Friday, May 9, 2008

Classroom Report / Final Day

By Shreya Viswanath

We started our last day of the summer Journalism Course with the daily newspapers.
Each of us had to scan the papers and look for something useful for us. An advert or a notice or an event or an article,
We shared our thoughts on this.

Resource person Vincent D' Souza gave us some tips on how to scan the newspapers, locate key and useful news leads and info and spoke on the importance of 'being informed'.
We ended this session with 'Open House' where each of raised questions and cleared our doubts.
We have ended the camp with an idea - a new blog site to be started by three of our fellow classmates.
They plan to focus on Thiruvanmiyur, south Chennai.
So, this course on the 'Basics of Journalism', which ran for 20 days, two hours every day, has come to an end.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Planetarium screening film on 'cosmic world'

By Shreya Viswanath

Three claps, silence, lights off.
You hold your breath as the cosmic world revolves around you – twinkling stars, shooting meteoroids, the rotating solar system and the undulating contours of the red planet, Mars.
The spectacular show is a great experience that almost makes you feel one with the sparkling universe.
Welcome to the latest show at the Periyar Science and Technology Center in Kotturpuram.
There is a Science Center and a planetarium here. There are eight galleries on themes related to Physical Science, Transport, Electronics & Communication, Energy, Materials Science, Life Science, Innovation, International Dolls and Children, with over 500 exhibits of the interactive variety, makes a visit to the Center a thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening experience.
The planetarium is home to the most modern, sophisticated and versatile GM II projector. The accompanying special effects projector, recreates some of the most awe-inspiring heavenly phenomena on the specially perforated aluminum inner dome.
This planetarium is fully computerized and seats 236 at any given time.
Timings for cosmic shows in the planetarium - in English: 10.45 a.m., 1.15 p.m. and 3.45 p.m. In Tamil, the show timings are 12 noon and 2.30 p.m.
Once you are done with the show, take a stroll down the Science Park. It provides a mix of interactive exhibits.
Equally impressive is the Traffic Park that keeps you abreast of the latest road safety measures.
Then there are the energy and eco parks to explore.
Get acquainted with the working utilities of solar energy, wind energy and bio-gas in the energy park. An entire forest has been simulated in the eco park - water, plants, life models of animals, the lion, tiger and deer - these are the crowd-pullers.
The Meteorological Observatory might well be the answer to most of your queries on the celestial phenomena.
If you have not visited this campus before, do it this summer.
The Science and Technology Center is open on all days except on national holidays, from 10 a.m. to 5.45 p.m.
Location - Tamilnadu Science & Technology Center, Gandhi Mandapam Road (behind CLRI campus). Phone: 91-44 - 24410025 / 24416751 / 24915250

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Place in adyar to learn Western classical music

By Varsha S.

The 3Bs School of Music in Adyar teaches students how to play western classical guitar,keyboard and the piano. The school also teaches the students the theory of western music and prepares students for the exam for various diplomas conducted by Trinity College,London.
This school is called 3Bs school after the three great German maestros - Bach, Beethoven and Brahms.
This school is managed and run by Ahlauyu Soosheel v’naiud. R. Venkatasan who is Ahlauyu’s husband and Bobby Shankar, Ahlauyu’s father.
The school was started 2 years ago.At present there are about 100 students from age groups 4 to 60.
Many bank employees, people who work in private companies, IIT students and even IAS officers learn music here.This year they are not having any summer courses.
The fees: the fee scheme varies according to each grade the student is in.
For beginners, it is Rs.1000 for four classes a month. Apart from this, there is nominal payment for the books.
For further information, you may contact: Ahlauyu at 42114171.
Address - 27/14, Karpagam Gardens 1st Main Road, Adyar, Chennai - 20

Personality Development course for Teenagers

By Priyanka Bhat

Parents of children between the age group of 15 to 18 years may have to start thinking about their children's future, and the first essential quality a person should have is a good 'personality'.

One place which conducts personality development courses is JKL Foundation, Kalakshetra Colony. JKL Foundation is conducting its last course for this summer from 15th May. This course will continue up to 25th May.
The course will be held from 10.00 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.

A batch will have 20 participants. "The objective of the course is to enhance various personality skills in the participants and to make them effective leaders," says M. K. Janardhanan who is the founder of the Foundation and also theinstructor for the course.

Group discussion and goal setting are some of the activities conducted during the course. On the last day (25th May) there will be a workshop for parents on 'good parenting'.

The fee is Rs.3000. The address is - LakshmiKrishna, 50/43, Ground Floor, Rukmani Street, Kalakshetra Colony, Besant Nagar, Chennai-41. The contact numbers are 421 51583.

Books sale in Thiruvanmiyur

By Priyanka Bhat

An exhibition of books is on at Sri Vidya KalyanaMandapam,
L. B. Road, Thiruvanmiyur. The exhibition will continue up to May 8.

There is a collection of more than 3000 titles. The books are
of different topics - history, management, healthcare,politics
etc. There is a separate section for children.

The books range from Rs.20 to Rs.2000. Some of the books
are usedbooks imported from USA and UK.

The organiser of the extibition, K.Ravi (9840617939) said
that every day more than 200 people visit the exibition and the
number goes up to 400 visitors during the weekends.

Classroom Report / May 5

By Mayuri Srinivas

We got back to class after a weekend holiday. Resource person Vincent D' Souza asked us to share anything interesting we had experienced the past two days.

