Monthly Archives: November 2016
Cartoon historian Sundar passes away
Kannur :
Sundar Ramanathaiyer (63) who exhaustively documented and archived the history of Indian cartoons, passed away in Sydney, Australia on Saturday. It was Sundar’s “Tragic Idiom: O V Vijayan’s Cartoons & Notes on India,” which made the world sit up and take notice of the cartooning genius of the post-modernist writer.
“Though Vijayan was acclaimed as a leading writer, his first passion, cartoons, was never duly acknowledged till Sundar’s book came out,” said cartoonist E P Unny.
Sundar, born in Thiruvananthapuram, began his career as a development researcher, and his MPhil thesis, “Social Development in Kerala, India: Illusion or Reality?,” published by the University of Hong Kong, is considered a seminal work in the studies on the Kerala model of development.
Sundar was a researcher who loved cartoons even more than the practitioners, said Unny. “Sundar used to say that his exposure to cartoons sharpened his research methodology, giving him a certain ability to look at things obliquely,” he said.
Apart from writing short stories, columns and curating art and calligraphy shows, Sundar also promoted the cause of people with learning disabilities.
His work on the poor conditions at the Mental Health Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, led to the establishment of Abhaya, an organization to care for the destitute 30 years ago, said poet Sugathakumari, who now runs it.
“In 1985, after Sundar published a report on the horrid conditions in the government mental hospital in Oolanpara, I personally visited the place and saw the horrible fate of those admitted there,” she said, adding, “We at Abhaya owe it a lot to Sundar though he later parted ways with the organization.” It was while doing researches on the social development in Kerala that Sundar got attracted to the cartoons of O V Vijayan, said cartoonist and researcher Gokul Gopalakrishnan.
Sundar leaves behind his wife Girija Krishnaswamy and son Tige Sundarrajan.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Thiruvananthapuram News / TNN / November 13th, 2016
Colourful tribute to 60 years of State formation
Painting expo as part of Soorya’s 11-day annual festival
The works of as many as 60 artists are on display at an international exhibition organised by Soorya at Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan to mark 60 years of Kerala Piravi (State formation).
Being held as part of Soorya’s 11-day annual festival, it has paintings by 40 artists from within the country, and 20 by those from countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, the U.S., Austria, Kenya, Switzerland, Malaysia, Romania, and Uganda at the Lalithakala Akademi art gallery at the Bhavan till November 20.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Minister for Electricity Kadakampally Surendran on Friday. Dedicated to T.K. Padmini and Krishnakumar, the expo has been curated by Manilal Sabrimala. “We want to continue this, probably by including 61 paintings next year,” said Soorya Stage and Film Society founder Soorya Krishnamurthy.
The photography exhibition from December 11 to 20 will also be given similar importance, he said
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / Staff Reporter / Thiruvananthapuram – November 12th, 2016
Governor to inaugurate Arya Vaidya Sala centenary fete
Kozhikode :
The three-day long centenary celebrations of the Kozhikode branch of Kottakkal Arya Vaidya Sala at Kallayi will be held at the Tagore Centenary Hall here from November 18- 20.
Governor P Sathasivam will inaugurate the celebrations at 4 pm on November 18, P M Warrier, additional chief physician of the Arya Vaidya Sala said at a news conference here.
The governor will declare open the new building of the branch constructed at the Kallayi road.
A dance programme by dancers Sreekanth and Ashwati will be staged in the evening.
The cultural conference will be inaugurated by film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan at 10 am on November 19.
The 53rd Ayurveda Seminar will be inaugurated by M K Raghavan MP at 9.30 am on November 20. State health minister K K Shailaja will inaugurate the valedictory meeting of the centenary celebrations at 5 pm. TNN
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City News> Kozhikode / TNN / November 10th, 2016
Vazhoor ‘lad’ chasing the U.S. Congressional dream
The sleepy, landlocked village of Vazhoor, about 20 km from here, has a special interest in the Congressional elections in the U.S. ‘Local lad’ Anu is taking on a veteran in the polls on November 8.
Indian American Democrat Peter Jacob, candidate for the 7th Congressional district of the State of New Jersey, is ‘Anu’ for the relatives and neighbours of Puthuparambil House here. They remember him as an affable young man who made annual trips to the village and ‘spoke Malayalam with an American accent’.
Mr. Jacob’s father, Jacob P. Peter, migrated to the U.S. in 1986 chasing the American dream, taking along with him his wife, Sheela, and six-month-old Peter, named after the patron saint of the home parish. The family now owns a successful security systems business in the U.S. Talking to The Hinduover phone, Mr. Peter said: “Right from a young age he has been very focussed and bent on community work. I had suggested a future in medical profession for him, but he said ‘no’ and I agreed,” he added. “After taking a Master’s in Social Work from a prestigious university here, he had many offers from corporates, but he chose to return to his hometown and work among the poorest of the poor,” Mr Peter added.
“Whenever Anu came here, he wanted to learn about Indian mythology, Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, Sree Buddha, etc.,” said his uncle Elias P. Peter, a former PIB officer who leads a retired life at Vazhoor. “I had, in fact, introduced him to my friends from different faiths during such trips,” he said. “My only grouse is that he is 31 and still unmarried,” his uncle laments.
Mr. Jacob lives with his parents at Union, NJ. “Yes, the values taught by my parents have shaped my world view and influenced the political stance,” he said over telephone .
The Bernie Sanders’ endorsement has brightened his prospects against the veteran Republican opponent Leonard Lance. “After the latest endorsements, we have received over $1,15,000 in funding. And this is from common people like you and me. Not from corporates and interests groups,” he said pointing to the effectiveness of his grassroots level “People over Politics” campaign.
Democratic candidate hailing from Vazhoor Peter Jacob fights elections on ‘people above politics’ plank.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Kerala / by George Jacob / Kottayam – November 09th, 2016