprising Mr Justice K Raviraja Pandian and Mr Justice T Raja posted the matter to tomorrow for further hearing.
Podhu Dikshidars had filed an appeal against a single Judge’s order dismissing their petition that challenged the Tamil Nadu Government’s appointment of an Executive Officer for the temple. In the appeal the Podhu Dikshidars had submitted that the single Judge had failed to see that protection under Article 26 would be available to a denomination if on the date of coming into force of the Constitution it had the right of administration of the temple.
Then Dr. Swamy had filed a petition seeking to implead himself in the case. It may be remembered, on February 17 this year, when Swamy came to the court to make a ‘mention’ he would like to implead himself in the appeal against the single Judge’s order, he was assaulted and eggs were thrown at him in a court hall in the presence of a Division Bench comprising Justices P.K.Misra (since elevated as Chief Justice of Orissa High Court) and K.Chandru. However, Swamy was directed to submit his written arguments.
CHENNAI, 18 August (asiantribune.com): Dr. Subramanian Swamy, Janata Party President, today submitted his written arguments in the Madras High Court in the matter relating to an appeal in Chidambaram Sabanayagar Temple, known as Chidambaram Natarajar Temple case.
According to the direction by the division bench of the court, Swamy filed his written arguments. In his arguments, Swamy said, the Pothu Dikshidars were maintaining the ancient temple for several hundred years. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Board (HR&CE) has no right to take over the administration, he contended.
Also quoting several citations from the rulings of the high court and apex court, Swamy sought to set aside the single judge order of February 2 to uphold the HR &CE department’s notification to take over the temple administration.
The Bench comprising Mr Justice K Raviraja Pandian and Mr Justice T Raja posted the matter to tomorrow for further hearing.
Podhu Dikshidars had filed an appeal against a single Judge’s order dismissing their petition that challenged the Tamil Nadu Government’s appointment of an Executive Officer for the temple. In the appeal the Podhu Dikshidars had submitted that the single Judge had failed to see that protection under Article 26 would be available to a denomination if on the date of coming into force of the Constitution it had the right of administration of the temple.
Then Dr. Swamy had filed a petition seeking to implead himself in the case. It may be remembered, on February 17 this year, when Swamy came to the court to make a ‘mention’ he would like to implead himself in the appeal against the single Judge’s order, he was assaulted and eggs were thrown at him in a court hall in the presence of a Division Bench comprising Justices P.K.Misra (since elevated as Chief Justice of Orissa High Court) and K.Chandru. However, Swamy was directed to submit his written arguments.
Transgenders to have ID, ration cards in Tamil Nadu
By Gopal Ethiraj, Chennai
CHENNAI, 18 August (asiantribune.com): Transgenders in Tamil Nadu, who have an exclusive Transgender Welfare Board, the first in the country, will soon have their demands of ration cards, passport and voter ID cards, fulfilled.
As a prelude to the entire process, a four-member committee, one of whom is a doctor, is screening the members of the board to ascertain their true sexual identity. The screening camp held on Sunday and Monday at the Kilpauk Medical College, not only checked those registered for their ‘gender’, it also collected all relevant data of the members, as soon they are to become beneficiaries of many government incentives and plans.
There are 390 registered members of this ‘gender’ in the city, of whom 262 turned up at the camp venue, where they were put to physical and psychological tests by a panel comprising experts in the medical and psychological field, apart from Gemma D Silva, District Social Welfare Officer, Chennai, and Noori, a transgender member. Another camp would be held at another date for the remaining registered members, Noori said.
This effort was undertaken to study these members for their social and economic betterment, observed Gemma, adding that the members of the board were already issued ID cards from the welfare board. She said: “This is an attempt by the government to fulfil the demands of the transgenders.”
CHENNAI, 18 August (asiantribune.com): Transgenders in Tamil Nadu, who have an exclusive Transgender Welfare Board, the first in the country, will soon have their demands of ration cards, passport and voter ID cards, fulfilled.
