The architecture sector tops the revenue generation for the 3D printing sector in the UAE.
Research shows that the UAE’s 3D printing market size is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 55.3 per cent between 2018 and 2024.
The architecture sector tops the revenue generation for the 3D printing sector in the country.
Binder jetting has been found to be the most widely used technology for architectural modelling.
Though 3D printers have been gaining popularity across the world, the price point has been a deterrent of sorts and more so in developing countries like India.
But Melvin George, 24, from Kannur in north Kerala, the southernmost Indian state, has come up with an innovative and inexpensive way of developing a 3D printer amid the raging Covid-19 pandemic that is evoking widespread enthusiasm in the UAE.
George, a guitar aficionado, who is pursuing a postgraduate degree in commerce, wanted to print out parts of the musical instrument, but found that a 3D printer at Dh7,500 was way too expensive for him to afford. This got his curious mind ticking: why not make a 3D printer all by himself?
“Though I had made a guitar out of wood, I was keen to use original parts of the musical instrument. Initially, I wanted to take a 3D printout, but later because of the prohibitive costs decided to make one on my own that proved to be quite a resounding success,” he told .
The Internet proved to be a great leveller as he learnt the tricks of the trade from available online resources.
He has been constantly upgrading his homegrown 3D printer, whose making charge is only Dh1,000 and still a work in progress.
For the uninitiated, 3D printing, or additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional objects from a digital file using additive processes.
The maximum print size of a 3D printer is 120 centimetres (cm) x 83cm x 83cm.
So far, he has printed out figurines and showpieces besides parts of a guitar and its amplifier.
“I’m making my own polylactic acid (PLA), one of the key ingredients used in 3D printing, with corn. The PLA, which is industrially produced, uses additives and us ecologically harmful, but the homegrown stuff is 100 per cent biodegradable and safe,” he added.
George is into Western pop music and has fancied himself a lyricist since his high school days. And that’s where his penchant for playing guitar stems from.
His 3D printing innovation received a further boost from his uncle Byju Mathew, who works as an automation consultant in Australia.
“My self-learning skills have emboldened me to build India’s second concrete printed house.
I’ve even discovered a brand-new 3D printing kinematics, which will change the printing speed drastically. However, building a printer to those specifications will be more complicated, as parts for a printer like that exist. The future hinges on this concrete printer, which is in the works,” he added.
George’s homegrown technical skills, passion and a ready demand for 3D printing technology in the UAE and the wider region make him an ideal candidate to leave his native Kerala and make a dash for the Arabian Gulf nation, which is a home-away-home for an estimated over 60 per cent of the Indian expatriates.
Will George bite the bullet and come to the UAE soon on a hop, skip and jump fuelling an archetypal Malayalee’s Gulf dream?
joydeep@khaleejtimes.com
source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home> Technology / by Joydeep Sen Gupta in New Delhi, July 11th, 2021
In his long and fruitful life, the 93-year-old has penned hundreds of poems in addition to bringing out short story collections, essays and plays.
Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri. (File | EPS)
“When I shed a drop of tear soaked in compassion for others a thousand universes drawn in my heart
When I spend a smile from my lips wetted with my love for others the gentle, ever pure moonlight fills my heart
I knew not till date of this divine rapturous enlightened flow thinking again and again of this knowledge denied shattered in mind, I weep.”
These words flowed from Akkitham’s pen in ‘Irupatham Noottandinte Ithihasam’ (Epic of the 20th Century), a poetic masterpiece that has been termed one of the first works that heralded modernism in Malayalam poetry. The 93-year-old Malayalam poet won the Jnanpith award, one of the biggest literary awards in the country, on Friday.
He is the sixth Malayalam writer to win the prestigious award after G Sankarakurup, Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, SK Pottekkad, MT Vasudevan Nair and ONV Kurup. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh in addition to a sculpture.
Akkitham Achuthan Namboodiri, the philosopher-poet believes in the ultimate power of love. He advocates for a universal love towards everything that exists in Nature, a sort of leitmotif that resonates all throughout his poetic creations.
The nonagenarian’s well-known works were recently translated into English by bilingual writer and poet PKN Panicker and published as ‘Selected Poems of Akkitham – from God’s Own Country’.
