Tiger's third title crowns chess rebirth Oct 30, 2008
Dubbed the "Tiger from Madras" by his many Indian fans, Anand is credited with helping to end the postwar domination of international chess by players from the former Soviet Union and Russia. His previous world championship wins, in 2000 and last year, were played under different formats, underscoring his versatility as a player. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
AirAsia gets nod to fly to India Oct 27, 2008
Fernandes said plans are now in the works for the next one and a half years to fly to many more destinations in India including Madras, Madurai and Kochi with AirAsia. AirAsia-X meanwhile will fly to places like New Dehli, Bombay, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Calcutta, he added. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
U.S. Approves Visa for Indian Scientist Oct 25, 2008
In a statement, the International Council for Science expressed "grave concern at the hostile treatment" of Mehta at the U.S. Consulate in Madras ... Mehta and another Indian scientist, P.C. Kesavan, a Madras geneticist specializing in radiation biology who was also refused a visa unless he provided detailed information about his background and the potential applications of his work, said senior scientists have better things to do with their time ... "I feel humiliated about the whole process,"... (Yahoo News -- Biological and Chemical Weapons)
Rain, protest bring Chennai to knees Oct 25, 2008
Although there are no clear judicial directives with regard to the organising of such events, , it was only last June that the Madras high court had placed restrictions on public meetings so that they caused as little inconvenience as possible to the public and did not disrupt traffic during the rush hour. Ensuring that roads were not blocked and sufficient space was given for free movement of vehicles and pedestrians was a key element in the ruling. (India Times, India)
MDMK leader Vaiko arrested Oct 24, 2008
Vaiko said, "If the need arises, I will be the first man to take up arms in support of Sri Lankan Tamils. I will gather youths all over the country for this purpose. The MDMK presidium chairman, M Kannappan, had told the meeting that time would come to demand for a separate Tamil Nadu. In that meeting, a two-hour film on Sri Lankan Army's alleged atrocities against Tamils was screened. In a statement yesterday, AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa had demanded that all LTTE supporters be booked. The Tamil... (Sify.com, India)
It's all go for moonstruck India Oct 22, 2008
Nair, who hopes to establish the world's first space institute with a four-year graduation course, which would lead to an ISRO job, often mentions being pleasantly surprised at a Madras School of Economics study five years ago that revealed how India gets a $2 return for every $1 invested in its space program ... The low labor costs are a major reason for India's comparative advantage in satellite production and launch costs, said the Madras School of Economics study. (Asia Times Online)
No Beau, no go: this is what a slow death feels like, say twoAustralian survivors Oct 22, 2008
It has been more than 20 years since Greg Matthews and Ray Bright took five-wicket hauls on the final day of the tied Test in Madras (now Chennai), but in the time since, the six-wicket hauls taken by Shane Warne and part-timer Michael Clarke in 2004 are the only stand-outs. The second Test in Mohali underlined the differences between the two sides in spinning stocks, as Indian debutant Amit Mishra seamlessly stepped in for the injured Anil Kumble and took seven wickets, and Harbhajan Singh's... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Sport)
Profoundly Indian Oct 22, 2008
Born in Madras (now Chennai) in pre-liberalisation India, Adiga spent his early childhood years in that city before moving with his family to Mangalore, where his father worked as a doctor. In Mangalore, Adiga first attended Canara High School and then St. Aloysius High School. (Frontline)
372 scrips fail to find buyers Oct 21, 2008
These include stocks such as Essar Shipping, Jai Corp, Mawana Sugars, Plethico Pharmaceuticals, Madras Aluminium Company, Indiabulls Retail Services and many more. Many had borrowed funds. (India Times, India -- Intl Business)
Space You Can Use Oct 19, 2008
These form the backbone of a series of practical initiatives that, according to a Madras School of Economics study, have generated a $2 return for every $1 spent. "We have clearly shown that we can give back to the country much more than is invested in the space program," says ISRO chairman Madhavan Nair. (Newsweek)
BIRDS OF A FEATHER Oct 19, 2008
Anand, a 38-year-old Brahmin from Madras, represents India. But he's lived for years in a town near Madrid and is fluent in Spanish. (New York Post -- Entertainment)
TN as model of fire safety for West Bengal Oct 18, 2008
Fire services were introduced in the state in 1908 with the formation of a Madras City Fire Brigade, consisting of some steam or manually-operated engines stationed in important parts of the city and maintained by the Madras Corporation. Text. (Times of India)
Speedy trials fundamental right of victim too: Court Oct 17, 2008
