News

The Hindu : Krithi C. Sundaram,Std. XI student of National Public school, Indiranagar is the first Indian National Brain Bee Champion. She will now represent India at the 2008 International Championship to be held in Canada in May.Tough goingSays Krithi: “The competition has been an extraordinary learning experience for all the participants, what with expert neurologists enlightening us about the various aspects of the human brain.” Her preparations for the competition involved studying books and online material on brain facts and neuroscience.Biology being her core subject, this competition has further strengthened her interest, particularly in the neurosciences. “Neurosciences could be a future prospect, with Biology being a sure career guideline,” says Krithi.The International Brain Bee is a three level (regional, national and international) question and answer competition that tests the neuroscience knowledge of high school students envisioned and founded by Dr. Norbert Myslinski, Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, U.S. The contest is aimed at enlightening high school students about cognitive topics such as sensory perceptions, sleep, emotions, intellect, memory, brain imaging, neuroscience research, and dysfunctions such as stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and autism….More

The Hindu : The mood at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat was upbeat as children aged between 10 and 15 gathered to participate in the painting competition on the theme “Climate and Health” recently. It was only appropriate that children sat under the cool shade of trees in the open grounds in front of the Parishat to take part in the event.Through artShruthi. S, a participant, had juxtaposed scenes from the desert with effervescent, green lands. Her message was loud and clear: If you don’t plant trees, the entire earth will turn into a desert. Shruthi said that she had represented India at a painting contest in Slovenia.She gets a monthly scholarship of Rs. 600 from the Centre for Cultural Resource and Training. Students from outside the city had also participated in the competition as they had come on summer vacation to their relatives’ place.Sandesh, a Std. X student from Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Kolar, said: “We should keep our own surroundings clean. That is a small contribution we can make to avoid pollution.”T. Prabhakar, president of the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat, addressing the students, said that the Parishat encouraged students interested in art and culture.He urged parents to encourage their children who are keen on pursuing art.The prize distribution ceremony was held the next day at Kanteerava Stadium. In the Junior group, Rakshita from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Yeshwantpur, was the winner with a cash prize of Rs. 3,000. The second prize was won by A.G.S. Lakshmisri, a VI student from Bethesda School, the third prize was won by Satwik Pratap N.V., a V standard student from Vidyavardhaka Sangha Gandhi Centenary School, Basaveshwarnagar.In the senior category, the first prize was won by M. Bhuvana Rani, a X Standard of Aditya English School, R.T.Nagar, the second prize went to Bharat N., a 9th standard student from Stracey Memorial High School. The third prize was won by Shruthi, a Std. VIII student of Mary Immaculate…More

The Hindu : One of the most enigmatic painters and undoubtedly the most celebrated woman artist of the early 20th century, Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) lead a tumultuous life plagued by physical trauma and mental suffering. Her paintings were distinctly biographic. “I paint myself because I am often alone and I am the subject I know best…I never painted dreams; I painted my own reality”.Writes Gloria K Fiero of University of South Western Louisiana in The Humanistic Tradition : “Kahlo created a body of work that recorded the experience of chronic pain, both physical and psychic. Her paintings also betray her close identification with Mexican folk culture and her deep appreciation of the beauty and expressive power of folk art. “Born in Mexico City in 1907 to a photographer-father of Hungarian Jewish descent and Spanish/Native American mother, Kahlo became a victim of polio when she was just six; the disease forced her to walk with a limp throughout her life. Still in her teens Kahlo was nearly killed in a bus-tramcar accident. She survived but her pelvis, collar bone, spinal column were crushed and seriously injured. During the next twenty-nine years she under went thirty-five operations and lived in constant pain. Many of her works were painted lying in the bed using a special easel made for her by her mother.Despite the many health-related problems and a progressively debilitating body Kahlo lead a full life as a passionate artist and political activist with strong leftist beliefs. Her marriage to Mexican muralist, Diego Rivera in 1929 turned out to be both stimulating and stormy. Living in politically-charged times, Kahlo painted 143 paintings in all, suffusing them with bright colours and powerful symbols. Her 55 self portraits were a revelation of her internal self and trauma as well the external circumstances she was located in. Kahlo became a celebrity in her own lifetime exhibiting her work in New York City, Paris…More

The Hindu : If you are running from pillar to post looking for that perfect gift, look no further than Uru which attempts to mirror the typical, kitsch, charming and powerful symbols of the Indian subcontinent in the cuisine, the rangoli patterns Indian truck art and more through souvenirs which encapsulates a little bit of a quaint India.The motifs represent people experience life to the fullest with a glorious interplay with nature. India is a land of high art as well as glorious kitsch where the piping hot masala dosa or a golden crisp samosa is a sensory treat. Then there is the rangoli designs that adorn every house. A morning ritual, the rangoli designs tell their fascinating stories. And how about the wildly inventive graffiti adorning the back of trucks?The motifs truly represent a motherland whose people experience life to the fullest and interplay with nature gloriously. Travellers, expatriates and lovers of India can enjoy these pieces that make a statement of vibrancy – masala dosa key chains, lemon and chilly car mobiles, god and goddesses, hand made paper stationery, film stars on tees, rangoli patterned table war etc. For more information, log on towww.uruindia.com….More

