Youth Association formed in Valmiki Nagar

By Vrinda Manocha

'Young Leaders' , a fledgling group formed under the wing of the Valmiki Nagar Residents Welfare Association, held its first meeting on April 29 .Eight youngsters attended it.

The first members of the Young Leaders Association


Aruna Chandrasekhar and the Sreedhars supervised themeeting. They are co-ordinators of VAREWAwhich deals with civic issues in the area."We would like the younger generation to help with our activities. We need their enthusiasm and spirit," said Aruna.

The youth spoke of plans to address issues such as waste disposal at the beach, the use of plastic bags and the welfare of street dogs.

The members felt most strongly about the state of the beach. "The problem of litter at the beach affects everyone who goes there. Since efforts to put garbage cans on the beach failed after beach-goers toppled them over or used them as wickets in their cricket matches, we will have to form a team of volunteers to help us clean the place," said Shankari Subramaniam.

The members also want to create awareness that stray dogs in Valmiki Nagar are anything but dangerous. "We plan to call Blue Cross to sterilize them and encourage dog lovers to feed them," said Divya Sreedhar.

The more immediate aim of 'Young Leaders' is to validate information already collected by VAREWA on a survey of Valmiki Nagar. This includes information on the number of apartments in each building, the building numbers and the number of trees in the neighbourhood.

Two co-ordinators, Vrinda Manocha and Deepika Sreedhar were also chosen to head the youth association. If you wish to be part of this group or VAREWA itself , contact one of the following coordinators of the association:

Aruna Chandrasekhar : 2445 6322
Yamini Natarajan : 2491 2669
Jayanthi Premchander : 2490 1576
Sujatha : 4205 4625
Usha Subramaniam : 2442 4357
Usha Sreedhar : 2440 5918

Hot Breads opens in Kottivakkam

reported by Bharathy Kannan

Hot Breads has opened on East Coast Road, Kottivakam.
HOT BREADS is your trendy and comfy neighbourhood cafe, excellent to grab that quick snack, hurried lunch or to munch delicacies on that quiet, serene evening and that, no doubt, is the reason behind its stunning success in a small amount of time

It offers a range of bakery products and pizzas. Hot Breads caters to a vast section of society of all ages through all seasons. Based on the concept of serving burgers, pizzas, hot dogs and international hot coffee brands with 500 varieties of bread alone, and other freshly baked French delicacies, it has people coming back for more, visit after visit.

Add: East Coast Road opp panchayat office Kottivakam Chennai -41

For Further details Contact: Mr.Sanjay Roy Ph. 011-6430575, 6416301.

Local Auto Drivers Fix New Meters

Reported by Rhea Banerjee

The State Transport Authority had revised the autorickshaw rates at the beginning of this year. It set a deadline for the recaliberation of all auto meters which fell on April 25.

The auto stand at the intersection of Sivakami Puram First Cross Street and Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar Main Road in Radhakrishnan Nagar comprises of approximately eight autorickshaws. All of the eight autorickshaws have switched over to the new electronic meters, as per another deadline set by the State Transport Authority (which ends on July 25).

At any given point of the day, a maximum of four autorickshaws are seen at this stand.
The auto drivers of this stand claim that they now follow the new rates set by the State Transport Authority. T. Sarvanan, an auto driver of this stand, said, "Yes, we do follow the new rates that have been set. It is Rs.14 for the first two kilometers and Rs. 6 for every extra kilometer."

He also confirmed that all of the autorickshaws at this stand have switched over to the electronic meters, which costs about Rs. 3000.

Sankar, another auto driver at this stand, says, "One problem with the electronic meter is that if the IC (integrated chip) of the meter fails, the whole meter must be replaced."

Corporation to erect street lights at Valmiki Nagar

By Vrinda Manocha

Raja Rangaswamy Avenue at the end of Fourth Seaward Road in Valmiki Nagar is often in darkness after dusk, lit only by the lights of the apartments at the end of the road. This road, alongside Thiruvanmiyur beach is being used by several people for carrying on unpleasant activities , such as smoking and drinking.


On March 16, at a meeting of the Valmiki Nagar Residents Welfare Association with the Corporation Commissioner, Rajesh Lakhoni, a presentation of the civic issues in Valmiki Nagar that need attention was made along with suggestions for their solution.