Brought out by Authors Press, the book, while seeking to shed light on the poetic life and works of one of the greatest poets in Malayalam, is also part of an ongoing effort by the translator to ensure that “Malayalam writers, their writings, their perception of world events and Kerala’s culture is accessible to the world to study and appreciate.”
This rare collection subtly serves to portray a poet whose avowed ideals and poetic musings have been misunderstood many a time. Once an active advocate of various social reforms, Akkitham was also conscious of the underlying fact that – to quote Panicker – “his vision was not born out of any political philosophy or class war, but the result of deep-rooted learnings from his childhood.” This was what spurred Akkitham on to look at life and society from an altogether different perspective from that of his peers.
Maybe that is why Akkitham while elaborating on his own poetry once said, “Happiness is merely a process of erasing sadness. There is only one remedy for pain and sadness – and that remedy is Love.”
In one of his poems ‘Science’ rendered on an anecdotal note, we are casually thrown into the company of a seemingly superstitious gentleman who is accosted by one with an avowed scientific bent of mind, only to have the tables subtly turned on him. Originally titled ‘Sasthram’ from the work Sparsamanikal, the poem revolves around an incident in the life of the world-renowned scientist Louis Pasteur.
In his long and fruitful life, the 93-year-old has penned hundreds of poems in addition to bringing out short story collections, essays and plays. He has won many awards and titles including honours from the Kerala Sahitya Academy and the Kendra Sahitya Academy. In 2017, he was bestowed with the Padma Shri.
Akkitham believes in the coexistence of the physical and the metaphysical in a seamless web woven by the universe itself. Rather than attempting to arrive at a scientific backing of all that is there to comprehend, he is one who accepts truth for what it is. Such an utter lack of scepticism is what makes it difficult for a section of readers and critics to slot him into any one particular category.
Like his close associate Jeevan Kottavattam points out, “Akkitham has lived and still lives as a true Gandhian, wearing Khadi and not being ashamed of it. He is from the vanishing Indian tribe which recollects the pathos of the freedom movement of the nation. Gandhian, yes. But he is also entrenched in the culture of this country. Thus even at this ripe old age of ninety, he involves himself with the organisation of Yajnas.”
A living poetical paradox indeed, far ahead of his times.
Good Service Entry awarded to 15 policemen team led by Koz Rural SP.
Kozhikode :
The mystery behind the Koodathai serial murders was cracked by a team of 15 policemen who worked behind the scenes for over two months and brought to book the main culprit Jolly Joseph and her two accomplices. Their dedicated efforts have won them due recognition with Kozhikode Rural SP K.G. Simon announcing ‘Good service entries’ to them.
They include Rural special branch DySP K. Ismayil, additional SP T.K. Subramanyan, Crime Branch DySP R. Haridasan and sub-inspector Jeevan George.
The way they went ahead with the investigation reads like a thriller. Jolly tried to mislead them but in the face of clinching evidence, she gave up.
The under-cover policemen sporting long beards secretly scanned Kattappana, the native place of Jolly, and also the Ponnamattam house at Koodathai where the majority of murders had taken place.
None knew their identity till the tombs of the victims were opened. Those who visited Kattappana were given language training to suit the local style as the Malabar slang would have exposed them. They also visited NIT Calicut, where Jolly claimed to have worked.
At one point when the police wanted to conduct a polygraph test on Jolly, she insisted on discussing it with her father Joseph. She called a person claiming to be her father, but a policeman who already knew him said the person at the other end of the phone was not her father. Jolly was stunned. Sub-inspector Jeevan George had found that Jolly was not employed in NIT. Her presence at the time of all the deaths in the family was also revealed by the policemen.
According to SP Simon, the investigation team sacrificed a lot to book the culprits. Even the police driver, who proved his mettle, has been honoured, he said.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / by Deccan Chronicle / October 27th, 2019
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the celebrations at 4.30pm on Friday.
Thiruvananthapuram :
The state government is all set to celebrate the 150th year of the Secretariat. In connection with the occasion, a gamut of programmes will be organised in the Secretariat from November 1 to 7. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the celebrations at 4.30pm on Friday.
The inauguration function to be held near the South Sandwich block will be presided over by speaker P Sreeramakrishnan. Cultural programmes will begin at 5.30pm. The Archives Department will organise an exhibition of archeology documents while the Information and Public Relations Department will organise an exhibition of photographs depicting historically significant event.