CHENNAI: Speedy trial is the fundamental right of not only the accused, but also the victim who is the complainant in a case, the Madras High Court has ruled. Justice K Mohan Ram, passing orders on a criminal original petition filed by three accused persons against an order of the Coonoor judicial magistrate, said: "It is pertinent to point out that the right to speedy trial is not only a fundamental right of the accused under Article 21 of the Constitution, but such right is available to the... (Times of India)
'White Tiger' cub Aravind Adiga roars to Booker Prize win Oct 16, 2008
Born in Chennai (Madras), he studied at Columbia University and Oxford. A former correspondent for Time, he now lives in Mumbai. (USA Today -- Life)
Debut novelist wins Booker Prize Oct 15, 2008
Adiga was born in Madras in 1974. He studied literature at Columbia, Oxford and Princeton Universities and now lives in Mumbai. (Sydney Morning Herald)
Aravind Adiga wins Man Booker Prize 2008 Oct 15, 2008
Adiga, who wanted to become a novelist since he was a boy, was born in Madras, now Chennai, and later moved to Mumbai. . (Sify.com, India)
Nehru nominated for Nobel prize 11 times! Oct 14, 2008
The nominations were sent in by Emily Greene Balch of the US, Nobel Peace Prize laureate of 1946, Lewis Hoskins on behalf of the American Friends Service Committee and Shrinavala Sarma on behalf of the "Professors at the University of Madras.". All three nominations were evaluated by Seip. (Sify.com, India)
Haddin spoils for fight and cops Zak Attack in return Oct 13, 2008
The previous record was the 19 conceded by Gilchrist in Madras in 2001. Haddin knew this series would test his glovework and his emotions, having experienced the noise and the pressure during last year's fractious one-day series, albeit as a specialist batsman. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Sport)
Beyond Telangana Oct 13, 2008
Historically, coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema were part of British India's Madras Presidency and Telangana belonged to the Hyderabad Nizam's dominions. Telangana backers use these antecedents to push their case. (India Times, India)
Turmeric can prevent diabetes Oct 11, 2008
Now a team at the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF) in Chennai reports that curcumin also blocks a key biological pathway needed for development of diabetic retinopathy, an eye complication among diabetics that leads to blindness if untreated. "This is the first scientifically documented evidence of the molecular action of curcumin against diabetic retinopathy," the researchers claim in a report published in a recent issue of Investigative Ophthalmology l Science. (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
Climate change ground zero Oct 10, 2008
In Murat Sabulla a sturdy concrete madrasa, or religious school, is being demolished because of constant inundation ... In a Greenpeace report in March, Chella Rajan, professor of humanities and social sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, warned that South Asia must brace for a massive wave of migration resulting from rising sea levels, floods, cyclones and drought associated with shrinking water supplies and monsoon variability. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
India prepares to launch first unmanned moon mission: Chandrayaan-1 Oct 8, 2008
The launch could be delayed until October 26 if conditions are not right over the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, 63 miles (125km) from the city of Madras. It was planned originally for April, but was postponed repeatedly because of technical problems with the 47 million project, which involves several foreign countries, including the United States. (Times Online)
Finance is no longer a buzzword in B-schools Oct 6, 2008
As Anuradha Venkatesan, a freshman who is pursuing MBA at IIT Madras puts it candidly, "Many of us were looking at finance as an option, but the current market scenario has lowered our hopes." ... Which is why management students like Mohit Gupta from IIT Madras are busy trying to hedge their career risks for the moment. (India Times, India -- Intl Business)
Consider banning Hindutva terror groups: Harmony India tells Centre Oct 6, 2008
Seen from left are Kanimozhi, Member of Parliament; Mohammed Abdul Ali, Prince of Arcot and Secretary General of Harmony India; A.M. Chinnappa, Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore; P.C. Alexander, former Governor of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra; and V. Devasahayam, Church of South India s Bishop in Madras ... The Central government must clarify and identify these groups as terrorist groups and ban them, said the Catholic Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore A.M. Chinnappa, without naming any of the groups ...... (Hindu)
Chennai: Godman held again for rape Oct 4, 2008
The Madras High Court confirmed the sentence on June 13 this year. However, Central Crime Branch (CCB) police could not arrest and lodge them in prison as they had absconded by then. (India Times, India)
'+weather_current+'°\;F/'+weather_current_celsius+'°\;C Oct 3, 2008
Melbourne, FL 32935 Last Updated: 10/03/08 08:46:36 EDT. C) Relative Humidity: 75% Barometer: 29. (Florida Today)
India renew Aus rivalry Oct 3, 2008
Australia, who played just one Test series in India between 1980 and 1995 in 1986 which featured only the second tied Test in history in Madras (Chennai) now can't wait to get to India. The upcoming series will be their fifth on Indian soil in the last 12 years. (iAfrica.com)