As a prelude to the entire process, a four-member committee, one of whom is a doctor, is screening the members of the board to ascertain their true sexual identity. The screening camp held on Sunday and Monday at the Kilpauk Medical College, not only checked those registered for their ‘gender’, it also collected all relevant data of the members, as soon they are to become beneficiaries of many government incentives and plans.
There are 390 registered members of this ‘gender’ in the city, of whom 262 turned up at the camp venue, where they were put to physical and psychological tests by a panel comprising experts in the medical and psychological field, apart from Gemma D Silva, District Social Welfare Officer, Chennai, and Noori, a transgender member. Another camp would be held at another date for the remaining registered members, Noori said.
This effort was undertaken to study these members for their social and economic betterment, observed Gemma, adding that the members of the board were already issued ID cards from the welfare board. She said: “This is an attempt by the government to fulfil the demands of the transgenders.”
Monday, August 17, 2009
Sunday Celebrity:Bhawanesh Deora – he inspires patriotism around
By Gopal Ethiraj, Chennai
CHENNAI, 16, August (Asiantribune.com): Rajasthan is most popular destination for many—for its historical monuments, Dilwara temples, Thar and other deserts, Mt. Abu hills, national parks etc. For Rajasthanis nook and corner of the world is the destination, like Malayalees.
Their entrepreneurial spirit finds them all over the country, but they have always integrated themselves with the local situation and have been contributing to society wherever they have settled.
“There is a saying that ‘wherever the gaadi (vehicle) goes, the Marwari also goes’ says Mr. Bhawanesh Deora, who has a string of business establishments in Chennai. There is a sizable Rajasthani population in Chennai, “the earliest who has come to Chennai to settle was before independence,” he says.
While business has been an important reason for the migration, Rajasthani merchants have also contributed to their place of occupation through social service. Mr. Bhawanesh Deora is running one of the noted service organizations, under the name Shreyans Foundation, linked with the Lions clubs and NGOs.
Bhawanesh Deora
Deora’s patriotic and nationalist spirit; his euphoria and enthusiasm for national integration is inspiring. He is regularly celebrating the Independence Day since 1996, in Shreyans Hall, he owns, and serves food to the poor to about 1000s the same day. His full throat “Jai India” “Jai Bharat” fills to the blood veins. This correspondent was one of the Guests of Honour at his 63rd Independence day celebrations yesterday.
A few years back when the daughter of Nethaji Subash Chandra Bose, Mrs Anita Bose Pfaf, was in the country (she is living in Germany with her professor husband), Mr. Deora managed to bring her to Chennai to his hall, and assembled all freedom-fighters of Tamilnadu, ex Indian National Army (INA) cadres of Nathaji and honoured them, this writer was present then. Deora gave the first reception in the city, and took care of all her programmes here.
When there was tsunami, Deora with his members reaching first the Chennai beach and virtually saw the third big wave receding, carrying in its folds lots of lives. This daring service-minded person rescued the people and helped them. He remembers how he pulled three persons from the forceful current of waters; he caught hold of some bodies the returning waves was rolling on the shores and also carried few dead bodies. “If the next deadly wave had lashed, I too would have been carried away,” he says.
“This made me first person to report to the TV crews that poured in a little later. I was on all TVs the whole day telling to the world what had happened. What is more, I was taken to the Sun TV studio to narrate the incidents, participating in the eye witness live presentation,” says Mr. Deora, “ek din a reporter” (one-day reporter).
He had organized food for the tsunami affected people immediately and for several days. Later he traveled to other affected areas with relief materials, distributing from Chennai upto Velankanni and Nagapattanam., all from his own money.
In handling tsunami affecteds, Deora had some experienced touch by now, for he had served earlier two catastrophes that had hit India before—the earth quakes in Latur in Maharastra and Buj in Gujarat.
Deora regrets he could not personally participate in the Latur relief camp sent by the Lions club, for there was a family grief. But he had participated in the collection of relief materials on behalf of the Lions club and sent them. When all his fellow men went, his heart of throbbing here. For the Buj earthquake, Deora joined one Jain Association, went with his group and served the people for 15 days. Seeing the conditions, he pumped out his own money to buy things and food material for distribution. Deora shows all the photographs proudly.