Painting competition for children, documentaries highlighting the history of the Secretariat and seminars will also be organised. The public can visit the old Assembly Hall and exhibitions during the period.
The Secretariat was inaugurated by Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma, then ruler of the erstwhile Travancore princely state, on July 8, 1869. The structure was built infusing Roman and Dutch architecture styles and was designed by William Barton under the supervision of Dewan T Madhava Rao. The building became operational on August 23.
The initial estimate for the construction was C1.7 lakh. However, the official documents show that C3 lakh was spent on the work that lasted four years. Barton had designed the central structure comprising the darbar and the adjacent buildings were later added to it.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Thiruvananthapuram / Express News Service / October 31st, 2019
Retired college teacher has preserved his father’s diaries dating back to the 1930s
A diary written in ink, in the Malayalam of the 1930s, could be a bit difficult to read as many words are not in use now. However, for Poovathunkal K.J. Kurien, an 83-year-old retired college teacher, it is familiar terrain. He holds a collection of diaries written by his father Mathai Joseph from the age of 14 till his death in 2006 at the age of 107.
A printed diary of the 1930s, under the erstwhile Travancore kingdom, had a vastly different feel. Its initial pages had details of rules such as Nair Regulation Act, Ezhava Regulation Act, and Christian Regulation Acts, in addition to the charges of Anchal posts.
A diary printed by K.G. Parameswaran Pillai at Sri Rama Vilas Press, Kollam, has a black and white photo of the Travancore ruler and has Malayalam year and dates. Another one printed by K. Narayanan Vidyarambham Press, Mullackal, Alappuzha in 1951 is priced at ₹2.
Not just personal
Mr. Kurien has preserved the diaries at his ancestral house at Thudanganadu, near Muttom, in Idukki. When his father was bedridden, he had left a few pages of the diaries blank, in the hope of filling them later.
The diaries are not just personal accounts. They contain vivid portrayals of the social life of those times. Muttom was the earliest area of settlement in the low range of Idukki district. It was from here that people migrated to the the high ranges via Adimaly. The second route was through Kuttikanam to Upputhara.
Madambi link
Mr. Joseph’s connection to the then local ruler ‘Madambi’ at Ramapuram under the Travancore ruler is evident in the diaries. They have descriptions of the loans taken from the Madambi and repaid after the harvest season.
“Alappuzha was the main business centre then and the diaries have descriptions of his travel to Athirampuzha and Alappuzha in country boats via the Meenachil river,” says Mr. Kurien. Mr. Joseph had sold spices there and purchased rice from Alappuzha. He was instrumental in bringing many others to Thudanganadu and setting up a church and a school there. The diaries say that the first settlement in the district was on a hill as wild animals, including elephants, roamed the low-lying areas. His diaries unfold the stories of this settlement.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Gigi K Raman / Idukki – October 30th, 2019
Latha K, Chef Di Cuisine of Malabar Cafe, speaks about helming the cafe which recently won an award for the Best South Indian Restaurant
Kochi :
It is easy to take Latha K for an unassuming neighbourhood homemaker when she is not donning her professional garb. With her modest low bun and unpretentious round pottu, Latha does not really exude a hot-shot chef vibe at the outset. But with over three decades of experience in the culinary sphere, the Chef Di Cuisine of Malabar Cafe at Grand Hyatt Kochi Bolgatty has won the hotel the distinction of housing the Best South Indian Restaurant by Travel + Leisure India Magazine & South Asia’s Delicious Food Awards this year.
“This is the first national award the restaurant has won and it is a notable achievement,” says Latha. Her culinary ethos harps on serving authentic delicacies of Kerala for which she uses fresh spices ground by hand using mortar and pestle.
Born in a small village in Kozhikode, Latha’s resolve to become a chef developed early. She made her first dish, Kerala fish curry and rice, at age nine and was rewarded with compliments. Having honed her skills by observing her mother and grandmothers cooking in the kitchen, Latha took hotel management and that was where she came across her first hurdle. From being denied admission because she would be the only girl student in a batch of 27 boys to having to move to Chennai to complete her internship because no restaurant in Kozhikode would take her, Latha broke many glass ceilings to become Kerala’s first female chef.