Vedanta defers biz revamp Sep 25, 2008
Under the proposed restructuring scheme, Sterlite would have demerged its aluminium and energy businesses to Madras Aluminium Company Ltd from April 1, 2009. Font Size. (India Times, India -- Intl Business)
Vedanta drops rejig plan Sep 25, 2008
Under the restructuring plan, Vedantas unit, Sterlite Industries, was to transfer its aluminium and power businesses to Madras Aluminium Company (Malco), and Vedanta was to transfer its 79. 4% in the Zambian copper entity Konkola Copper Mines to Sterlite. (Economic Times)
Nalini case: Govt will go by the law Sep 25, 2008
"Government will ask advisory board of the Vellore Prison to reconsider her plea seeking premature release and recommend to the government. The Madras High Court had said the meeting of the board had not been held properly. After the Board gave its recommendation, the government will consider and take action according to law and the prevailing rules," he wrote in the DMK's mouthpiece 'Murasoli ... The Madras High Court had yesterday quashed the Advisory Board's order rejecting Nalini's plea,... (Sify.com, India)
ITC, hoteliers contest smoking ban Sep 25, 2008
Sorabjee told the bench headed by Justice Vikramjit Sen that the government had no power to take such a decision as the act under which the notification was issued had already been stayed by the Madras high court. "When the act has already been stayed, where is the question of framing rules under the law? The government needs to have statutory power to frame rules. After the Madras high court interim order staying the operation of the law, the government has no power under the law," he contended... (India Times, India)
SC overturns Madras order on photos on condom packets Sep 23, 2008
It stayed a Madras high court order which had virtually banned such pictures on condom packets, terming them as "indecent, obscene" and an affront to Indian ethos. The HC order had left Hindustan Latex, the largest manufacturer and marketer of contraceptives and condoms, so worried that it requisitioned the services of solicitor general G E Vahanvati to get it out of the sticky situation. (India Times, India -- Community News)
On the road to highlight the woes of pedestrians Sep 23, 2008
Karen Coelho, Professor at the Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS) and a volunteer of WCU, said: "We are planning to conduct more such audits in the following. Fifty percent of all deaths in road accidents are of pedestrians and cyclists. Over 44 lakh passengers are forced to squeeze themselves in a mere 3,084 buses everyday , while more than 450 new cars and two-wheelers are added to the city's choked streets daily. It is about time that these numbers change for the better." She... (Times of India)
'State sole authority to consider early release of prisoners' Sep 19, 2008
Chennai, September 18: The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday told the Madras High Court that it was the sole authority of the state to consider premature release of a prisoner under General Amnesty Scheme. Arguing before Justice S Nagamuthu, hearing the petition filed by Nalini convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case seeking an early release, Advocate General G Masilamani submitted no one has the right to seek premature release unless the state decides to remit their sentence. (Expressindia.com)
Rajrishi Singhal: Doctorate degree Sep 15, 2008
For example, Sonia Gandhi, K Karunanidhi and prime minister Manmohan Singh recently received honorary doctorates from the University of Madras. Only last year, minister Arjun Singh received an honorary degree from the Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad. (India Times)
HC not to stay TN's move to free prisoners Sep 15, 2008
CHENNAI: A last-minute attempt to block the premature release of 1,405 convicts in Tamil Nadu failed on Sunday with the Madras High Court refusing to stay the DMK government's order at a dramatic late-evening sitting at the residence of chief justice A K Ganguly. Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy had earlier in the day filed a public interest writ petition challenging the government decision to release convicts en masse, including those who have served only seven years of their life... (India Times, India -- Community News)
PE co buys 49% in Shriram arm Sep 13, 2008
In February 2006, TPG Capital had invested approximately $100 million into Shriram Holdings (Madras) Private Limited, taking a stake in its subsidiary Shriram Transport Finance Company Limited. The latest transaction with TPG Capital will necessitate a public announcement of an open offer for shares of SCUFL in compliance with SEBI's takeover regulations, a press note said. (India Times, India -- Intl Business)
SC orders refund of fine to Ajay Devgan's father Sep 12, 2008
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday had some good news for producer Veeru Devgan, ordering refund of the Rs 50 lakh fine that he was asked to pay by the Madras High Court for "damaging the environment" during the filming of Raju Chacha in 2003 ... The film had sunk at the box office and adding insult to injury, the Madras HC had imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh finding his unit guilty of damaging the environment during shooting of the film around Ooty in Tamil Nadu. (India Times, India -- Community News)
