News

The Hindu : y>

On World TB Day, March 24, Indian Development Foundation (IDF) has announced a State Level Essay Contest in collaboration with the Office of the Joint Director of Tuberculosis and Karnataka State T.B. Association. The topic for the essay is “Public Participation in T.B. Control.” The contest is open to students of Stds. VII and IX from Government/Aided/Unaided schools all over Karnataka. Handwritten entries in English or Kannada may be forwarded through the concerned Principals/ HMs to Dr. S. Franklin, Indian Development Foundation, # 2656, 36th ‘A’ Cross, 28th Main, Jayanagar 9th Block, Bangalore – 560 069. For details about the competition contact Ph: 080/2244344, 94805 85506. E-mail:idfkarnataka@gmail.com.

<FONT …More

The Hindu : y>

The Seshadripuram Higher Primary School celebrated its Annual Day recently in the Kuvempu Rang Mandir. N.R. Pandith Aradhya, President, Seshadripuram Education Trust presided over the function. Saroja V. Naidu, Social Worker, Vice-President, The Bharat Scouts and Guides, Karnataka, was the chief guest. Wooday P. Krishna, Hon. Gen. Secretary, Saroja K.M. Nanjappa, Assistant Secretary, V. Nethramani, Principal and Sri B.V.S. Rao member were present.

<FONT …More

The Hindu : SUDHINDR.A.B.

With the academic year coming to a close, kids say goodbye to school.

Prepared for the future: With valuable learning.

As the academic year is coming to a close, it is time to say goodbye to students of Stds. X and XII, who are ready to embark on a new journey. The graduation ceremonies at schools that are part of The Hindu’s NIE programme provide opportunities for students to express their gratitude to their mentors. It is a proud moment for students and parents alike.Graduates all

At The National Public School, Rajajinagar, the graduation ceremony began with a ‘fusion’ rendition of ‘Vatapi Ganapathim’ by the students of the graduating class. This was followed by the valedictory address. Justice K. L. Manjunath of Karnataka High Court stressed the role of students as future citizens of the country. Bindu Hari, director of the NPS group of schools, in an interactive session gave the students guidelines and valuable advice. Principal Santhamma Gopalkrishna administered the pledge and declared the students as graduates.

The parents emphasised the role played by the institution in the development of their wards. Deepa. R and Karthik. K., representing the outgoing batch spoke nostalgically about the indelible memories of the school that they carried with them.

The entire building of St. Mary’s Public School was lit with lights and candles on graduation day. It was a memorable day for the outgoing students as the ceremony was held in the sanctity of the church. The 18th batch of students bid goodbye to their school life to step into an unknown world and to meet challenges that lay ahead of them.

Maureen Ojha, principal, Tunbridge High School, delivered the graduation address. Principal Rekha Arunkumar told the graduating students to carrywith them the values taught at school and bring glory to their alma mater.

<FONT …More

The Hindu : y>Film buffs are in for a treat on HBO

True story A Mighty Heart

HBO offers a huge line up of blockbuster movies for March. Besides Friday blockbusters and Sunday Superhits, the channel will also offers viewers the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Fest, Family Sunday, Wicked Hour and Smart Planet showcasing a host of smashing hits.

You can also watch the American romantic drama film directed by Scott Hicks, “No Reservations,” which premiers on March 28, 9 p.m. The movie stars Catherine Zeta Jones, along with Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin and Bob Balaban. Romantic comedy “Sydney White,” starring Amanda Bynes and Sara Paxton premieres on March 7, while Steve Carell starrer “Dan In Real Life” will be telecast on March 14. “Across The Universe” starring Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess and T.V. Carpio will be telecast on March 21.

All action fans can watch John Carpenter’s action-adventure “Escape from L.A.” starring Kurt Russell and Steve Buscemi on March 6 and a family film “Surf’s Up” featuring the voices of Shia Labeouf, Jeff Bridges and Zooey Deschanel on March 13. God appears to congressman Evan Baxter and tells him to build an ark for a flood that is coming. Watch the comedy “Evan Almighty” starring Steve Carell and John Goodman on March 20. ”Shrek the Third” featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas will be telecast on March 27, and find out what happens when the parents of a 35 year-old bachelor Tripp hire Paula to seduce him so that he can move out of their house in “Failure to Lunch” on March 15. Other films that you can watch are “Notting Hill” on March 22, “Charlotte’s Web” on March 29, “The Fall” and suspense thriller “Ocean’s 13” on March 12 and 26, respectively, “Tomb Raider” on March 5 and “A Mighty Heart” on March 19.

