Chennai Archive

Ibsen, Sletten in command in Indian International regatta

Published: November 3, 2009Posted in: National, SportsTags:

Chennai, Nov 3 – The Danish pair of Kristian Kirketep Ibsen and Mathias Sletten consolidated on their early gains and looked certain to win the 12-race 29er event in the Volvo Indian International Regatta in progress here Tuesday.

Ibsen and Sletten had five penalty points after six races having come out on top in difficult conditions that saw the winds pick up from eight to 12 knots, blowing from north-east.

Thus, the other competitors were left to fight it out for minor places. India’s Aman Vyas and Sachin Singha were lying second despite the fact that they have sailed the 29er only for the past fortnight.

Xerxes Bamboat and Krish Makhija, the other Indian combination hailing from Mumbai was placed third.

Results (6 races):

29ers: 1. Kristian Kirketerp / Mathias Sletten (Denmark) 5 points; 2. Aman Vyas / Sachin Singha ( India) 12 points; 3. Xerxes Bamboat / Krish Makhija (India) 14 points.

Optimist class: Race 4: 1. Bernie C Choon (Singapore); 2. Rufus Patrick (India); 3. Sankalp Kapur (India). Race 5: 1. Rufus Patrick; 2. Praveen Prabhakar (India); 3. Upamanyu Dutta (India). Race 6: 1. Rufus Patrick; 2. KC Ganapathy (India); 3. Sankalp Kapur (India).

Overall: 1. Rufus Patrick (6 points); 2. KC Ganapathy (14 points); 3. Sankalp Kapur (19 points).

Optimist (girls): 1. Niveditha Ravivarman (India) 40 points; 2. Zephra Currimbhoy (India) 59 points; 3. Varsha Gautham (India) 69 points.

CPI-M demands action against police officials, Dinakaran

Published: November 3, 2009Posted in: National, PoliticsTags:

Chennai, Nov 3 – The Communist Party of India-Marxist’s (CPI-M) Tamil Nadu unit Tuesday demanded the state government take disciplinary action against the four police officials indicted by by the Madras High Court recently in the attack on lawyers.

‘The state government must implement the court order against the officials while holding talks with the lawyers to avoid boycott of courts in the future,’ CPI-M state secretary N. Varadarajan said, according to a statement issued here.

A two member bench of the Madras High Court Thursday held that the Feb 19 attack by the police on the lawyers was an attack on the judiciary and ordered disciplinary action against former city police commissioner K. Radhakrishna, now an additional director general of police, and three other senior officials – A.K. Viswanathan, M. Ramasubramani, and Premanandan.

While the counsel for the state government told the court that the government would implement its order, no action has been taken against the officials till date.

The CPI-M leader also demanded the Prime Minister to drop Telecom Minister A. Raja over the spectrum allocation issue while urging the Chief Justice of India to take action against P.D. Dinakaran, chief justice of Karnataka High Court, for land encroachment.

DMK cancels rally on Mullaiperiyar dam issue

Published: October 29, 2009Posted in: National, PoliticsTags:

Chennai, Oct 29 – Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK, a constituent of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), has cancelled its Nov 1 public rally in Madurai to condemn the Kerala government for wanting to build a dam on the Mullaiperiyar river.

The DMK, which is upset with union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh for giving Kerala the green signal to conduct a survey for a new dam across the Mullaiperiyar river, has cited the ongoing case between Tamil Nadu and Kerala and the central government’s involvement as the reason for cancelling the meeting.

Tamil Nadu is opposed to any moves to build a new dam on the river as it believes its water supply will be affected.

The Mullaiperiyar dam is on the headwaters of the Periyar river in Kerala. According to a 999-year lease agreement signed during the British rule, it is operated by Tamil Nadu.

Citing safety concerns, Kerala has been demanding the construction of a new dam, which Tamil Nadu has vehemently opposed.