Assembly of streetlights on Raja Rangaswamy Avenue


The issue of the absence of streetlights has received attention now with the start of erection of six streetlights on Raja Rangaswamy Avenue by the Chennai Corporation.

"The streetlights are expected to be put up within the next week," said Mr. Sreedhar, a co-ordinator of the project for VAREWA. "We have also asked the Corporation to make sure that
light does not fall on the beach so as to prevent any effect on nesting Olive Ridley turtles."

This project will provide a sense of security to the
residents of Valmiki Nagar as well as beach-goers and evening walkers.

Sashi Nair, journalist and editor, lectures

Reported by Bharathy Kannan

Sashi Nair, journalist and editor, lectures

Sashi Nair was a guest at our class on Thursday morning.


He is a journalist and editor.He spoke to us about the basics on journalism. He told us about what a reporter should do that is get information, know about the subject and also entertain the readers.

He gave us the do`s and don`ts in journalism and advised the journalism students gently.He said background for a report could be got through the internet which is very useful for a journalist.

He talked about the disadvantages of the news on television and compared it with the newspaper and Internet. He explained about the 3Cs to be followed by a journalist. A) check facts B) condense C) clarity.

For more details about Sashi Nair click here
http://www2.blogger.com/profile/03810580553347461216

BAKERY IN C.I.T COLONY

Bakery in C. I. T. Colony

Reported by Priyanka. AThere is an excellent bakery in C. I. T. Colony, Mylapore. It is called padmashree foods.

It offers a variety of bakery products.
There are different designs of cakes.
There are also variety of cakes like Tosca,brownie,black forest,tutti-fruity and the strawberry.
You can also buy delicious cookies like chocolate cookies,cashew nut cookies and biscuits like sweet square,ragi biscuits and salt biscuits.
There are chocolates too.The other items are puff,bun,cheese bun, katti roll, pizza and plum cakes.It is very hygienic and prices are reasonable.
Padmashree foods is at guru kripa,second cross street, CIT colony, Mylapore, Chennai-4

The End of Week 2

Reported by Anita Srinivasan

The day's class kicked off with Vincent D'Souza, the resource person, taking the students through a reading of the day's news stories, which could inspire them to do their own over the weekend.

A particularly interesting one, which the students could relate to, was about how tsunami affected children in Nagapattinam are playing the role of journalists and addressing some hard issues in their monthly magazine. Vincent went on to discuss three assignments - one in San Thome, one in Kottivakkam and one in Besant Nagar - for the weekend and then handed over the next session to Sashi Nair, the guest for the day.

Nair, a man who wears many hats, is a freelance journalist and editor who is currently with a publishing house in Chennai. He started his career in journalism 15 years ago, and used to work with India's leading English daily, The Times of India. His future plans include doing research on newspaper techniques for Ifra, the world's leading association for newspaper and media publishing.

Nair began by giving the students a recap of his previous lecture, and then moved on to explain the importance of using the right 'lead' to begin a story, depending on its the subject. He also discussed writing techniques that added value to a journalist's work, and emphasised on the importance of doing background research while writing reports, and using anecdotes and imagery in features.

He said that the main reason behind the success of international magazines like Time and Reader's Digest was their belief in humanisation, or including people and their opinions in articles. He closed class for the day by answering questions about himself, his college days and work.

MY AREA

My name is Priyanka.
I Live in C. I. T. Colony.

C. I. T. Stands for City Improvement Trust.
This area is almost 47 years old. It is formed in the year 1960.
There are two main roads and six cross streets.
The six cross streets are linked by the two main Roads.
There are two main landmarks: Saint Isabel's Hospital and chief minister Karunanidhi's house.
Important persons in my area are Dr. Lakshmi Kumari and chief minister. It has many trees and is full of plants.
Therefore it is a peaceful and greenish area.

Reported by Priyanka A

Ente Keralam is a new restaurant in Alwarpet

Reported by Anita Srinivasan

Ente Keralam, a restaurant in Kasturi Estate, opened officially about a week ago, soon after Vishu, the Malayali New Year. As one enters this place, one is overwhelmed by the unmistakable flavours of God's own country emanating from the kitchen, and the soft Kathakali music playing in the background.

aaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaThe restaurant as seen from the front.

Ente Keralam, translates into 'My Kerala' in English, and restaurant manager Elizabeth says it wants to popularise Kerala's cuisine among non-Keralites. "We attempt to serve authentic Kerala food," she says emphatically, commenting on the initial response as being 'pleasantly surprising'.