What has pulled him into this service mode? “It is because of my early membership with Lions club. As a boy of 16, I was inducted into the Leo club, the youth wing of Lions Club. in 1978. I was graduated into the service mode, participating into every field activity. In Leoism, I rose to the level of Council Chairman and won Wisdom award,” he says.
He joined the Lions Club in 1989 by starting his own Lion’s Club of Madras Leo City. Here too he handled service sectors with aplomb—eye donation, drug awareness, youth outreach, health camps and rain water harvesting, etc. And so service to humanity started grousing through his blood.
He is more than content serving the humanity at its worst. Every flood havoc in Tamil Nadu, Deora is up with his arms, ready with men and material, serving in the field. A couple of years back, when Chennai was in floods, he and his team of Shreyans Foundation were out of soccur.
His best service was at Zakir village, 15 kms off Arakonam, where the floods had affected the animals with foot and mouth disease, and men too. Shereyans had organized health camp for animals and human beings, cleaned the whole village and disinfected it, supplied food, cloths and bought books and notes for the children who had lost them in the floods.
Health camps are his routine, but one at the Pulicat lake island is worth mentioning, besides his Zakir village camp. There was skin infection, followed by chckenguniya. Deora went with his doctor team and rendered service.
Rain water harvesting is an habit in Rajasthan, where rain is sparsely. This was in his mind, seeing much of the rain water going down the drains waste. Speaking his mind out, he came across another person of same ideology by name Sekar of an NGO, Aakash. Deora happily remembers, the rain water demonstration given to Ms. Jayalalithaa, the then Chief Minister at Mandaveli.in Chennai. Impressed, she ordered rain-water for houses compulsory to increase the water table, which almost it did. If it is pursued vigorously, it will be good, he feels.
Deora is a tradition lover. “I am against the present-day use of more than one minute run of the National Anthem; it is pretty slow, rather it puts you to sleep.” For his function yesterday, he used the old 52-minute “jana gana mana”. He pointed out the national anthem should be that racy to arouse one.
He is a good designer and interior designer. He took me round his house showing the furniture he designed, the Rajasthani art work he had etched on the walls and floors. It was a treat.
Bhuwanesh Deora is third generation Rajasthani-Chennaiite. He is born (1962) and brought up here. He is a bachelor of commerce, but deserves to be ‘honorary doctored’. His businesses include, export-import, gift shop, convention hall which he calls Shreyans Integration Point, Reliance telecom dealership and Finance. His wife, mother and brothers are a good support to his activity. His friends’ network is enormous.
- Asian Tribune -
CHENNAI, 16, August (Asiantribune.com): Rajasthan is most popular destination for many—for its historical monuments, Dilwara temples, Thar and other deserts, Mt. Abu hills, national parks etc. For Rajasthanis nook and corner of the world is the destination, like Malayalees.
Their entrepreneurial spirit finds them all over the country, but they have always integrated themselves with the local situation and have been contributing to society wherever they have settled.
“There is a saying that ‘wherever the gaadi (vehicle) goes, the Marwari also goes’ says Mr. Bhawanesh Deora, who has a string of business establishments in Chennai. There is a sizable Rajasthani population in Chennai, “the earliest who has come to Chennai to settle was before independence,” he says.
While business has been an important reason for the migration, Rajasthani merchants have also contributed to their place of occupation through social service. Mr. Bhawanesh Deora is running one of the noted service organizations, under the name Shreyans Foundation, linked with the Lions clubs and NGOs.
Bhawanesh Deora
Deora’s patriotic and nationalist spirit; his euphoria and enthusiasm for national integration is inspiring. He is regularly celebrating the Independence Day since 1996, in Shreyans Hall, he owns, and serves food to the poor to about 1000s the same day. His full throat “Jai India” “Jai Bharat” fills to the blood veins. This correspondent was one of the Guests of Honour at his 63rd Independence day celebrations yesterday.