BJP rebels launch new party Sep 11, 2008
Making it clear that the party would definitely be a regional one, he said, "If Shiv Sena can have the name of Bombay changed to Mumbai and similarly if Madras became Chennai, the MJP will fight for Ahmedabad city to be renamed Karnavati.". He said MJP will seek inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Indulal Yagnik, Ravishanker and not from one person. (Times of India)
Meet Chennai's 'Calendar man' Sep 7, 2008
The event organised as part of the 15th anniversary celebrations of Madras Academy for Excellence. Meanwhile, Bhooma Varadarajan who attempted to break the existing timing set for another memory event, binary digits attempted 201 digits, but couldnt better the existing timing. (India Times, India)
Doctors file PIL in HC against diabetes course Sep 1, 2008
CHENNAI: The state government's proposal to launch a six-month certificate course on diabetology in the distance education mode has run into rough weather, with a public interest writ petition filed in the Madras high court questioning its legal validity ... The department decided to tighten things after the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemilogical Study by the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation estimated that at least 15. (Times of India)
Scrumptious Summers Aug 30, 2008
Hand-held extruders from Madras fitted with interchangeable brass plates could squeeze out delicious long strands through stencils of stars or circles. Plastic sheets unravelled from last year's ritual were laid out on the terrace floor. (India Times, India)
Bud Collins loves tennis, and people Aug 28, 2008
He was given a pair of red and white madras pants and proceeded to ex claim, "I can't wear those!" However, he did just that at Davis Cup and was greeted by catcalls and whistles. "I wanted to disappear, but when I sat down, I realized it was kind of fu," he said. (NJ.com -- Times)
Heartbreak for child scam parents Aug 24, 2008
She said responsibility for the child's adoption rested with the High Court of Madras, which ''endorsed and approved the adoption. Tony Dunne, president of Intercountry Adoptive Families Queensland, said Australia's adoption processes were extremely rigorous. (Brisbane Times)
Booked in traffic for a novel idea Aug 23, 2008
So on crowded streets in New Delhi, Mumbai, Madras and Calcutta, its latest work of the chick-lit genre - a racy read about a young journalist in Mumbai and the men, sex, post-coital cigarettes and vodka binges in her life - is being sold on the pavement. "I don't normally buy books but I'm giving this a try. It's written by someone my age so I'm curious," a New Delhi banker, Anita Ahluwalia, said after buying You Are Here by a former blogger-turned-chick-lit author, Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Child trafficking allegations hit Qld Aug 22, 2008
" She said they found only two of the 23 adoptions were through MSS and one was adopted two years before the period of 1998-99, when children were allegedly kidnapped in India. Adoptions from India had to be authorised by a court, she said. "The adoption of the Queensland child who was allegedly stolen was authorised by the Madras High Court in March 2000," she said. TIME Magazine said Indian police believed at least 13 kidnapped children have been adopted by Australian families. Australian... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
The Madras Tea Party Aug 20, 2008
The idea to celebrate the birthday of a city that has a history dating back to three centuries started off as a casual conversation one evening when journalists Shashi Nair and Vincent D'Souza met the city's historian and Editor of Madras Musings, S Muthiah at his residence ... "It was based on the success of the Mylapore Festival which Vincent had been organising every year in January that we decided to start celebrating Madras Day from 2004," recalls Shashi ... "What was given as three square... (Sify.com, India)
'Terror can be tackled only with law' Aug 19, 2008
She came back to Chennai to complete her BA in English Literature in Ethiraj College and went on to do her Masters in International Law from the Department of Legal Studies in Madras University. The Madras High Court precincts introduced her not only to the Indian legal system, but also to her future husband, Madhavan, another successful lawyer. (Sify.com, India)
1953, a lesson in Krisis management Aug 17, 2008
Although Abdullah tried to make amends in Delhi and at the Madras Congress session by dismissing the idea of independence as foolish, the nuances of doublespeak (a practice that still flourishes among Kashmiri politicians, and which we have been witness to in the last few weeks with increasing intemperance) increased apprehension. Nehru wrote to Maulana Azad on March 1, 1953, "My fear is that Sheikh Sahib, in his present frame of mind, is likely to do something or take some step, which might... (India Times, India)
TN govts Rs 2400-cr poll freebies under SC scanner Aug 15, 2008
The advocate approached the apex court after the MaduraiBench of the Madras High Court declined to entertain his PIL. According to the petitioner, he was not challenging government decisions such as reduction in bus fares for students in the state and free books to poor students but distribution of colour TVs cannot be justified under any circumstances. Counsel for the petitioner contended that such promises which involved non-essential items serve no public purpose and a political party... (The Statesman)
