Grey Scale #4: A day's drama

I worked on ground zero during the RK Nagar by-elections a couple of months back. Though this article's timeline has expired, I believe the context is common across the country. So, I felt this shall be spoken here in this grey-scale column.

எடப்பாடி பழனிச்சாமியும் சடகோபன் ரமேஷும்

"ஆறு மாதங்களுக்கு முன்பு வரை எடப்பாடி பழனிச்சாமியை யார் என்றே எனக்குத் தெரியாது. அவரை எப்படி முதல்வராக ஏற்றுக் கொள்வது."- இன்று பலரிடம் எழும் கேள்வி இது.

Is there anyone to inform dead artistes? Vasanthabalan

It was a Super Thursday for filmmaker Vasanthabalan last week, as his movies bagged a total of 12 awards announced by the Tamil Nadu government for films from 2009 to 2014. He won the best director award of 2009 for his movie Angadi Theru. His leading lady in Angadi Theru, Anjali, picked up the best actress award for 2009. What was even more pleasing was that Kaaviya Thalaivan, directed by Vasanthabalan, has picked up 10 awards in various categories.

Despite this, Vasanthabalan has a serious unanswerable question too, which he shot at me when I had an interaction with this coming of the age filmmaker. Here are some excerpts from that.

Third Law #3: Hence, Tamils are anti-Indian

There is a generalised image over the people of Tamil Nadu as they are always against any of the schemes announced by the Central government. Starting from the Koodankulam Nuclear Powerplant to the present protests against Methane extraction in Kadhiramangalam and Neduvasal, for every Central government's project, there is a huge protest driven by the people. This has even earned an honour of being anti-Indian.

Ben's Corner #6: Hidden side of AHO

One of the greatest amendments of this year with respect to two wheelers is the implementation of 'Automatic Headlight On'  (AHO) feature which came into effect this April. Brought along with the BS-IV emission norms, this rule has kickstarted a new era in the history of Indian automobile industry. Now, every bike / scooter sold in India no longer has an independent switch to turn on / off the headlight. As per the rule, the moment key is turned on, the headlight and the rear danger light should glow irrespective of whether it is day or night.

Grey Scale #3: Why manholes still have man in them?

When almost 99 per cent of people close their nose while crossing an open manhole or a dumpyard – even if it is for just a few seconds – there is still a section that steps into the same manhole or works in the dumpyard. India has come a long way in the 70 long years of Independence, but this section still remains in the 1940s, without witnessing any kind of development in terms of livelihood or technology in their profession.

Vedaranyam to NASA - via Velacheri

For T Gobinath, one of the member-scientists of Kalam Sat team that made history by making the tiniest satellite ever built by mankind, past and future are intertwined inextricably: His research involves the study of seeds in outer space. This would help improve life on earth, he says, and adds that it would help mankind colonise space.

When I had an interaction with him recently, I found that actually, it was only during his secondary schooling at Velacheri Government Higher Secondary School, Chennai, that Gobi was given a first push by his teachers towards the world of science.