A few years back when the daughter of Nethaji Subash Chandra Bose, Mrs Anita Bose Pfaf, was in the country (she is living in Germany with her professor husband), Mr. Deora managed to bring her to Chennai to his hall, and assembled all freedom-fighters of Tamilnadu, ex Indian National Army (INA) cadres of Nathaji and honoured them, this writer was present then. Deora gave the first reception in the city, and took care of all her programmes here.
When there was tsunami, Deora with his members reaching first the Chennai beach and virtually saw the third big wave receding, carrying in its folds lots of lives. This daring service-minded person rescued the people and helped them. He remembers how he pulled three persons from the forceful current of waters; he caught hold of some bodies the returning waves was rolling on the shores and also carried few dead bodies. “If the next deadly wave had lashed, I too would have been carried away,” he says.
“This made me first person to report to the TV crews that poured in a little later. I was on all TVs the whole day telling to the world what had happened. What is more, I was taken to the Sun TV studio to narrate the incidents, participating in the eye witness live presentation,” says Mr. Deora, “ek din a reporter” (one-day reporter).
He had organized food for the tsunami affected people immediately and for several days. Later he traveled to other affected areas with relief materials, distributing from Chennai upto Velankanni and Nagapattanam., all from his own money.
In handling tsunami affecteds, Deora had some experienced touch by now, for he had served earlier two catastrophes that had hit India before—the earth quakes in Latur in Maharastra and Buj in Gujarat.
Deora regrets he could not personally participate in the Latur relief camp sent by the Lions club, for there was a family grief. But he had participated in the collection of relief materials on behalf of the Lions club and sent them. When all his fellow men went, his heart of throbbing here. For the Buj earthquake, Deora joined one Jain Association, went with his group and served the people for 15 days. Seeing the conditions, he pumped out his own money to buy things and food material for distribution. Deora shows all the photographs proudly.
What has pulled him into this service mode? “It is because of my early membership with Lions club. As a boy of 16, I was inducted into the Leo club, the youth wing of Lions Club. in 1978. I was graduated into the service mode, participating into every field activity. In Leoism, I rose to the level of Council Chairman and won Wisdom award,” he says.
He joined the Lions Club in 1989 by starting his own Lion’s Club of Madras Leo City. Here too he handled service sectors with aplomb—eye donation, drug awareness, youth outreach, health camps and rain water harvesting, etc. And so service to humanity started grousing through his blood.
He is more than content serving the humanity at its worst. Every flood havoc in Tamil Nadu, Deora is up with his arms, ready with men and material, serving in the field. A couple of years back, when Chennai was in floods, he and his team of Shreyans Foundation were out of soccur.
His best service was at Zakir village, 15 kms off Arakonam, where the floods had affected the animals with foot and mouth disease, and men too. Shereyans had organized health camp for animals and human beings, cleaned the whole village and disinfected it, supplied food, cloths and bought books and notes for the children who had lost them in the floods.
Health camps are his routine, but one at the Pulicat lake island is worth mentioning, besides his Zakir village camp. There was skin infection, followed by chckenguniya. Deora went with his doctor team and rendered service.
Rain water harvesting is an habit in Rajasthan, where rain is sparsely. This was in his mind, seeing much of the rain water going down the drains waste. Speaking his mind out, he came across another person of same ideology by name Sekar of an NGO, Aakash. Deora happily remembers, the rain water demonstration given to Ms. Jayalalithaa, the then Chief Minister at Mandaveli.in Chennai. Impressed, she ordered rain-water for houses compulsory to increase the water table, which almost it did. If it is pursued vigorously, it will be good, he feels.
Deora is a tradition lover. “I am against the present-day use of more than one minute run of the National Anthem; it is pretty slow, rather it puts you to sleep.” For his function yesterday, he used the old 52-minute “jana gana mana”. He pointed out the national anthem should be that racy to arouse one.
He is a good designer and interior designer. He took me round his house showing the furniture he designed, the Rajasthani art work he had etched on the walls and floors. It was a treat.