“Women bring warmth and affection to the table, something that evokes nostalgia to the food we make. As the only south Indian live kitchen to have a sizeable number of women chefs, we are looking forward to adding more to the team,” says Latha, whose team of female chefs are piquantly referred to as the ‘spice girls’ at Hyatt. “In the last decade or so, a significant number of woman chefs have come to the forefront of the hospitality industry. Establishing oneself as a chef has become increasingly easier. This is a welcome development,” she adds.
Although well-versed in Thai, continental and middle-eastern cuisines, Latha says south Indian food is closest to her heart. “Kappad kaya curry, a chicken preparation, reminds me of my childhood. It is popular with fisherfolk and is prepared at the time of a festival. The dish is on the menu at Malabar Cafe and I relish cooking it,” says the chef.
Latha has gathered a treasure trove of more than 3,000 recipes over the years. She is currently working on a historical cookbook that will feature 350 traditional recipes from different parts of Kerala. “The book will also outline the cultural fabric Kerala cuisine is rooted in. The research for it has been expansive and exhaustive,” she concludes.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kochi / by Swetha Kadiyala / Express News Service / October 26th, 2019
Dr. George Thayil has been honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions in the field of cardiology and for publishing awareness books for heart patients.
Thiruvananthapuram :
Dr George Thayil has been honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions in the field of cardiology and for publishing awareness books for heart patients. The award was presented by Education Minister C Raveendranath during the Onam celebrations jointly organised by the Tourism Department and Mangalam Publications in Thiruvananthapuram.
Dr Thayil is the founder head of the department of cardiology at Lourdes Hospital, Kochi. He has authored six heart disease awareness books. He has received 10 medical excellence awards and is the former state president of Indian College of Cardiology and Indian Academy o f Echocardiography
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by Express News Service / September 18th, 2019
Writer and novelist Paul Zacharia has been selected for the Vallathol award instituted by Vallathol Sahithya Samithi for this year
Paul Zacharia
Thiruvananthapuram :
Writer and novelist Paul Zacharia has been selected for the Vallathol award instituted by Vallathol Sahithya Samithi for this year.
The award carries a cash prize of Rs 1.11 lakh and a plaque. The award will be handed over at a function at Teerthapada Mandapam in Thiruvananthapuram on October 16, the birth anniversary of Vallathol.
The winner was selected by a panel comprising R Ramachandran Nair, Deshamangalam Ramakrishnan, Prabha Varma, R Hemanth Kumar and Nandiyath Gopalakrishnan.
KG Chandrasekharan Nair, who translated classic Tamil literary works into Malayalam, will be awarded the Keerthimudra.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by Express News Service / August 29th, 2019
Why is the industry, known for its realistic movies, suddenly making a strong showing abroad? Local stories filtered through a ‘new-gen’ lens is just one of the reasons
A village chasing a water buffalo running amok in the high ranges of Kattappana, in Kerala’s Idduki district, forms the story of Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Jallikattu . In Geetu Mohandas’ Moothon , a bi-lingual in Hindi and Malayalam, a 10-year-old leaves Lakshadweep in search of his elder brother who’s gone to Mumbai to look for work. Meanwhile, Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s Chola, a road movie, tracks the misadventures of two teenagers who elope.
All three films, part of a new wave in Malayalam cinema that is erasing the line between mainstream and arthouse conventions, are creating ripples of excitement. And all three are premièring at prestigious festivals abroad: Jallikattu and Moothon at the Toronto International Film Festival (September 5-15) and Chola at the Venice Film Festival (August 28 – September 9).
There is more. Bijukumar Damodaran will be in Singapore to participate in the competition section of the Singapore South Asian International Film Festival (August 30-September 7) with Veyilmarangal . The film, which follows a labourer who migrates to North India for work, had premièred at the 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival in June and won the Outstanding Artistic Achievement award. His previous film, Painting Life, is still doing the rounds at international film fêtes. Jayaraj — whose Bhayanakam won the best cinematography award at the 2019 Beijing International Film Festival in April — is heading to the Cairo International Film Festival (November 20-29) with his new film, Roudram. It is about an elderly couple trapped in their house during the 2018 Kerala floods). And Uyare, about an acid attack victim’s fight for justice, is part of the Indian International Film Festival in Boston (September 13-15) and the Washington DC South Asian Film Festival (September 20-22).