Shreya narrated her experience in attending a summer job interview.
Varsha talked about her experience at the IPL cricket match at Chepauk.
Manasa told us about her outing to Citi Centre. And Krithika mentioned about her three-day tour of Kerala and of spending the night on a houseboats in the backwaters of Alleppey.
In a way, these exchanges led us to the topic of the day - writing for the pullouts and magazine sections in newspapers and working for magazines.
It also led on to a discussion on how we could start publishing on our own via the Internet.
Since there are three participants who reside in the Thiruvanmiyur area in south Chennai, D' Souza suggested they could start a blog for that area.
The three, Bharathi, Priyanka and Manasa seemed enthusiastic.
They will be working out the strategy out soon.
D' Souza said that a Net enterprise would turn out to be a good follow-up to this course.
On Tuesday, we will visit the NDTV's Chennai office in CIT Colony and learn about TV journalism.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Free buttermilk for parched throats

By Mayuri Srinivas

Those who pass through Dr. Ranga Road in Mylapore may notice a small shamiana put up on the pavement and a group of volunteers hard at work here. Well, the group is rendering a small service this summer.

These people are volunteers of Shri Sai Baba Trust based at 'Sundaram', off Chamiers Road. They have been distributing buttermilk to the passersby so that people can be refreshed.
With mercury shooting above 40 degree Celsius, ordinary people who cannot afford to pay for ice creams and fruit juices, relish this free offer of buttermilk.
Pedestrians, elderly people, rickshaw-pullers, courier boys and labourers stop at this stall and enjoy the drink. The place is crowded but there is sufficient stock of buttermilk.

The volunteers say that this summer service has been going on for about 15 years at the very same place.
The volunteers run it through May every year.
Everyday, two donors pay for making about 500 litres of buttermilk - to be served in two sessions - from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 11 a.m. to 2 p. m. There are about 5 volunteers who help in serving the buttermilk.

The buttermilk is home-made by the donors. The donors have to register themselves at the 'Sundaram' office. The volunteers who serve the buttermilk take turns to render service through May.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Caring for Squirrels

By Sameeksha Asher


Subhashini Raghavan loves animals.
For many years, this resident of Gandhi Nagar, Adyar has been a volunteer at a city animal shelter place. For the past five years, she has been taking care of sick, injured or 'lost' squirrels

Subhashni adopts baby or handicapped squirrels and looks after them. “Squirrels aren’t supposed to be tamed. We can look after them for 3-4 months but later we have to set them free. It would be cruel to domesticate these animals as they are part of urban wildlife,” says Subhashini. However if a squirrel is handicapped one can look after it for a longer time, she adds.

Subhashni was in touch with Clarisa Summers of Texas, USA who guided her on taking care of squirrels and giving them medical aid. Now Subhashini also guides people who wish to look after these animals.

So is it easy to take care of squirrels?
Subhashni said that baby squirrels are very friendly and don’t bite. However for the first two weeks it’s very important to feed them every four hours. As they grow old they are easy to manage. Also they should be let free in a room for at least 2 hours a day: otherwise they start biting.

“It is easy to take care of squirrels for a few months. They do not bite if you don’t harm them. We don’t even have to bathe them! They are very friendly creatures,” says Subhashni.

Currently, she has encouraged a small group of women volunteers to take care of squirrels. Since Subhashni is on the verge of 'retirement' she suggests that people can call Kritika (who also takes care of squirrels) in case they want information on squirrels or want to adopt them.
Kritika’s phone number is 98406 14053


SUN TV Office in Mandaveli

By Mayuri S.

Sun TV has now moved its production unit to Fourth Trust Cross Street, Mandaveli.
The quiet street has now become a busy one with cars and bikes zipping in and out of this campus. It is said the productions are handled from this premises.

Earlier this building was Admiralty Hotel. Then, there was a colony.
Later, it was converted into marriage halls and offices.
It is said that Sun TV will have its own headquarters in MRC Nagar.

Sishya student group reaches out to less abled children

By Sameeksha Asher


Recently, a group of students from Sishya School, Padmanabha Nagar had indulged in social work. A few students in Sishya are active social workers for Little Hearts, an organization which helps mentally challenged children.

Philomena Bennet, a teacher in Sishya along with a few enthusiastic students decided to set up a fund raiser. They decided to have an entertainment programme for the 'Little Hearts' children. This event was sponsored by the Sishya parents. There were 30 children present from ‘Little Hearts’

The function was held at St. Teresa's Church Hall, Nungambakkam (opp. Ispahani Centre) on April 15. Before the show started all the children were treated to snacks and fruit drinks.
The show started at 5.30pm. First there was a short introduction which dealt with the issue of the problems these children face and how they can be helped. The senior Sishya choir sang a few songs.

Next up, Adithya Prasad, Sishya's very own magician entertained the crowd with his magic tricks. Adithya's English had to be translated into Tamil so that the children could follow.
After this to there were piano recitals. This was followed by solos by Kaveri Narayanan and Neha Mathen. The show ended with a vote of thanks by Philomena Bennet.

The children had a great evening. Provisions were donated to Little Hearts. "We thank Philomena ma'am and our sponsors (the parents) for giving us this opportunity to do something for such less fortunate children. It was a wonderful and satisfying experience," says student Neha Mathen.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Journalists Colony playground under renovation



By Bharathi Yegnanarayanan

A triangular playground in Journalists Colony, Thiruvanmiyur is being re-developed.Two sections have been created.One half of the ground is going to be used for conducting social and community functions.Says the colony society's treasurer, A. Muthupandian,"We needed space to hold functions like Republic Day and Independence Day events. The other half of the ground is to be a play area for kids."The children's play area will also have playthings.A covered stage has been constructed.Walk paths will also be laid and benches will be set up.