The restaurant boasts of expert chef Kuppakumar, a pleasant ambience and it is located in the middle of Chennai's dense residential areas.

It is located at the intersection of Kasturi Rangan Road and Seshadri Road, directly opposite the Onkyo showroom. This was the building which used to house the French restaurant La Madeleine, and before that, the National Culinary Institute.

Besides popular dishes like appam and stew, the restaurant also serves exotic delicacies, namely, Talassery biriyani, duck roast and pazhavum paaniyum, the sight of which tends to make the mouth water.

The restaurant is open everyday from 12.30 pm to 3 pm for lunch, and from 7.30 pm to 11 pm for dinner. It is also looking at the possibility of offering brunch on Sundays.

It is located at 1, Kasturi Estate, Kasturi Rangan Road, Chennai- 18. For reservations, call 42328585. E-mail: keralamente@gmail.com

Valmiki Nagar auto drivers claim they follow new rates

By Vrinda Manocha


The State Transport Authority revised the rates for autorickshaw transport on January 26 and announced a deadline for the recalibration of mechanical meters to the revised rates. That deadline fell on April 25.

Drivers at the autorickshaw stand at the intersection of Balakrishnan Road and Fourth Seaward Road in Valmiki Nagar say they now follow the new rates. There are about 25 autos here. Of these, 10 autos have mechanical meters while the remaining 15 have electronic meters. Says Dorai, an auto driver, " All of us (auto drivers) follow the new rates. The price for the first two kilometers is Rs. 14 and Rs. 6 for every additional kilometer."

The State Transport Authority has also set another deadline for July 25 by which all mechanical meters should be converted to electronic meters. Gopal, another auto driver says, "The standard electronic meters cost about Rs. 3000. The Government will supply these to us."

If the drivers follow the new system then Valmiki Nagar residents can look forward to a service that does not start with haggling and arguments.

Air Show Seen At Valmiki Nagar

By Vrinda Manocha

The Indian Air Force celebrated its platinum jubilee by organizing an
air show on Marina Beach on Sunday,
April 22. While huge crowds of people thronged the beach to witness the
event, the residents of Valmiki Nagar who couldn't make
it to the event got to see quite a bit of the air show from their
rooftops.
Tricolour trails left in the sky after flight of Surya Kiran aerobatic team

At around 4:30 p.m., the sounds of the IAF helicopters making their
way to Marina Beach caught the attention of the residents. Many of
them climbed to their terraces and enjoyed the flight of the IAF
planes as well. As an unexpected bonus, the glorious display of
the Surya Kiran aerobatic team leaving tricolour trails in the sky
were clearly visible.

The San Thome neighbourhood

By:Anitha Ramachandran.

San Thome is named after the saint Thomas cathedral. It is in south Chennai. The street where I reside at is known as Papanasam Sivan Salai named after the noted classical singer late Papanasam Sivan. Our colony is located very near to Marina Beach. A 5 minute walk from my house takes you there. So there is always a cool breeze coming in from the sea.

The well known San Thome Cathedral-Basilica is also located in this area. Christians believe that the body of saint Thomas was buried here after he was killed in the area. All India Radio station is also located here. The Russian Embassy is also situated here. There are four schools in my area and they have been here for a long time. The schools are Rosary Matriculation, St.Bedes, St.Rafaels, Santhome Higher Secondary School. There is also a school for special children whose speaking and hearing skills are impaired.Well known politician and leader of the Janatha Party, Subramania Swamy's house is also on our street as mine. There are hotels and an employment exchange too in this area.

Water Pipeline Project started in Valmiki Nagar

by Vrinda Manocha

The area of Valmiki Nagar , Thiruvanmiyur has never had a regular supply of drinking water by Metrowater. Though a pipeline to deliver Metrowater does exist , the increasing gradient of the roads leading upto 4th Seaward Road at the end of Valmiki Nagar , caused the failure of the project as the pressure of the water was not enough for it to be pumped all the way through the area.

Now , a project initiated by the Valmiki Nagar Residents Welfare Association (VAREWA) , an organization working with the Metrowater Corporation aims to lay down a pipeline system parallel to the existing system to deliver Metrowater to the entire area of Valmiki Nagar.