Bhuwanesh Deora is third generation Rajasthani-Chennaiite. He is born (1962) and brought up here. He is a bachelor of commerce, but deserves to be ‘honorary doctored’. His businesses include, export-import, gift shop, convention hall which he calls Shreyans Integration Point, Reliance telecom dealership and Finance. His wife, mother and brothers are a good support to his activity. His friends’ network is enormous.
- Asian Tribune -
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Fortnight-long Madras founding day being celebrated
By Gopal Ethiraj, Chennai
CHENNAI, 17 August (asiantribune.com): The seventh edition of the founding day of the city is being celebrated as Madras Week. It commenced on Sunday in all grandeur with about 100 programmes lined up in various parts of the city and it will go on for fortnight with a wider range of events.
The idea of celebrating the founding day of the city (August 22, 1639), shaped six years ago and began as a week-long celebration from August 16 to 23. This year the festival would be for two weeks, although it is called Madras Week, as more organizations and corporates have jumped in to hold one programme or the other.
The celebrations will end on September 1, according to the organizers who have roped in more organisation/individuals and volunteer groups to make the event a gala affair.
‘Madras Day’ was an idea that three people put together -- the city's famed historian, S. Muthiah, journalist Sashi Nair and editor-publisher Vincent D' Souza. Today, they have been joined by three others -- senior journalist and editor Sushila Ravindranath, entrepreneur and writer-historian V. Sriram and journalist and web site entrepreneur, Revathi
Historian S. Muthiah said the prime objective of the celebrations is to spread heritage awareness, particularly in schools and colleges. And one of the significant features this year would be the participation of nearly 70 schools and 12 colleges, the major being Llyola, Vivekananda, Madras Christian College, MOP Vaishnav, Queen Maris, etc.
Several government departments, such as Archaeological Survey of India and Government Museum, are also hosting events. Some of the organisations that have joined in this year’s Madras Week celebrations include Alliance Francaise and Russian Cultural Centre. The others are the US Consulate General, the Madras Photographic Society, the Prince of Arcot.
Wikipedia would take people on a photographic hunt of the city, enabling them to take as many photographs of Chennai to illustrate Wikipedia articles. Besides heritage walks and talks, five photo walks would be conducted.
Growing from about 15 events in the first year, this year the celebration is accommodating a variety of events, all centered on the theme ‘Madras’. Besides the regular talks, quizzes, exhibitions and performances, there is hotels like Green Park organsing food festivals, Dakshinachitra holding a weeklong celebration, Malayali Club, Roja Muthiah Research Library, Alliance Francaise and Madras Terrace House organising youth-oriented programmes. Hotels Taj Connemara, Taj Coromandel, The Park, Park Sheraton are giving support.
Competitions like drawing and painting, essay writing, quiz and debate will also be organised by INTACH Heritage clubs by hub schools in Thirvanmiyur, Mylapore, Luz Corner, North Madras, KK Nagar and Purasaiwalkam, centering on coins and dedicating it to Late Raja Sitaraman, coin collector who exhibited his collection in last year’s celebration.
Vijayantha Higher Secondary School, Avadi, would conduct a bicycle rally from Avadi to Marina beach on August 22.One of the highlights of the events would be a reading session on ‘Madras Madrigals,’ a compilation of interesting verses on the city from the book that is out of print, he said.
This year, the celebrations would focus on youngsters in the city. A few bands, which have composed songs about Chennai, would be performing in places such as Elliots Beach. Besides an exhibition on bridges, coins and books, a special cover on arch bridges of the city would be released on Madras Day on August 22.
Credit goes to S. Muthiah
It was the noted Madras historian S Muthiah, who identified the founding day of Madras -- August 22, 1639. And the idea of Madras Day celebration grew out of it. The credit for the spirit of the celebration goes to Muthiah. It was on that day and year that a sliver of land, where Fort. St. George stands today, was sold to the East India Company. The deal was struck by Francis Day, his ‘dubash’ Beri Thimmappa, and their superior, Andrew Cogan, with the local Nayak rulers.
Once the fort was established, settlements grew around it. As the settlements grew with expanding trade and industry, the villages around it were absorbed into the newly formed city. One of them was ‘Madrasapattinam’, another was ‘Chennaipattinam’. The English name of the city seems to have been coined by the Britishers by shortening the former, while the Tamil name for the city was shortening the latter, the city got recently by the present rulers.