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Classroom Report / April 30

By Bharathi Yegnanarayanan

Today's class started with the daily newspapers.We were asked to go through the newspaper and see whether something in them triggered a story idea we could work on. Some of us struggled and the ideas did not 'sell'.Meenaxi said she would go down to Elliots Beach in the morning and meet up with members of the Frisbee Club and the Laughter Club.Shreya has lots of stories to offer- one was to follow up on a plan to have park in Kotturpuram on the Adyar river bank.

Sameeksha had two story ideas - one on a lady in Adyar who takes care of injured squirrels and gives them in adoption and another on a lady who does designer clothes and tailors them too.I suggested that I would follow-up on a report that fishermen in Thiruvanmiyur were offering cattamaran rides in the sea to beach-goers on weekends to make some quick money and also write on a re-laid park.These exercises challenge us to come up with story leads quickly.
Mayuri was assigned a story on the closure of a century-old post office.'The Hindu' reported it on the front page this morning and Mayuri was asked to visit the office and file a story.

Resource person Vincent D' Souza then spoke about the position of a a reporter in a newspaper/ media organisation and the opportunities he / she has there.He suggested a web site we could check out. The URL- www.poynter.org. Though this site is based in the USA and is useful for professional journalists, the site also has content for media students.Some of us have had our reports published in 'Adyar Times',the weekly community newspaper for the Adyar area(e-mail - adyartimes@gmail.com).D' Souza said he would consider using some more if the reports we filed were good.

Classroom Report / April 29

By Shreya Viswanath
Our day today started with the daily newspapers.We were asked to go through the newspaper and see if any headline, news story or picture gave us inspiration for a new story we could do on our own. There was a discussion of these ideas.Later, we had a mock interview session. This was a followup to a lecture on 'Interviewing Skills' given the previous day.Kaveri Murthy, a classmate was interviewed by the rest of us about the trekking expedition trip she was going to go on in May.
Later, we had a guest in the classroom - Mythily Ramachandran who is a free lancer. She has been writing for over ten years. She shared with us her experience. She told us about a few of her stories which were unusual and how she enjoyed writing them. She split us into three groups for an activity to teach us again the importance of valid questions during an interview. The activity was to frame a set of questions for three differnt people.The first group had to set questions for a celebrity; group two for a lady fire officer and group three for a person who has just got out of a drug addiction.You can contact Mythily at myram86@yahoo.com

Summer Classes in Alwarpet

By Mayuri S.

C. P. Art Centre at Alwarpet is conducting summer courses for children from April 21 to May 9.

The courses are on art and craft, Tanjore paintings, Karate, Yoga and music.
Participants are divided into two age groups namely 5 to 10 years and 11 years and above. Fees for courses vary.

C. P. Art Centre is at 1, Eldams Road, Alwarpet, Chennai -600018.
Phones: 24341778 / 9444073008

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Yoga, meditation classes

By Priyanka Bhat

If you looking for a place where you want to relax your mind
and body this summer then Tejas Health Center is the place
to check out.

The staff here teach yoga techniques and welcome school students
too. They also teach meditation methods to people of all age groups.

Sessions are held between 6.30 a. m. and 12 noon and from
2.00 p.m. to 7.00p.m.

The address is 83, 7th street, Venkateshwara Nagar, Kuppam Beach
Road, Kottivakkam. The contact number is 9283297432.

Art classes at Kottivakkam library

By Priyanka Bhat

BookMark Lending Library which is at Lakshman
Perumal Nagar, Kottivakkam is conducting summer
classes in drawing
and painting.

One can choose from any of the six summer classes that
are conducted - Warli Art, Silver Flower work, Painting
on Canvas Board, Greeting Card, Spray Painting and
Rice Painting.

Classes will be conducted on Mondays, Wednesdays and
Thursdays. Timings are negotiable. But standard timings
followed at the camp are 10.30 a.m. -12.30 p.m.

The classes go on till mid-June. For more details contact
9840270131 (or) 98843174

Monday, April 28, 2008

Police put up 'warning' boards on Thiruvanmiyur shore


By Bharathi Yegnanarayanan


Police patrol has been appointed in the Thiruvanmiyur beach to reduce the high risk of drowning. A notice board has been put up on the beach in this area to warn the public on the dangers ofswimming here.However,last weekend this reporter saw many people going out into the sea.Senior citizens who reside in this area feel that instead of notice boards,warning the public througha mike system would be effective. Some others say that life-saving accessories must be kept at manyplaces so that they can be used in times of danger.Local police said that they are always on duty along the shore and keep an eye on young children who get into the water.They said that they are doingtheir best.

Classroom Report / April 25

By Priyanka Bhat
Today, we had a guest to talk to us.
R. Revathi is a sub-editor who works for the web site, www.kutcheribuzz.com. It is a web site for classical music and dance.
Revathi had taken a look at our work on our blog - http://www.mtjclass.blogspot.com/ - and she wanted to show us how we could improve our contribution and as how we should write for web sites.
She told us the rules which should be followed when writing for the web. For example, we must no write all the letters in capitals. There are certain etiquette rules that one must follow here.
Revathi also showed us things we could do on the Net. Places to which we could contribute articles / comments / queries.
She also spoke on blogs. How to choose a theme for a blog, how to make it interesting, how to upload pictures /videos. Here is one sample of storytellers with audio clips and the domain to sign up and upload free audio and link to blog. Example - www.thestorytellersblog.blogspot.com
Revathi also pointed to opportunities to write on the web - at web sites like www.pappyrusclubs.com. www.yocee.in, www.writersintheschool.org.
One can contact Revathi at mailrevathi@gmail.com.