Nalini plea hearing today Aug 11, 2008
Chennai: The Madras High Court will today hear a petition filed by Nalini Murugan seeking premature release from the life imprisonment that she is serving in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. Earlier, the hearing was adjourned after Advocate General G Masilamani sought time to file a counter affidavit. (Sify.com, India)
S Tharoor: India's linguistic diversity Aug 10, 2008
One of my favourite silly jokes as a small child was about a native of Madras (not yet rebaptised Chennai) who finds himself lost in the nation's capital and approaches a Sikh policeman with the helpless query, Tamil teriyima. " Whereupon the cop retorts, "Punjabi tera baap. (India Times, India)
Journalist seeking paycheck? Try India Aug 7, 2008
As a kid growing up in Madras (now Chennai) in the '80s, I can remember sitting through the sole nightly news program, broadcast on Doordarshan, the state-run TV channel. It was excruciatingly dry and slow-paced, but we endured it because "I Love Lucy" followed. (Salon)
CBI seeks ministry nod to grill Chennai lab ex-director Aug 5, 2008
Sources in the CBI said the ledger entries, copies of which are available with TOI, suggest a prima facie case against the former director, who has been removed from the post following a Madras High Court ruling on July 18. Elankeswaran was also holding the post of the director of Pasteur Institute, Coonoor. (India Times, India -- Community News)
Chennai remembers Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer with 100-hour concert Aug 5, 2008
His first concert was in 1926 and he moved to Madras (as it was then called), the patron city of musicians, in 1927. In 1948, Srinivasa Iyer was given the Sangitha Kalanidhi award. (Sify.com, India)
U.S. Approves Visa for Indian Scientist Aug 5, 2008
In a statement, the International Council for Science expressed "grave concern at the hostile treatment" of Mehta at the U.S. Consulate in Madras ... Mehta and another Indian scientist, P.C. Kesavan, a Madras geneticist specializing in radiation biology who was also refused a visa unless he provided detailed information about his background and the potential applications of his work, said senior scientists have better things to do with their time ... "I feel humiliated about the whole process,"... (Yahoo News -- Biological and Chemical Weapons)
Labourers die in India accident Aug 3, 2008
The last Armenians in Madras. Week in pictures: 26 July - 1 Aug. (BBC News)
More >> Aug 3, 2008
Initially Jhadhav could not qualify for the Olympics and alleged that it was nepotism among the officials that led to his disqualification in the Madras finals. He appealed to the Maharaja of Patiala for justice who got him entry into the trials where he was picked for the Helsinki Games. (India Times)
Dozens killed in India train fire Aug 3, 2008
The last Armenians in Madras. US girl survives 14-storey fall. (BBC News -- South Asia)
US to pilot India's N-deal case at NSG Aug 3, 2008
Though India has had a number of reactors of 200 MW capacity operating for many years the Madras reactor has been operating for decades international estimates of Indian nuclear arsenal is very modest, highlighting that India is not engaged in an arms race but has its arsenal only to deter nuclear threats. India is committed to no first use. (India Times, India)
Re-employ retired faculty: Minister Aug 2, 2008
As IIT Madras entered its golden jubilee year on Thursday, union minister of state for human resources development D Purandeswari came up with a suggestion that the IITs could perhaps tackle faculty shortage by re-employing retired IIT professors and scientists from the CSIR and the DRDO. "You can rope in the young students who are on the verge of completing their PhD for teaching jobs and also simultaneously help them become post doctoral fellows. You can have people from the research and... (Times of India)
India targets $10 laptop Jul 31, 2008
Research to develop the devices is already underway at the Indian Institute of Science, based here, and the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, Purandeswari said. Industry groups here have criticized the government's proposal. (EETimes)
JEE fails to get the best: IIT dons Jul 31, 2008
The director and the dean of IIT-Madras have called for radical changes in the JEE, saying that the coaching institutes were enabling many among the less-than-best students to crack the test and keeping girls from qualifying. "I am looking for students with raw intelligence and not those with a mind prepared by coaching class tutors. The coaching classes only help students in mastering (question paper) pattern recognizing skills. With this, you cannot get students with raw intelligence," said... (India Times, India)
Weather: Partly cloudy, afternoon storms likely Jul 30, 2008
Melbourne, FL 32940 Last Updated: 07/30/08 08:45:41 EDT. C) Relative Humidity: 97% Barometer: 30. (Florida Today)
India's '$10 Laptop' to Cost US$100 After All Jul 30, 2008
Research on the low-cost laptop is being already carried out at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore and the (IIT), Madras. The government did not however provide information on the specifications of the laptop, or whether the price would include a subsidy from the government. (PC World)