CHENNAI, 17 August (asiantribune.com): The seventh edition of the founding day of the city is being celebrated as Madras Week. It commenced on Sunday in all grandeur with about 100 programmes lined up in various parts of the city and it will go on for fortnight with a wider range of events.
The idea of celebrating the founding day of the city (August 22, 1639), shaped six years ago and began as a week-long celebration from August 16 to 23. This year the festival would be for two weeks, although it is called Madras Week, as more organizations and corporates have jumped in to hold one programme or the other.
The celebrations will end on September 1, according to the organizers who have roped in more organisation/individuals and volunteer groups to make the event a gala affair.
‘Madras Day’ was an idea that three people put together -- the city's famed historian, S. Muthiah, journalist Sashi Nair and editor-publisher Vincent D' Souza. Today, they have been joined by three others -- senior journalist and editor Sushila Ravindranath, entrepreneur and writer-historian V. Sriram and journalist and web site entrepreneur, Revathi
Historian S. Muthiah said the prime objective of the celebrations is to spread heritage awareness, particularly in schools and colleges. And one of the significant features this year would be the participation of nearly 70 schools and 12 colleges, the major being Llyola, Vivekananda, Madras Christian College, MOP Vaishnav, Queen Maris, etc.
Several government departments, such as Archaeological Survey of India and Government Museum, are also hosting events. Some of the organisations that have joined in this year’s Madras Week celebrations include Alliance Francaise and Russian Cultural Centre. The others are the US Consulate General, the Madras Photographic Society, the Prince of Arcot.
Wikipedia would take people on a photographic hunt of the city, enabling them to take as many photographs of Chennai to illustrate Wikipedia articles. Besides heritage walks and talks, five photo walks would be conducted.
Growing from about 15 events in the first year, this year the celebration is accommodating a variety of events, all centered on the theme ‘Madras’. Besides the regular talks, quizzes, exhibitions and performances, there is hotels like Green Park organsing food festivals, Dakshinachitra holding a weeklong celebration, Malayali Club, Roja Muthiah Research Library, Alliance Francaise and Madras Terrace House organising youth-oriented programmes. Hotels Taj Connemara, Taj Coromandel, The Park, Park Sheraton are giving support.
Competitions like drawing and painting, essay writing, quiz and debate will also be organised by INTACH Heritage clubs by hub schools in Thirvanmiyur, Mylapore, Luz Corner, North Madras, KK Nagar and Purasaiwalkam, centering on coins and dedicating it to Late Raja Sitaraman, coin collector who exhibited his collection in last year’s celebration.
Vijayantha Higher Secondary School, Avadi, would conduct a bicycle rally from Avadi to Marina beach on August 22.One of the highlights of the events would be a reading session on ‘Madras Madrigals,’ a compilation of interesting verses on the city from the book that is out of print, he said.
This year, the celebrations would focus on youngsters in the city. A few bands, which have composed songs about Chennai, would be performing in places such as Elliots Beach. Besides an exhibition on bridges, coins and books, a special cover on arch bridges of the city would be released on Madras Day on August 22.
Credit goes to S. Muthiah
It was the noted Madras historian S Muthiah, who identified the founding day of Madras -- August 22, 1639. And the idea of Madras Day celebration grew out of it. The credit for the spirit of the celebration goes to Muthiah. It was on that day and year that a sliver of land, where Fort. St. George stands today, was sold to the East India Company. The deal was struck by Francis Day, his ‘dubash’ Beri Thimmappa, and their superior, Andrew Cogan, with the local Nayak rulers.
Once the fort was established, settlements grew around it. As the settlements grew with expanding trade and industry, the villages around it were absorbed into the newly formed city. One of them was ‘Madrasapattinam’, another was ‘Chennaipattinam’. The English name of the city seems to have been coined by the Britishers by shortening the former, while the Tamil name for the city was shortening the latter, the city got recently by the present rulers.
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