Book Sale in Alwarpet

By S. Mayuri
Sabhari Book House and Stationery in association with 'Ananda Vikatan' publications is conducting a book fair at the Niligris store complex ( opp. Spencer's Daily store) on C. P. Ramaswamy Road, Alwarpet, Chennai 600018.
The fair is on from May 20, 2008.
The books are on fiction, literature, science and education. There are also books in Tamil.
Discounts of 10 to 20% is offered.

More people use MRTS station in Mandaveli

By S. Mayuri
This MRTS station in Mandaveli located at Sringeri Mutt Road is fast becoming popular among commuters of Mandaveli, R A Puram and R K Nagar areas.
Employees of BPOs and IT companies located at Tidel Park and Velachery are among the people who take trains from this place.
Train services are between Chennai Beach and Velachery.
When the train facility was only up to Thiruvanmiyur, it was less popular but now with the facility extended upto Velachery the station is crowded at office-going hours.
The train services start from 04.15 a m and the last train is at 10.15 p m both ways. The frequency of trains is 20 minutes on all days.
One hundred and twenty three trains run through this station everyday. The rush hours are between 7 a m and 9 a m and 6 p m and 8 p m.
Even though the station is functional the building is incomplete.
The installation of escalators is underway.
Flooring, painting and other civil works are yet to commence.
There are many entrances for easy access for the neighbourhood residents.
Once the building is complete there is a proposal to let out the premises for shops for books, snacks and beverages.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Garbage burnt in Gandhi Nagar, pollutes colony.

Report and photos by Sameekha Asher



Of late, garbage and garden waste is being dumped on the road side in Gandhi Nagar.
On April 25, at about 1 p. m, garbage was being burnt on 1st Crescent Street. This creates a lot of air pollution and also fogs the road a little.
Excess burning of garbage releases air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
These pollutants can cause diseases such as bronchitis in children and cancer of trachea.
The residents on 1st Cross Street are disturbed by the burning of garbage and the pollution it causes. They request the local Chennai Corporation office to take some action.

Free Upanayanam

By Bharathi Yegnanarayanan
Free Upanayanam is to be conducted at Amara Barathy Kalyana Mandapam, #12, West Tank Street,near Sri Marundeeswarar Temple.It is organised by the TN Brahmin Association, Thiruvanmiyur.It is to be held on May 18.For further details contact the office of Sri Sankara Matriculation Higher Secondary School, B-34, 51st Cross Street,Thiruvalluvar Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur.(behind South R.T.O).Contact number: 2441 6525

Friday, April 25, 2008

New Store in R.A.Puram

By Mayuri S.
R. A. Puram has a new store - it is called Ocher World.
This boutique is run by the wife of film actor Rajnikanth, Latha Rajnikanth. In an area of about 1500 square feet, this store has variety of things under one roof. It stores utility stuff like key chains, handbags, pens, dolls and portraits. It also stocks sarees, salwars and other dress materials for women. There also bedspreads, pillow covers, sofa covers, curtains and home furnishing.Apart from these, the shopper can also pick up foodstuff like cakes, cookies, sweets and traditional home-made items like appalams and pickles.
This store is at 41, First Main Road, R. A. Puram, Chennai 600028. It is open between 10 a. m. and 8 p. m.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Report Day 8

FIELD REPORT: April 23
By S. Mayuri

This morning was different from the nature of classes we had so far.
Our 'chief', Vincent D' Souza, wanted us to have a first hand knowledge on getting story leads in the field.
For this purpose we assembled at Annai Velankanni Madha Church, Besant Nagar at 9 am.We missed one of our class mates, Varsha, as we were informed that she was unwell.
We assembled in front of the book store of the church campus. Our first exercise was to make a note of all we had observed around us.Then, we went around the campus with the objective of finding stories.
We regrouped again after 15 minutes, made our presentations and deliberated on the story leads we had gathered.We then walked down Elliots Beach road - the intention was to find story ideas as we looked around.
While we were walking, there was a minor accident - the dupatta of a girl who was on the back seat of a cycle which was used by a girl, got caught in the wheel.
On seeing this we rushed to help her. We successfully removed the dupatta from the chain but the chain system needed some attention. While we were helping the girls, others who passed by just stared and went their way.
Just there, while we were discussing more story ideas near a parked car, some thing dropped on the car - it was a part of a dead rat dropped by a flying crow.

We realised how things just happened if you cared to observe.
We were also briefed about the local area, the development over the years and the things that took place on the beach.Each could be a good news story to report.

Bird-watching camp at IIT-Madras

By Kaveri Murthy

Prakriti Wildlife Club of IIT-Madras is conducting the annual birdwatching programme for campus children of ages 6 and above. The programme starts on May 7 and ends on May 13
This year, Prakriti has decided to club the birdwatching programme with the Crocodile Bank's initiative for a two-day 'introduction into reptiles' programme if there are enough people who are interested.
This programme is for children of ages 10 to 16 years. The fees for the Crocodile Bank programme is Rs 1500 while the birdwatching is free
For enquiries or to register, e-mail to prakriti@iitm.ac.in

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Summer Camp for children at the IITM Campus

By Kaveri Murthy

Tech-Kids Day Care cum Activity Centre of the IIT-Madras campus is organising a 15-day summer camp for children of ages 5 to 14 years.

The activities to be taught are aerobics, practical science, general knowledge, drawing and craft, yoga, health and hygiene, music and dance, road safety rules, storytelling and drama. The camp begins on May 5 and it goes on till May 23, excluding weekends.

The children will be divided into two groups - the first group is for children of ages 5 to 8 years and the activities are from 9.30 a. m. to 12 noon and the second is for children of ages 9 to 14 years and the sessions are from 9.30 a. m. to 3 p. m.
The last date for registration is 30th April 30. For enquiries, call 22579426.