Geetu Mohandas with directors Anurag Kashyap and Lijo Jose Pellissery
“It has been a long time coming. Of late, most of the films being made in Malayalam are of international standard, whether it be Kumbalangi Nights, Uyare, Thamasha, Virus or Unda…We punctuate our films with the times we live in, the political and cultural issues we are facing,” says actor Parvathy Thiruvothu, talking about the strong showing at international platforms. She adds that the “new crop of directors is bold enough to make the kind of films they want, instead of following a formula. But this success has not been achieved overnight. Lijo has been at it since his first film, City of God, which was not a commercial hit, but he did not give up his distinctive vision”.
Mohandas agrees. She underlines that film directors and scenarists today are narrating stories that are realistic, yet captivating. Much like Moothon. “Although the theme has been with me for some time, I took about two years to write the script. I made no compromises in any department of my film. It has been exhausting but totally worth it,” says the director, who is excited that her film will be screened at a venue with greats like Pedro Almodóvar.
A still from Jallikattu
Local themes, global reach
Sub-titling, availability on streaming platforms, and the buzz created by festivals have helped the regional film industry make an impression and reach audiences beyond just the hardcore Malayali viewership. “Also, over the last four or five years, a talented bunch — which includes people like scenarist Syam Pushkaran and filmmakers Aashiq Abu, Dileesh Pothan and the like — have changed the profile of Malayalam cinema , ” says film critic Baradwaj Rangan. “The industry has always had a tradition of great arthouse cinema, and masters like the late Padmarajan and Bharathan made mainstream cinema with a lot of artistic flourishes. But what this lot is doing is filtering the same through a new-gen lens, and that is extremely interesting.”
The emphasis is on local themes with a global resonance. “I try to tell stories that are rooted in our soil. I know the people, the premise. I don’t think I’d be able to do the same in a different place and a different setting. This is my comfort space and I’m able to explore the kind of films I want to do,” says Pellissery, who is already ensconced deep in the hills, shooting his next film.
A still from Roudram
Credit to IFFK?
The conviction to narrate local stories for a global audience also comes from a democratisation in cinema in the last 10 years. “Now, anyone, anywhere can view the best of world cinema. That has changed our perspective,” explains Zakariya Mohammed, director of multi-award-winning Sudani from Nigeria(2018).
Moreover, the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) in Thiruvananthapuram has also been steadily exposing cinephiles to world cinema, and shaping the tastes and views of filmmakers. Many in the current crop of avant garde filmmakers, such as Sasidharan and Damodaran are self-taught, while Pellissery and Mohammed cut their teeth in the ad industry. “It is not a direct connection, but there is a correlation with the fact that the IFFK has sourced some of the best of world cinema and brought it to Kerala. I feel that the more experimental films are being watched and talked about, the better it is,” says Bina Paul, artistic director of IFFK, and a programmer for several prestigious fêtes, both in India and abroad. “It also gives our filmmakers an opportunity to network and that is so important. Right now, when it comes to cinema in India, Kerala is the most exciting place to be in.”
Is there a formula to ensure a film is chosen at a festival? “Not really,” she says, adding that filmmakers and producers have become smarter and know how to network and market their films. However, the length of some of our films do test the patience of international audiences, she observes.
Festivals on the mind
Directors dismiss the notion that their films are made specifically for festivals. According to Pellissery, of all his features, only Jallikattu, completed last December, was targeted at a festival — and only because of its concept. “It is not awards that motivate me,” he says. “And I don’t see them as just festivals; I see them more as places where you can exhibit your films to a different kind of audience, in a different part of the world. That gives me a high, I guess.” Meanwhile, Nivin Pauly, who stars in Moothon, believes that good movies need to be watched and discussed wherever possible. “I’ve always wanted to take our films to a wider audience and I’m glad it’s been done with Moothon.”
Script, front and centre
Malayalam cinema, especially arthouse cinema (a categorisation that many directors rightfully object to), has never had it so good since the 70s and the 80s, when auteurs like Adoor Gopalakrishnan, G Aravindan, Shaji N Karun, Bharathan and KP Kumaran wowed cinéastes with their content and narrative style. The resurgence, feels director Jayaraj, is because of a combination of things. “The script is the star of the marquee now. And producers (many of whom are from within the industry) are willing to bankroll projects that veer away from the mundane, the conventional,” he says.