The Hindu : Bollywood’s favourite designer wants a break. No, he’s not calling it a day. He’s had enough of styling and designing for the divas and badshahs of the industry. He wants to work on select projects, build his label and direct his own film. We catch Manish Malhotra in a candid mood.You’ve worked for nearly 1000 films in 17 years. Has it been a fulfilling journey?I had no formal training in fashion. I had no money to go abroad and study fashion and there was nothing in Mumbai. I was a terrible student in school and spent all my time watching Hindi films. When I look back, I realise I know nothing of maths, geography, history or physics. I passed my science subjects only because I was good in drawing. I wanted to be a director or an actor. My cousin married David Dhawan and through them, I entered cinema. By then, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, Rohit Bal and Rohit Khosla had all started designing. I thought if I wanted to be part of the fraternity, I could start with films.In the early 90s, we had great heroines like Sridevi and Madhuri who weren’t exactly wearing the greatest of clothes. The first two years were hell. I worked with big names like Sunny Deol, Chunkey Pandey, Sridevi, Shilpa Shirodkar and Vijayashanti. But producers wouldn’t pay in time or the cheques would bounce. My dad asked me if it is worth working like this for 20 hours a day. But I wasn’t going to leave films; I had nothing to fall back on. I then spoke to Sridevi and decided on giving her a particular look for an entire film. Heroines shifting from long to short hair in different scenes of the same film didn’t make sense to me. She agreed and “Gumrah” happened. From then on, it was a different journey.You are taking on very…More

The Hindu : Summer is at its peak and the sweltering heat does nothing to improve your skin and wreaks havoc withyour make-up. The key is to use make-up that is light and stay clear of heavy foundation. This is what Jason Au, International Training Manager ofClarins, lays emphasis on. “Less is more,” he says.All the way from the Regional Headquarters of Clarins in Singapore, Jason is here to train the Clarins staff on make-up skills. The look for the season is called Colour Fizz and it is inspired by renowned painter and film maker, Andy Warhol’s works in the late sixties and early seventies. Demonstrating the looks for this season Jasonsays, “We are being very colourful and playful this season so I’ll be using a fusion of bright colours for the make-over.”As he works on a model, one can see the transformation taking place, gradual yet striking.Working on the Spring Look he shares his words of wisdom with every touch and mix of colour. “It is very important to ensure that the foundation or mousse you apply on your face blends well with your neck,” he says as he dabs mousse on the amused model’s face. The makeover expert advises that during summers it is always better to use mousse rather than foundation. “Before buying a skin care product it is good to check if it has skin care properties enriched with essential oils and natural products,” he adds. A few strokes of yellow and lilac eye shadow, plum mascara, pink gloss, lilac kohl, and… voila! the look is complete.“The skin should look radiant and luminous,” says Jason. According to him adding white and pastel shades to the inner corners of the eyes, brow bone, on top of the cheek bone, nose-bridge and middle of the lower lip will add luminosity to the face. As young and bright shades are popular, Jason recommends to do up one’s…More

The Hindu : He is just all of 11 years, and a celebrity already. And, the little star from “Taare Zameen Par”, Darsheel Safary, is doing all that a star does, right from walking the ramp to inaugurating and unveiling comics.He made his television debut with a programme on 9X, “Chak De Bache”. Directors are also pursuing him with offers, but he is tight-lipped about them. “Can’t say anything, I don’t have information.”After waking the ramp with Neeta Lulla at Lakme India Fashion Week and unveiling Vimanika comics with hunky Milind Soman and Ranvijay, he has now been roped in as the brand ambassador for Horlicks. “Everything is exciting about being a brand ambassador for Horlicks,” he declares with fervour. Ask him why, and he says: “Because I can become taller, stronger and sharper with Horlicks.” And that is what he advises other children. He is all excited about the new Horlicks commercial too.A five-minute tête-À-tête with him mainly revolves around his favourite actor, Hrithik Roshan, and his favourite cartoons, Tom and Jerry and Ben 10.After this, he seems distracted and uninterested in talking. What more can one expect of a little boy who’d rather be left alone doing things his age rather thanaddressing the media? However, the chirpiness is back when he announces, “I have a flight to catch,” and scoots.PRIYADARSHINI PAITANDY…More