Rock Concert in Adyar

By Sameeksha Asher

On April 18, Friday the Unwind Center in Gandhi Nagar hosted a series of was rock concerts of performing bands. There were four bands this week namely, Virtual Vegan, Grey Shack, Junkhead and Substance.
The entry ticket was Rs.100.

Virtual Vegan, a two member band started the show with a song from Porcupine Tree called ‘Life is Beautiful’. They went on to sing ‘Dust in The Wind’ and ‘Temple of the King’ by Rainbow. Being a two member band their music was mostly acoustic. A gentle start to a rock show!

The crowd was on its feet when Grey Shack started playing. Though this group was formed only six months ago, it has a number of original compositions. They played ‘Plastic’ and ‘Beautiful Man’. As the concert progressed, people started coming in at the Unwind Center.

Rohan, the lead singer would entertain the crowd a little with jokes between songs.
The crowd (still on its feet) sang along and cheered the band. There were many young boys and girls in the hall but it was hot inside - one assumed the air-conditioning was not working.

Next there was a quiz on rock music and bands but the crowed lost interest in it. This was followed by a drum solo by Chris.

'Junkhead' and 'Substance' were the bands to play last. The show was wrapped up by 9.45pm. This was a entertaining rock concert except for the fact that it got really hot inside and people sweated it out.

The Unwind Center holds rock concerts every Friday.
Unwind Center, #67, 3rd Cross rd, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar.
Ph: 99410 05949, 65379572

Classroom Report / Day 7

By Sameeksha Asher

Today, each of us stood up and read out the news reports we had chosen.
Every report was discussed.
Vincent D' Souza was the resource person.
A few common questions were: what’s the focus of the report, when did it occur, where did it occur and what information is provided/ what we learn from it.
Again, we came across an instance of how two city-based newspapers had reported on a crime of a torso found in a pond in North Chennai. On report mentioned the body was of a teenager, the other said it was of a man.
In the next session, we had to go through the map we had created of our neighbourhood and find ways in which we would cover it like a 'beat'.
We were supposed to jot down names of public places, private places and interesting people in our locality.
This was to prepare the group for sustained reporting. From Thursday, we will have to file a report a day.
So we discussed ways in which this could be done.
Three ways were suggested.
  1. spot reports - report an accident or a community event or a show.
  2. Reports based on places. Check out local libraries and health centres, the beach or local police station.
  3. Reports on people. They could even be a woman who makes and sells pickles from her house or of a professor who has a cacti garden.
Today’s class aimed at helping us recognize the potential news stories in our locality and how to go about reporting them.
On Wednesday, the group meets at the Annai Velankanni Church in Besant Nagar. We will walk around in the area and try our hand at locating stories and may even have to do one on the spot.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Life Style Supermarket in Thiruvanmiyur

By Bharathi Yegnanarayanan

If you live in Thiruvanmiyur and want to locate a store that will deliver provisions and basic needs at your doorstep, check out Life Style Supermarket in Thiruvalluvar Nagar.


The store has different sections.Stationery items, plasticware, home care products, spices, snacks, beverages, pickles and jams, instant food items, fruits and vegetables, baby care and pet care items and lots of provisions. There is a separate section for bakery food.

The owner of this supermarket is R. Ramesh.The main branch of this store is in Adyar. This store has been running for 3 years. The free home delivery is provided to residents of the local area.
Life Style Supermarket, Thiruvalluvar Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai-600 041.
Contact Numbers: 4218 1171 / 2442 0024

Classroom Report / April 21

By Manasa G. Rao

The reading of the day's newspapers has been enlightening.
We were able to spot many mistakes in the reports.
In one case the report on one incident in two different newspapers mentioned the name of the hospitals differently.
We also got to know places in the city we didn't know.
Reading the news reports is one way of learning a lot.
Today's lecture by Vincent D' Souza was on how reporters work on a 'beat'.
A beat is a regular coverage of a particular area or field assigned to a reporter. Be it police, entertainment, health, civic issues, education, etc.
We got to learn what happens on a 'beat' and the advantages of a beat system.
We looked at how a reporter on the Crimes and Law and Order 'beat' does his work.
Tomorrow, we will be looking at how we can create a 'beat' in our area in order to report the news well.
On Wednesday, we plan to explore a part of Adyar on foot to try and learn how stories are generated.

New Gopuram of Sri Marundeeswarar Temple will be ready in May

By Bharathi Yegnanarayanan

The kumbabhishekam of the new gopuram of Sri Marundeeswarar Temple in Thiruvanmiyur will be held from May 21 to 23.This information was given by the temple officers.


The new gopuram (on the eastern side of this famous temple)whose construction was suspended some years ago, is being constructed afresh.The project was taken up in July 2007.
Temple officials say the entire project is being co-ordinated by the Friday Committee Members. S.Rajan is the chairman of this committee. The project is supported by industrialist Pollachi Mahalingam.

The new gopuram is about 85 feet in height. The workers spend about 10 hours a day working on it.
The path leading towards the temple is made up of special granite. About 75% of the work is finished, said the engineer on the site.The painting work is under progress.The engineer said that the work would be completed before May 20.

The kumbabishekam will take place between 9 a. m. and 10:30 a.m. Special rituals are going to take place right from May 21. Devotees are invited to witness this pooja and receive prasadam.
Arulmigu Marundeeswarar Temple is in Thiruvanmiyur,Chennai - 600 041.

T. P. Ekambaram is the Executive Officer.
Contact Number:2441 0477/ 2442 2688

Star Supreme – The shoe shop with a difference!