<FONT…More

The Hindu : y>Gayatri Chandrashekar remembers the fast-vanishing tree-lined boulevards of the city

Memories of the Parvati Chandrashekar Boulevard, a section of the Krishna Rajendra Road in Bangalore go back to more than thirty-five years. Until fifteen years ago, the stretch was a bower lined by mature trees, over sixty years old. Lofty branchesarched from either side high above the ground. In sunshine, they managed to create patterns on the ground that rivalled the intricacy of hand-made lace. Be it the chilly winds during winter, incessant rain or direct sun, the canopy tempered the elements and protected walkers.

Many venerable institutions surround the boulevard. Walking down was a pleasure,as you could attend music concerts by the doyens of the classical music and dance or accompany your children to their tennis or swimming lessons. It also houses many eminent schools and colleges. Over the years, I have never felt lonely, when I have taken the road, with or without another person for company.

During the mid-nineties, the trees were cut to facilitate road widening. In an attempt to portray a façade of decency, some tree saplings were planted far away from the median. Though one was sad to see the old trees go, many felt reassured that, in due course of time, the saplings will grow and bring back the lost beauty of the stretch.

Now, even as the trees were growing, they have been cut down to make way for the metro mass transport system. Unlike last time, no apologies were given and no new saplings were planted.

Along with scores of others, I have felt a sense of deep loss, at the deathly smell of oozing sap and decaying leaves. It is the death of our dreams, when the mountains of dry leaves burn billowing smoke and hacksaws cut the trees and to make piles of firewood.

Walk down the boulevard now and you face a scorching sun, and…More

The Hindu :

Singer Abhijeet gets candid about reality shows

LIFE HASN’T BEEN A SONG Abhijeet

Interviewing singer Abhijeet is every reporter’s delight. He is frank to the point of being brutal and he never detracts his statements. “People like me and support me because I say the truth much before others do,” he says as he makes himself comfortable.

A case in point was his role as a judge in the reality show “Voice of India”, where his candid approach created quite a stir. “More than being a judge, I was like a lawyer fighting for the rights of the contestants. I gave my voice to their feelings,” he smiles.

Abhijeet is frustrated that real singers don’t get any break. “A few besura singers are hogging the limelight and it is painful to see talented youngsters not getting their due. I heard many of them sing in workshops and it is very frustrating to see talent go waste.”Making people happy

His hands are full and he believes, that, in a way, is good for the government. “More work means more tax for the government. It is time the government gives tax rebates to real heroes like sportsmen, singers, artists, writers, poets and all those involved with a creative field. I went through a lot of struggle and humiliation before making a name for myself. I lost my teen years to music but I do not regret it. My contribution has been to make people happy.”

Abhijeet believes music directors have to upgrade themselves to do good work with him. “There is an influx of 500 singers in the music industry. People only know the song, not the singer. There is no music, one hears only sound. And the same sound gets repeated in all the songs.”

Abhijeet’s recent song in Shahrukh Khan’s “Billu” was a musical hit and the singer is happy for being King Khan’s voice. “My…More

The Hindu : y>Aishwarya Rai Bachchan talks of her role in The Pink Panther 2

International experience Ash enjoyed working with people from across the globe

There is a lot of curiosity about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s role in “The Pink Panther 2”. She talks about her role as Sonia, a writer, an authority on the legendary thief Tornado. Sonia is part of a dream team to help Inspector Clouseau catch Tornado

What is the movie about?

In this sequel, Inspector Clouseau with a team of international detectives is assigned to catch The Tornado, the thief and retrieve the stolen legendary treasures and artefacts from around the world. It is all about Clouseau and his adventures while trying to solve a mystery, and that’s essentially it.

Can you please elaborate on your character in the movie?

I play Sonia, a writer and authority on the Tornado who steals valuable artefacts from all over the world. And I am an essential part of the dream team who is trying to find the Tornado. But at the same time while Sonia is not a detective per se, she plays a very essential element and an almost important part of the dream team trying to unravel the mystery of the missing Pink Panther and trying to nail The Tornado.

What according to you is the highlight of the film?

Apart from Steve Martin who plays Inspector Clouseau, I thinkthe best part of the movie is this fantastic ensemble — in terms of the cast that’s come together to create these different characters.You’ve got characters from different nationalities – so you pick it up as the world’s getting smaller.

And with a multi-national audience I think people pick up the different parts of the world they come from.

Everyone brings in their own little expertise and their own little characteristics and their own little charm. And yet it’s so Clouseau, and hence his team is quite an extension of…More

The Hindu : y>He has just won his second Grammy Award. But it is performing for a live audience that excites Ustad Zakir Hussain,writes CHITRA SWAMINATHAN

Photo: PTIPower play Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain

Spend a few minutes backstage and amid the audience and you know why Zakir Hussain is an Ustad. There well before the concert (Shakti Foundation’s ‘Ghananjani’ at The Music Academy, Chennai) for a sound check, he has everybody overawed. Someone rushes to get a chair, someone else hurries to bring a hot cup of tea, which prompts the Ustad to ask in broken Tamil, “Konjum sapad irka? I am hungry”.