But, most importantly, young actors today — with no hang-ups about screen time or image — are bringing in a new kind of subtlety to their roles. Stepping out from reel locations, these characters inhabit small towns and villages, shanties and slums, and speak in the voice and dialect of the common man. If Dileesh Pothan’s Maheshinte Prathikaram (2016) celebrated Idukki, Eeeda(2018) focussed on a love story in Kannur. Sudani… was a paean to Malappuram’s craze for football, while Ee.Ma.Yau (2018) was located in Chellanam, a small coastal village near Kochi.
Confidence — in the story, its execution — is also making a big difference. “We have the conviction to take up experimental narratives and trust that the content will reach viewers,” says Damodaran, who believes that, more than big budgets, content matters. “I’ve made films on both shoe-string and lavish budgets. But to impress curators, it is technical finesse, narratives and themes that matter,” he adds.
Actors like Thiruvothu are excited to be a part of this generation of Malayalam cinema. “When I started out, we had lost our game for a while, though movies like Salt N’ Pepper,Traffic and City of God were pointers. Some were commercial successes, but not all clicked. Lijo once told me there will be martyrs, but we have to keep pushing the envelope. We used to watch cult classics in the 80s. Now cult classics are being made for youngsters today. It is an exciting phase for all of us.”
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Movies / by Saraswathy Nagarajan / August 23rd, 2019
Kuttiyamma took to hunting after shooting a bison in order to save her brother’s life
[File] Kuttiyamma was also known as ‘Shikkari Kuttiyamma’ | Rijo Joseph
Kerala’s first woman hunter Kuttiyamma, 87, is no more. ‘Shikkari Kuttiyamma’, whose real name was Thresya Thomas, had shot dead hundreds of wild animals.
Incidentally, she had taken up the gun to hunt in order to save the life of her brother. Kuttiyamma had joined a convent in Raichur, Karnataka to be ordained as a nun when a bison attacked her brother Pappachan in Kerala, leaving him gravely injured. Though he was admitted to a hospital, the family could not pay the bills. However, the hospital authorities said that instead of money, meat of wild animals would suffice as payment.
Kuttiyamma rushed to Kerala and ventured into the forest along with her younger brother Tomy to hunt. Deep in the woods, they saw a bison which Kuttiyamma felled with a single shot. The bison weighed 800kg, but was cut into pieces and given to the hospital authorities. The saga of Kuttiyamma the hunter was thus born.
Hailing from Edamattom in Pala, Kuttiyamma discontinued her studies due to poverty in 1958. She settled in Marayur along with her father Thomman and brothers Vakkachan and Pappachan in 1963. Later, they also bought 20 acres of land at Churulippetty in Chinnar. Kuttiyamma later married Thomas, who belonged to Sri Lanka. He was a friend of her brothers. From then on, the couple went on hunting trips together.
People from other places heard that Kuttiyamma would protect them from wild elephants in Chinnar forest and began settling there. Soon, Churulippetty village came into being with 42 families in 82 acres.
However, the hunting of wild animals came to the notice of the government and a decision was taken to evict Kuttiyamma and the other villagers. At that time, Kuttiyamma owned 17 acres of land. The government took over her land in 1993 promising monetary compensation. However, an error in the gazette notification led to delay in payment and no villager left the dwellings.
Kuttiyamma decided to fight a legal battle. She approached the High Court in 2005 pointing out that no compensation was paid. In January 2006, the court ordered payment of Rs 45 lakh including interest to Kuttiyamma. Still, she received only Rs 29 lakh. Kuttiyamma moved the court again and in 2013, she received the full amount.
Subsequently, the first woman hunter left the forest and shifted to Anakkallu in Kanjirappally. She distributed her property to her son and his children. Advancing age did not deter Kuttiyamma from fighting for her causes as she took up social work. She often visited her Churulippetty, the village she had helped set up, and offered service to its residents.
The funeral prayers for Kuttiyamma would take place at her house in Kappad and the burial at St Antony’s church cemetery, Anakkallu. Her husband Thomas Chacko had died earlier. Kuttiyamma is survived by son V.T. Joseph (Babu) of Matha Organic and daughter-in-law Sherly, belonging to Mathathipparambil family, Marayur.
source: http://www.theweek.in / The Week / Home> News> India / via OnManorama / August 20th, 2019