By Meenaxi Palaniappan

This tiny shoe shop, tucked in a little corner on the 2nd Avenue, Besant Nagar, cannot be seen unless you are looking for it. However, Mr. Abdul Khader, the owner of this shop, says that he could not be happier with the location. His customers are mostly local school and college girls who frequent the shop to buy the latest styles of footwear, which he diligently changes every 3 months. His secret to success lies in his astonishing ability to display flawless replications of some of the most fashionable styles, barely weeks after they enter the market, at almost 25% of the cost. 'My policy is less profit, more turnover' says Mr Abdul Khader, in response to being asked how he manages to sustain such low prices.

This 11 year old shop thrives on recurrent customers, who get benefits like regular discounts and lower pricing than the new customers. Star Supreme shoe shop is located at E33, 2nd Avenue, Besant Nagar, Chennai-90 and it is open between 10 AM and 8 PM on all days.

Novel way to ward off 'nuisance'

By Meenaxi Palaniappan

S. Aravanmudham, residing at house no. T 42/B, 7th Avenue, Besant Nagar has found an innovative way to check the nuisance of people using his compound wall as a toilet. He says he had to put up with the offensive odour and the nuisance of people dirtying his compound wall for many years.


Now, he has come up with a novel idea to address this problem.His compound walls are now embossed with pictures of gods like Jesus Christ, Lord Ganesha and other religious symbols.These pictures seem to inhibit people from answering Nature's call here.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Minor accident in IIT Campus

By Kaveri Murthy

A man riding on a bicycle with an elderly woman on the rear seat crashed on Delhi Avenue road in IIT-Madras on April 18 evening.
The two were admitted to the IIT Hospital, with the woman suffering a severe nosebleed. The man was not badly injured.

The cause of the accident is not yet known though unconfirmed information had it that a scooter had collided with the bicycle.

'Home' for senior citizens in Tiruvanmiyur welcomes donations

By Priyanka Bhat


If you have spare money, don’t waste it on movies or on pizza parties. Instead, you could donate that money. One place which accepts such donations is 'Kaakkum Karangal' in Thiruvanmiyur which is an 'old age home'.

The founder-trustee of this 'home' is Gnanaraj. 'Kaakkum Karangal' was founded in 1992 with five other units across Tamil Nadu.

The 'home' in Thiruvanmiyur houses about 10 men and 30 women at 11, East Mada Street, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai-41. This is a rented place.

One can help 'Kaakkum Karangal' carry out its mission by donating not only money but also clothes, provisions, vessels and medicines. One can donate any time between 8.00 a.m. and 8.00 p.m. on any day of the week.
Bala Murugan is the manager. In order to contact this 'home', dial 2441 5433 (or) 2440 1825.

Besides this 'home' in Thiruvanmiyur, there is also an orphan children 'home' called 'Centre for the Cradle Children' which is managed by the same trustee.
It is at No.6, Railway Border Road, West Mambalam, Chennai-41. The contact no. is 2372 4456.

MASH – A cosy restaurant in Besant Nagar

By Meenaxi Palaniappan

Besant Nagar welcomes yet another addition to the array of restaurants in the area. MASH enjoys a perfect location bang opposite the Elliot's Beach. The contemporary ambience is aesthetically pleasing. Smokers have an option of dining in the open veranda which has a splendid view of the sea.
The menu states that, MASH was started by four friends who were really hungry for good food. It includes breakfast options, soups, pasta, meat, seafood, vegetarian food and desserts.
While some of the diners considered the portions to be small in quantity all of them agreed that the quality of the food was good. A common gripe expressed by customers was the slow service although the hospitality is warm.
The 'Mud Pie' is a highly recommended dessert for chocolate lovers and the 'Burn Me On' is the most popular dessert with the health conscious. An average meal for two costs around Rs.400 and the restaurant is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
MASH is located at T-54B, 1st Floor, 6th Avenue, Besant Nagar, Chennai. For reservations call - 45511555 or 99620 03300

Florist in Kottur Gardens gets new look

By Shreya Viswanath


Tulips, the florist in Kottur Gardens, got a face lift after fourteen years in business. The shop opened in 1994.
Tulips is a unit of the A. D. J. Agro Exports (P) Ltd., and is owned by Jayaprakash.

Known for the exquisite floral arrangements, it delivers bouquets even at addresses in select cities in India.
Tulips get its wide range of flowers from Hosur.

It does floral arrangements for weddings, parties and social functions.
They deliver in this city between 8 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. and charge a fee of Rs.30 for every 5 km. covered

They also undertake landscaping and have recently launched a collection of pillows.
The shop is open from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The address - #2, Link Street, Kottur Gardens, Chennai-600 085.
Tele Fax: 2447 4763

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Classroom Report / Day Five

By Meenaxi Palaniappan

Now a routine practice, the day started with the students reading reports from the newspaper. The first report, read by Bharathi Narayanan was an interesting story about the robbery at the Sri Kapaleeswar temple on the night of April 17. An article read by Krithika Malini, titled 'Adopt an unusual pet' from the Deccan Chronicle was interesting but ambiguous. Taking this as an example, the resource person, Vincent D' Souza advised us to ensure that our writing is clear and to the point. The second portion of today's class was focused on the lesser known departments of a news organization. We got to learn about the advertising and business departments of a news organization. We had a discussion on unusual modes of advertising like distributing free samplers along with the newspaper, 'scratch and win' offers, coupons that can be cut out of the newspaper, etc. D' Souza showed us the difference in the way a big, local story ( the robbery at Sri Kapali Temple, Mylapore) was presented in three different newspapers ( The Hindu, Times of India and The New Indian Express), which helped us understand the importance of designing a newspaper attractively. He also explained the way a newspaper designer works and promised to organise a trip to a newspaper office/press. D' Souza spoke on the production departments of a newspaper and on the Internet department which manages their online editions.