Immediately, sandwiches arrive. A small crowd, including members of a band, waits patiently to meet him. A young, wannabe musician goes up, shakes hands and says excitedly, “I wanted to feel those powerful hands”. The Ustad laughs and jokes, “They are getting charged now for the concert”.

Hitting 60, Ustad Zakir Hussain, with his quick-wittedness, impeccable dressing and famous curly locks, is still a charmer.

A free-spirited artiste, his untiring efforts, electrifying performances and experiments with rhythm have put the humble tabla, once just an accompanying instrument, on a worldwide roll.

His latest international honour is the second Grammy award he has won — for “Global Drum Project”, an album he created along with Mickey Hart, Sikiru Adepoju and Giovanni Hidalgo. It won in the Best Contemporary World Music Album category.

“How does it feel to be a two-time…?” Even before you finish the question, he interrupts: “What about the Grammy? It’s over.”India shining

The Oscars, Grammy…isn’t India shining, you persist. “There’s reason for it,” says the tabla wizard, “Television channels across America and Europe are trying to find new audiences as viewership in their country is going down. Companies out there are trying to find new and potential markets. So, the focus on India. This is to not take away the fact that we have great…More

The Hindu :

First-time novelistTulsi Badrinath believesin writing fiction with anIndian worldview

Photo: R. RavindranKinship matters Tulsi Badrinath

When a Bharatanatya dancer writes a novel about a Bharatanatya dancer who likes to write fiction; when the author has a young son and the protagonist is bringing up a little boy; when one is a disciple of the celebrated Dhananjayans of Chennai whileher protagonist’s guru has large numbers of students across the very same city; when such a novel is written in the first person, can readers be blamed for wondering when fact turned into fiction?

Tulsi Badrinath, whose maiden novel, “Meeting Lives”, was recently released by Niyogi Books, is used to being asked how autobiographical her book actually is. “Every book stems from the perspective of the author,” says Tulsi. “What they have seen in their lives, the people they meet.” In that sense the story of Aditi, a young woman trying to bridge the philosophy of motherhood with the reality of bringing up a child, is based on “personal observation.” But as for its being “congruent with one’s whole life, I wouldn’t say it’s one hundred per cent.”

However, looking back to her own and her friends’ experiences as young mothers, Tulsi feels not enough Indian fiction dealt with such themes. Every mother’s life is different. This is why, says Tulsi, her novel contains the stories of mothers other than Aditi. These include Aditi’s college friends, her mother and aunts, and the enigmatic Thayee, the ragpicker, a mother of strapping sons — referred to universally as Thayee (Tamil for mother), but with none to call her own.

Philosophy and mythology run parallel to these lives. We are reminded of Jabala, the feisty mother of Satyakama from the Chandogya Upanishad, who informed her son and his guru that she did not know who had fathered the child, and therefore, if the guru wanted, he could accept the child…More

The Hindu :

Modifying your food habits and following a regular fitness regimen will help rid the body of accumulated toxins

PHOTO: MURALI KUMAR k.REJUVENATE MIND AND BODY Practise yoga

Detoxification means purging your body of the toxins that have entered it because of wrong eating habits and lifestyle. But this is not a one-time job like spring cleaning. It is an ongoing process.

A simple way of reducing the toxic load in your body is to change the food you eat. First, switch to organic food because the chemicals and pesticides in food that is usually available are highly toxic. Therefore, try to change the common ingredients used in your day-to-day food such as spices, grains, pulses and cooking oils to organic varieties.

What we need to do is to make our food fun.

That means going in for fresh, unprocessed and natural food. Start with the basics. Drink plenty of water, for nothing can be more refreshing,

Water cools the system and provides natural hydration. Replace aerated drinks with innovative fresh vegetable juices. It is advisable to make green drinks with leafy greens such as wheat grass, mint or coriander. Alternatives are tomato juice, carrot, mint with lemon, lemon water or ‘jaljeera’.Vegetarianism

It is important to ensure that at least 60 per cent of your diet is vegetarian because vegetables, fruits and sprouts provide maximum nutrition.

Also, ensure that your diet contains a variety of nuts, seeds, roots, whole grains and cold pressed oils. Dairy products and meat should be consumed in small quantities. Choose low fat milk products, fish over red meat, and occasionally, chicken (that too breast with the skin removed).

Remember the thumb rule — begin your meal with a salad, then go on to vegetables, sprouts and finally, grain (whole grain rotis, especially ragi and unpolished red or brown rice), followed by a small quantity of meat and dairy products.

Avoid immune suppressing foods such as…More