The Hindu : There are some voices that never fade. It takes a poet like Gulzar to capture it. How beautifully he said in that plaintive, haunting melody “Naam gum jaayega, chehra ye badal jaayega…” The song, even now, decades after it was written and sung, reminds you of the inimitable voice of Bhupinder. The lyrics, in a way, are a personification of Bhupinder’s self itself. So, on seeing him, the line that spontaneously comes to you is “meri awaaz ki pehchaan rahe”.Give Bhupinder’s melodies a quick run in the mind: “Ek akela is shahar mein”, “Dil dhoondta hao phir wohi”, “Beete na beetaaye raina” and the many others. There’s a certain slowness, a quaint charm to them. They belong to a time when idleness was not a vice, but hung heavily with reflection, memories and passionate search. Bhupinder with his likeable nasal twang, steered clear of ornamentation and rendered his songs with remarkable feel and a moving simplicity. A man of very few words, Bhupinder says with absolute conviction: “If the composer insisted on unnecessary innovations, I would refuse to sing. I insist on the purity of lyrics and believe in examining the depth of the poem with my voice.”It is to the credit of the composer Madan Mohan who introduced Bhupinder to the Hindi film industry. Those were days when he was a casual singer with All India Radio and a group of friends had organised an entertainment programme in honour of Madan Mohan. “He liked my song and invited me over to Bombay,” he recalls. He sang that fantastic nazm by the late Kaifi Azmi “Ho Ke Majboor” for the film “Haqeeqat” in 1963. It was a runaway hit and launched Bhupinder in a big way.Bhupinder’s father was a classical musician, but despite being severely thrashed, he never seriously took to classical music. “As a child I wanted to go out, play and be with…More

The Hindu : “It’s a rare treat, one that you receive once a year and something you hold on to till it’s time for the next one,” gushes Meenakshi as she spreads out her Dhaka Jamdani silk sari, which she bought for Rs 6,000 recently. A few kilometres away at a popular mall, it is sale of a different kind, loved by all the shopaholics. Drop in during the rush hour and the silk wave is all over the place. Comfortable and affordable ‘Chennai silk’ and serum silk saris are stocked neatly here and come at a throwaway price. “Where will we get three silk saris for a thousand rupees. The fabric might not be pure silk, but it is ideal for an office wear and even makes for good gifts,” says Poojitha, a teacher, adjusting her shopping bags.The timeless and ageless saris continue to weave magic among its lovers. And, if it is in silk, this long-time mate of the women has a different appeal. Worn only during special occasions, a pure silk was once only a rich woman’s best friend, thanks to its pricing. Not any more. If you are not keen on its purity, check out the colourful but duplicate ‘silk’ collection flooding the market. Think silk and the range is endless. There is tussar, mulberry, raw silk, matka silk, kosa, cotton silk, moonga, Benarsi, butter crepe, georgette silk and of course, the cheaper varieties. Popular for its unique pallus and contrast borders, the traditional Mysore silk has gone for a makeover to suit the contemporary tastes. The Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation has patented Mysore silk with a geographical tag.“People who know silk can identify a pure sari and its fake,” asserts Kusuma Rajaiah. The man who invented ahimsa silk, feels the awareness levels about silk is very less in the city and the consumer often ends up being cheated. “Even for the thinnest silk…More

The Hindu : What do cricketers pack? Clothes? Sure. A bat? Of course. A bread maker? Certainly… if we’re talking about Matthew Hayden. So, the next time you’re behind him in an airport queue, you know what that oddly shaped object in his baggage is. Legendary for feeding his teammates even when they travel, Hayden’s preferred method of conjuring up a meal involves significantly more effort than pressing ‘0’ and waiting for operator assistance. “I carry a bread maker and just one burner,” he says matter-of-factly, adding, “And a saucepan.” Who needs five star chefs when you can cook up pasta in your own room?Ironically, Hayden does. Currently touring the country for the IPL, he’s letting the five star chefs take care of his daily bread while he gleefully investigates the kitchens. Clearly, he’s simultaneously soaking up recipes as well as the powerful aromas of his favourite spices.At a cook out by a hotel pool in Chennai, where he’s showcasing a couple of rather elaborate recipes from Dakshin, which he’s learnt from the hotel chefs, Hayden begins the session by adeptly throwing sliced onions into a pan. Chilli powder follows. Then a generous lashing of turmeric. He lavishes the result with delight and garlic. By now the chefs are looking a little confused. Executive Chef Praveen Anand is unfazed. “He seems to be developing his own style,” he smiles. The cricketer, famous for his powerful left hand, and as an opening batsman,amassed a world record of 380 runs in a match against Zimbabwe in Perth a few years ago.What you probably don’t know is that he made himself a meal of smoked ham and pumpkin soup the night before, and considers it one of his favourite meals ever.So it’s hardly surprising that he eventually chose to combine his two passions, writing and cricket, with the Matthew Hayden Cookbook, featuring recipes he learnt from his travels around the world…More