Classroom Report / Day Four

By Krithika Malini S

The class started at around 9:00 am. First we started of with the routine activity of selecting news from the day’s newspaper. After each person completes there would be a small group discussion on it. After the reading session Mr. Vincent D Souza explained to us about how the news organization works. Firstly the chief reporter, his assistant and the correspondent is in charge of all the field work. He also mentioned that all news could not be covered or published in the newspaper, only major robberies and accidents were to be published. The very important quality of a reporter is to be eager about collecting news and publishing it. Every reporter has certain area of responsibility which is called “BEATS”.
Mr.Vincent also spoke to us about the difference between a correspondent and a reporter. The major difference was that because of experience the correspondent is engaged in writing special stories while the reporter is deals with field work. He concluded by saying that to be a journalist it needs a lot of hard work and energy. After this we had a small talk about field work for the day and ended the day’s class.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Eatery in Valmiki Nagar

By Manasa G Rao

Yet another eatery has opened in Valmiki Nagar.
Mr. Kupps is a new restaurant on Ist Seaward Road.
It offers a variety of food items ranging from simple, spicy sandwiches to lavishly stuffed burgers.
Suresh owns the shop.
There are a few special offers - like the 'Kids Meal' which costs Rs.65, the 'Couples Offer' for Rs.75.
This eat-out also has special offers for students like the 'Student Burger' which costs just Rs.25.
A full meal at Mr. Kupps is priced at Rs 129.
They also have beverages which includes soft drinks, lemonade and soups.
For starters they offer French Fries, nuggets, fingers and Smileys. The shop is open from 5 p. m. to 11 p. m. on all days.
Mr. Kupps is located at 7, (on the roof top), 1st Seaward Road, Valmiki Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur.
Contact cell phone nos. - 9962225757 / 9962225756

Friday, April 18, 2008

Marked increase of dogs in the IIT Campus

By Kaveri Murthy

There is a marked increase in the number of dogs in the IIT-Madras campus.
Their main target is the spotted deer and the blackbuck, the two varieties of deer on this campus. The dogs are not much of a bother to the spotted deer as they defend themselves fairly well. However the blackbucks are extremely delicate creatures and the dogs pose a great danger to them.

Some campus residents say that the main reason for the presence of a large number of dogs is that because checks are not kept on the entry of dogs through the IIT gates.
There are four gates to the IIT campus - the two main gates opening out to the Sardar Patel Road, the Taramani gate and the Velachery gate. Dogs enter freely through them.

Some suggestions given by the Prakriti Wildlife Club of the IIT campus are that there should be checks at all the gates and this must be the responsibility of the security guards stationed there.
Another suggestion is that the dogs in the campus should be rounded up and sent to animal shelters.

Odyssey store has lots for children

By Priyanka Bhat

If you live in the East Coast Road area and are searching for books, toys, stationery or novelties for your children, the right place is Odyssey store located on the main road in Thiruvanmiyur.

For those who love reading books, there is the Young Fiction section in the store. The Harry Potter series, the Disney collection and also books written by famous authors like Enid Blyton.

At Odyssey, you can find a huge variety of toys and dolls. There are Barbie dolls, Disney princess dolls, Poly pocket dolls and Winx Club dolls. There are Power Ranger toys and Blazing Yoyos too. There are also stuffed toys.

If your child’s birthday is close at hand then you can buy the perfect gift here. They gift wrap the items free off cost. The store opens at 10 a. m. and closes at 9 p. m. The store is open even on Sundays. To contact Odyssey store in Thiruvanmiyur, dial 2445 5577.

Course in Western Pop Music

By Sameeksha Asher

This summer, youths who love western pop music are in for a treat! A vocal training course named ‘The Summer of Love’ has been introduced at the Unwind School of Music in Gandhi Nagar, Adyar and Kilpauk.

This is the first time such a course is being conducted in Chennai.


At the course, participants get to sing to the tunes of Beatles, Deep Purple, Carpenters, Abba and much more! This makes it ‘contemporary yet classical’ and ‘traditional yet funky’. This is a unique way to attract children and teenagers to encourage them to develop their vocal skills.

The first course started on April 14 and focuses on the music of Abba, Beatles and Carpenters.
Reeba Cherain from Ooty and Tejas Ingle form UK are the teachers in charge. Thomas, who is in charge of the Kilpauk branch said that such music aims at choral training of the voice.

Joseph Raj who is in charge of the Adyar branch said, “We have got a strong response to the course and a fresh batch of students will commerce ever Monday, the last batch being on May 1o". The course is open for people above the age of 8. It is a 12-day course with a maximum of 17 students per session. The classes start at 5.30 p.m. and go on till 7 p. m, Friday being a holiday (for the Adyar branch). The fee for these classes is Rs.2500. There will also be a musical show on May 30 and 31.

The next course will start on April 21 and focuses on the music of Elvis and Clapton. Those interested may contact the following:
Unwind Center,
#67, 3rd Cross rd, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai – 20
Ph: 9941005949, 65379572
Unwind Center,
#8, Manickeswari Rd, Kilpauk, Chennai – 10

Jinna Stores in Kottur Gardens

By Sreya Viswanath

Jinna Stores, a popular store in Kottur Gardens is shifting to the TNHB colony on 3rd Loop Street.
The store moved from its earlier location on Lock Street in Kottur.

The store provides free home delivery and work all days.
The store stocks household articles, stationery, branded cosmetics and a big range of provisions and foodstuff.
It also supplies drinking water cans.