The pipeline system construction has begun at 4th Seaward Road , since the water problem is not as acute in 1st and 2nd Seaward Road and West Balakrishnan Road. The project had been in the planning stage for a number of months , but due to a shortage of pipes , it had to be postponed. Once construction of the system is complete in 4th Seaward Road , the project will continue in the other roads of Valmiki Nagar.

“ We are hopeful that the Metrowater supply will begin in 4th Seaward Road in the next few weeks” , said Mr. Sreedhar , one of the coordinators of the project for VAREWA.

Balaji Nursing Home

Reported by Rhea Banerjee


The Balaji Nursing Home was started by Dr. Jayakumari Balaji, a gynecologist, more than 25 This nursing home was started by Dr. Jayakumari Balaji, a gynecologist, more than 25 years ago. The nursing home is on Malaviya Avenue. This institution mainly focuses on maternity cases, alongside general surgery, gastroenterology and physiotherapy

Dr. Jayakumari's son, Dr. Suraj Balaji is the general surgeon here.

This institution has twelve rooms and twenty beds, said Asifa, the receptionist.The address - 1, 3rd Street, Malaviya Avenue, Thiruvanmayur, Chennai-600041.

Telephone no.: 2491379

An Institution

MARY OF THE PASSION
FOUNDRESS OF THE FRANSICAN MISSIONARIES OF MARY
(21-5-1839 --- 15-11-1904)

All about Rosary Matric School, San Thome

By:Anitha Ramachandran
ROSARY MATRICULATION HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL is 65 years old.This school comes under the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. This congregation of nuns was founded in 1877 by Mary of Passion-Helen de.Chappotin at Ootacamund, Tamilnadu.This school being an Christian institution, strongly believes on love and faith on Lord Jesus. They proudly say that they commit themselves to serve economically weak,socially backward and needy students.The school was just started with 20 students. Today, Rosarians are about 2000.Thischool was founded in 1950.

The principal of this school now is Sr. Mary Zacharia. The principal strongly believes in THROUGH LOVE LET US SEEK FOR TRUTH - which is the school motto. The school has very large buildings. It boasts of good infrastructure, a huge playground, computer labs, science labs, a library, a big auditorium and a canteen.

The school has also given importance to the growth of trees and plants. Saplings are planted and the school is always kept clean and tidy.
Its address is 11, Papanasam Sivan Salai, Santhome, Chennai-4.The contact number is 2498 36 17.

The Chennai Cheshire Home

by Vrinda Manocha

The Chennai Cheshire Home in Valmiki Nagar , Thiruvanmiyur is a non-profit charitable organization providing residential care for children and disabled seniors from impoverished backgrounds.

This institution was set up in 1958 in Covelong and moved to a new building at Valmiki Nagar in 1994 , built with grants from The Leonard Cheshire Foundation. In 1997 , physiotherapy equipment was gifted to the organization by Her Majesty , Queen Elizabeth who visited the Home. A clinic , a physiotherapy centre and a workshop unit was added to the building in 1999 , when the Japanese government gave a grant to the home.

The Chennai Cheshire Home is indeed , home to many.

The Cheshire Home has the capacity to accommodate 80 residents . “Of the 76 residents staying here , 20 are children below the age of 15 years. These children are educated at ‘special-need’ schools such as Pathway and Spastic Society of Tamil Nadu” , says Mr. Marimuthu , the manager of the institution .Though the organization is home to mostly mentally challenged children , it also is a sanctuary for orphans and children neglected by their own families.

A Self-help scheme trains the older residents in corrugated box production and plastic injection moulding.

Young women are taught to be financially independent by learning embroidery , tailoring , beadwork etc. HelpAge India supports an ‘ADOPT A GRANNY’ scheme here. A free evening clinic has also been set up to help the residents as well as people of the area.

A Voluntary Committee , as well as a staff qualified personnel handles the needs of the home. The organization is aided by Government grants as well as donations from corporations , other charitable trusts and individuals.

The Chennai Cheshire Home is located at :
Cheshire Homes India-Chennai,
23A Third Seaward Road ,
Valmikinagar , Thiruvanmiyur ,
Chennai -600041

For further information contact the Home at : 24417437 or 24405385
Email: cheshire_ability@rediffmail.com

Stella Maris College

Reported by Anita Srinivasan

Stella Maris College for women, is one of Chennai's top-ranked women's colleges.
It started on August 15, 1947, as a small one-storey building in Santhome, with just 32 students. Today, it has over 3000 students housed on its campus, "The Cloisters", situated on Cathedral Road .

aaaaaaaaaa A view of the main building at the entrance of college.

