First Tamil heroine TP Rajalakshmi fought for women, freedom
At a time when child marriage was the norm, women’s re-marriage a sin and women’s liberation pooh-poohed, a daring woman rose up — breaking free from the shackles of patriarchy — and stormed the male bastion. T P Rajalakshmi sang and acted in stage plays and films and...
Govt must stop officials’ misuse of Namma Chennai app
The Greater Chennai Corporation has sometimes faced stringent judicial strictures over allegations of corruption, one of the cases being H Lakshmi vs The Commissioner (2018), where the Madras High Court ordered it to transfer all its vigilance staff en masse in a case...
Kerala, Karnataka promote menstrual cups for better periods
Kerala is abuzz with a ‘No to pads, opt for M-cups’ campaign, as the state government, various agencies and people’s representatives spread awareness about the use of menstrual cups for periods instead of sanitary napkins. The menstrual cup is a reusable and...
Tamils must admit to, end bias against migrant workers
A Facebook post that came up recently featured a photo of film star Rajinikanth standing next to a shorter, scraggy looking man – purportedly a daily wage worker. The accompanying comment said both came from up north for survival and they should know their place and...
TN BJP chief Annamalai a hit in Karnataka too
Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai after being appointed as the co-president of Karnataka BJP in poll-bound Karnataka, is making his presence felt in the state too. Annamalai has written to the Chief Justice of Tamil Nadu, Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari, apprising...
Can Prabhu Deva craft a great second innings for himself?
How to measure a film actor’s popularity? The parameters used for the purpose are how the following questions are answered: Does he dish out back-to-back hits? Does he act in diverse roles? Is he feted by fans, the media and colleagues alike? What image does he create...
GI tag for Vellore thorny brinjal, Ramnad rotund chilli
In recognition of Tamil Nadu’s indigenous varieties of brinjal and chillies, the thorny brinjal of Vellore and the rotund chilli of Ramanathapuram have been given the geographical indication or GI tag. ‘Mullu kaththarikaai’ (thorny brinjal) is endemic to Vellore...
Abysmal foundational learning in TN primary schools
Tamil Nadu has been known for its model of social development, especially with regard to access to primary health care and high enrolment of students in schools. However, the quality of school education, when measured by foundational learning outcomes, especially in...
Remembering Vani Jairam — a tribute
Three persons uniquely placed to speak about singer Vani Jairam, who passed away recently, pay tribute to the great singer through Inmathi.com. Of these one is Rajkumar Bharathi who has sung many songs with Vaniji in various languages. The second is M V S Prasad who...
Raised FSI sans infra will make Chennai hard to live in
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin’s recent assurance to the real estate sector that Floor Space Index (FSI) in Chennai would be increased even along narrow roads buttresses regulator CMDA’s proposal to allow FSI of 6.5 around Chennai Metro and MRTS. The Chief...
People must agitate, end ‘cash-for-votes’: Arappor Iyakkam
Arappor Iyakkam has written to the Election Commission of India alleging that the Erode East by-election is heavily marred by political parties bribing voters with freebies and cash for votes. The unfortunate trend set by the infamous Thirumangalam by-election in 2009...
Poachers using Veerappan’s toolkit, say conservationists
Forest officials protecting the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border region have long forgotten the Veerappan era. But can they be so complacent as to allow minor poachers to grow into brigands that are difficult to deal with? A case in point is that of Karavadaiyan alias...
Drink water regularly; it does more than just quench thirst
Drinking enough water every day plays a great role in maintaining human health. Water accounts for 75 per cent of the substances our body is made up of, and drinking enough water aids digestion and regulates metabolism. How much water should you have every day? There...
Bakasuran not a progressive ideal; it just portrays reality
Social media is ablaze with arguments and counter-arguments for and against the recent Tamil film Bakasuran directed by Mohan G. The film is getting more brickbats than bouquets, with the chief criticism being that the film is promoting misogyny and supporting...
TN bird census attracts more volunteers like never before
Every year the annual bird census is undertaken after the end of the northeast monsoon in Tamil Nadu. Usually it happens around Pongal. This year, more volunteers and students have come forward to take part in the Forest Department’s bird survey, as interest in...
How to commute in Chennai on a shoestring budget
Just how far can a tight travel budget take you in Chennai when the only choice you have is public transport? That depends on what kind of information you get about the ways to move around, switching from buses to suburban trains to Metro trains to share autos to...
Erode East by-election: No growth plans, only caste plays
The by-election to the Erode East Assembly constituency will be a testing ground for the DMK which has been in power in Tamil Nadu for two years, but it’s also equally important for the opposition AIADMK, which would be looking to win back the constituency it...
Once ‘Padikathavan’, now comes back as Vaathi
Dhanush has long been typecast as an uneducated person who doesn’t care to hold down a job, hangs out with undesirables and yet gets the glamorous heroine. But recent films Thiruchitrambalam and Naane Varuven are a break from the overused template. Vaathi too makes a...