You can contact Jinna Store by dialing the following numbers - 2447 1103, 2447 0006.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Classroom Report / Day Three

By Priyanka Bhat

We started the day's sessions with each participant reading a news report from the day’s newspaper.
Two items were interesting –
One was on how a chisel which had accidentally pierced a boy’s skull was surgically removed later.
The other report was on ten suicide cases reported in the Madurai area on one day - 15th of April.

Vincent D’ Souza handled today's session.
The topic - Newspaper Organisation.
He explained the different steps in the publishing of a newspaper. The collection of news and information, filing reports and the collection of relevant news pictures.
The display of advertisements, the design of the paper, its production and circulation and its management.

D’ Souza then focused on the structure of the Editorial Department. The editors, assistant editor and sub-editors who work at the desk, the proof readers, the chief reporter, correspondents and reporters and the photographers.

On Thursday, the session will continue and the class will explore the job of each set of people who work in the Editorial Department of a newspaper.

There was an interesting discussion on the prices of newspapers.
D' Souza explained how newspapers were priced, why they were so cheap in India and how the low prices were affecting the businesses of Indian newspapers.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Class Room Report / Day Two

By Bharathi Yegnanarayanan

Our day in class started with the morning newspapers. Each of us could choose a news report and read it out.Vincent D' Souza, who handled this class, suggested that each of us make it a habit to carry a newspaper to class.
There were discussions after a report was read. The idea was to examine what we could learn from each news report. The focus was on getting to know our neighbourhood as well as our city.Many of us were not aware of the many places that were mentioned in the news reports.Vincent suggested that we could carry city maps to class.
The second half of today's session was focussed on what NEWS is all about.It ended with a stress on the need to also cover positive developments. Efforts taken by a community group or social work done by a colony resident could also be great news stories which could recognise the people who were written about and motivate others and create networking too.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Classroom Report / Day One

Reported by Kaveri Murthy

The Journalism Course was launched on Monday, April 14.
It took place at the Mylapore Times Center, in a tiny room on the second floor of the Corporation Shopping Complex in R. A. Puram.
The room was lined on one side with computers. Another consisted of cardboard boxes, all laden with goods!

Vincent D’Souza, editor of 'Adyar Times' and ' Mylapore Times' who is heading this course, gave us an orientation into the programme.
He told us about what we were going to do during the four weeks of the course.
We also got to introduce ourselves.

Participants at the course

We got our first assignment today - to map our neighborhoods.
But this was not to be done the way we usually think it is.
We were to pinpoint the major roads and streets, major stores, public places, temples and churches, hospitals, schools, etc.

Our first guest speaker on Day One was K. Satyanarayan. (He was called 'Satya' for short).
Satyanarayan is a publisher. He works at New Horizon Media at Alwarpet.

K. Satyanarayan, a guest faculty at the course
Satyanarayan was here to introduce us to the ways in which we could enrich the Internet with our contributions and how this could be done during this summer course.
The interaction was on how and why we use the Internet, the differences between the news and info on the Internet and in our daily newspapers and the advantages of the Net.
He also spoke about blogs.

Using his laptop, Satyanarayan showed us some Internet blogs and discussed their features and uses. They were churumuri.wordpress.com, citizenmatters.com, westportnow.com and maps.google.com.
The first two websites were Karnataka-based, the third was based on a small town in the US. On the last blog, he showed us a map of Chennai and made us identify the various places on it. The Adyar Bridge, Adyar River, Theosophical Society, etc.

Note from the Course Director

We are happy to be back with yet another edition of the Journalism Camp for 2008.
Our intention is to introduce this wonderful field to young people who are in high school and can benefit from basic training.

More than 20 people responded to our invitation and we expect to have a dozen at this year's camp.
We are constrained to host the training in Raja Annamalaipuram because that is the only space we can spare!
We are aware that the location discourages young people from other parts of Chennai from signing up.

The summer is with us and the heat could dampen the group which is on this course as it goes about looking for stories in the neighbourhood. But we always tell our students not to give up. A journalist never says 'no'.
This course has the potential to sharpen young minds and help them discover the world around.

We hope the group of 2008 enjoys the course and files lots of interesting reports.

Welcome!

Sunday, April 13, 2008

About the course

Summer Journalism Training Course
For senior school students
(Open to students in high school - class 9 to 12)

DATES:

April 14 to May 9, 2008. Classes from 9 a.m. to 11.15 a.m.
Mondays to Fridays. (Sat & Sun. are holidays.)

VENUE:

Mylapore Times Centre at Corporation Shopping Complex, R. A. Puram

COURSE DETAILS :

About Newspaper Organisations, What news is all about, How Reporters work, Interviewing people and making contacts, gathering information, filing reports, editing, writing feature stories. TV and radio journalism. Writing for the Net, Blogging. Writing and producing in-house newsletters.

The course will be covered through lectures and daily field assignments. Media professionals from media organizations like The Hindu, The New Indian Express, Times of India, NDTV, Adyar Times, Mylapore Times, etc. will share experiences.

Participants will have to report and file assignments from day one. These reports and photos will be posted on a blog - www.mtjclass.blogspot.com (do visit this blog and get a feel of last year's workshop)

FEE and BENEFIT :

Rs. 2,000 (non - refundable).

All participants will be given certificates.
This workshop will be useful for those who plan to join a media course / to write freelance / get an introduction to journalism/media. It is co-ordinated by Vincent D' Souza, Editor, Adyar Times, Mylapore Times & Arcot Road Times.

HOW TO SIGN UP:

E-mail a short report on any recent development in your campus / or in the area where you live. If it impresses us, we will invite you to join the course. Admission starts from April 1.
Mail to mylaporetimes@vsnl.com.
For clarifications call 98410 49155