The college is currently under the supervision of the Society of Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, and the Principal is Dr. Sister Annamma Philip. It became autonomous in 1987 but remains affiliated to the University of Madras.
Stella Maris College aims to provide quality university education in a Christian atmosphere, especially for Catholic students, irrespective of financial and social position.
The college provides Credit Based System of education for 13 undergraduate, 10 postgraduate courses, and research programs. It was given a Five Star rating by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council, in recognition of its academic excellence.
The college emblem represents a ship sailing on choppy waters, symbolising the student's life, led on by the Star of the Sea, Stella Maris.

The contact information of the college is given below:

Stella Maris College, 17, Cathedral Road, Chennai - 600 086, India.

Tel: +91-44-2811 1987/2811 1951

Email: smc@md3.vsnl.net.in

My Area -Valmiki Nagar

by Vrinda Manocha

Located in the area of Thiruvanmiyur , south of Chennai , Valmiki Nagar is a quiet neighbourhood bordering the Thiruvanmiyur Beach. It was named after the saint and poet Valmiki , who was supposed to have attained Samadhi close by.
Though the area is mostly residential , the Animal Welfare Board of India , a Cheshire Home for the elderly , a branch of Canara Bank and several department stores are situated here. The well-laid roads in the neighbourhood mainly include the four Seaward Roads and Balakrishnan Road , which joins all of them.

Fourth Seaward Road, which leads down to Thiruvanmiyur Beach.

Valmiki Nagar is home to a number of famous personalities , including Tamil Actor Ajit Kumar . Several Carnatic musicians also live here , notably K.J. Yesudas and Bombay S. Jayashree.
The Thiruvanmiyur beach alongside Valmiki Nagar serves as a great attraction for the people of Chennai , especially in summer .
The residents of the area live mostly in apartments , but there are quite a few bungalows too.
An auto stand is located at the junction of Fourth Seaward Road and Balakrishnan Road , which provides residents with an efficient means of transport. The nearest bus stop is Thiruvanmiyur Bus Stand.
Water tankers are a common sight in the area , as the groundwater has become completely brackish and Metrowater is not delivered in pipes .

Poes Garden

Reported by Anita Srinivasan

Poes Garden is a neighbourhood of 25 acres, centrally situated in Chennai. It is easy to locate with landmarks like Hotel Chola Sheraton and Stella Maris College nearby.

The name ‘Poes Garden’ originated in colonial India. The British, who owned the then forested property, called it the Poes Estate.

Since there are few commercial establishments, Poes Garden is fairly peaceful, and, over the years, has attracted many senior citizens.

Today, it is home to famous personalities like former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, Tamil film star Rajinikanth, real-estate tycoon Hanu Reddy and culinary expert Mallika Badrinath.

Poes Garden is connected with the rest of Chennai by Binny Road and Kasturi Rangan Road. The private institutions here are Aggarwal’s Eye Hospital, Jaya TV, Aswini Nursing Home and Russian Cultural Centre.

My area

Reported by Rhea Banerjee

I reside in Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar Main Road, in south Chennai. Even though Radhakrishnan Nagar lies between Thiruvanmiyur and Shastri Nagar, the postal address of this area is that of Thiruvanmiyur - 600 041.

There are many landmarks in Radhakrishnan Nagar. Out of these, three main landmarks are often named. One of these three is the Konica Showroom on M.G. Road which lies right opposite Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar Main Road.

The other two, which lie on the left side of the Main Road as one enters it, are the Tic Tac video-lending library and Balaji Nursing Home.

Quite a few important people live in Radhakrishnan Nagar; the leading one is owner of the famous company, Butterfly, whose house lies on the right side of the main road. Other important people include Justice Kanakaraj, Justice Govindarajan and a few senior judges of the Madras High Court.

Who we are. . .

MYLAPORE TIMES, the neighbourhood newspaper, has been running a course for many years now on the Basics of Journalism - during the summer holidays for school children.
The aim of this course is to expose students to journalism at a stage when they have to decide on college studies and a career.
The course is basic in nature and is spread over two or three weeks, with two hour sessions every weekday.
There are class-based lectures and field assignments.

For the 2007 course, we decided to start a blog which would record the reports, pictures and other assignments/contributions of the class.