The DMK had announced the Nov 1 rally only after the Supreme Court declined to retain Kerala’s survey for the new dam.

The DMK government in Tamil Nadu had moved the apex court only after the Leader of Opposition and AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa had come down heavily on Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for inaction on the matter.

Though DMK’s first announcement on the Madurai rally categorically said the purpose is to condemn the union minister for the manner in which he dealt with the Mullaiperiyar dam issue, it was later watered down as a protest against Kerala.

Soundarya to direct Udhayanidhi’s debut film? (Tamil Film Snippets)

Published: October 25, 2009Posted in: Entertainment, NationalTags:

Chennai, Oct 25 – After lot of dilly dallying, producer-turned-actor Udhayanidhi Stalin has decided to rope in Soundarya Rajnikant to direct his debut film.

According to sources, Udhayanidhi, who produced films like ‘Kuruvi’ and ‘Aadhavan’, wanted K.S. Ravikumar to wield the megaphone for his debut vehicle. But Ravikumar turned down the offer saying: ‘Only those directors who have succeeded in directing films with newcomers will be appropriate for you. It’d be better if you approach Sasikumar and Myshkin for the job.’

But Myshkin and Sasikumar too refused the project saying they are already committed to their present assignments. They said they will be able to consider it after a year.

After considering many names, finally Udhayanidhi, son of Tamil Nadu’s Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, has approached Soundarya, daughter of superstar Rajnikant, to direct the movie.

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Dhanush, Hari join hands

Actor Dhanush has teamed up with director Hari for Vijaya Productions’ new untitled venture and industry sources say the combination is quite a sensation as both of them are known for their commercially successful ventures.

Dhanush has been churning out hit after hit while Hari has become one of the most sought after directors after giving box office successes such as ‘Sami’, ‘Aiyaa’ and ‘Aaru’.

The heroine and the other members of the cast are yet to be finalised for this big budget film, which is expected to go on the floors next year.

Producer B. Venkatarama Reddy’s Vijaya Productions is one of the oldest production houses. It produced late MGR’s magnificent hit film ‘Enga Veettu Pillai’ as well as Rajnikanth’s ‘Uzhaippali’, Vishal’s ‘Thamirabharani’ and Dhanush’s ‘Padikkadhavan’.

Crisp and short, Kamal Haasan film hits jackpot

Published: October 25, 2009Posted in: Entertainment, NationalTags:

Chennai, Oct 25 – The makers of Tamil films ‘Aadhavan’ and ‘Peraasnmai’, which were released during Diwali, have been forced to cut them short after they were rejected by audiences for being too lengthy. Kamal Haasan starrer ‘Unnaipol Oruvan’, however, has hit the jackpot.

‘The viewers were complaining about the length of both – ‘Aadhavan’ and ‘Peraasnmai’. The filmmakers were forced to cut them short,’ said a source from theatre circles.

K.S. Ravikumar, director of ‘Aadhavan’, edited out 20 minutes of the film and sent his assistant directors to all the centres to make these cuts. Meanwhile, theatre operators themselves cut ‘Peraasnmai’ short.

‘After the films were shortened, the footfalls at the theatres have slightly increased,’ said the source.

Kamal’s ‘Unnaipol Oruvan’, an adaptation of the Bollywood film ‘A Wednesday’, was a hit at the box office, thanks to its length. The film is less than two hour long and it proved to be ‘master stroke’ as it has been doing exceptionally well at almost all the centres.

Kamal’s close associates inform that he is likely to keep the length of his other movies short too.

Wasim Akram’s wife dies in Chennai

Published: October 25, 2009Posted in: PakistanTags:

Chennai, Oct 25 – Huma Akram, wife of former Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram, died at the Apollo Hospital here Sunday morning after battling for life for the past five days.

According to hospital officials, Huma breathed her last around 9.45 a.m.

Huma was suffering from sepsis (an inflammation of several tissues, including blood leading to kidney failure) and was admitted to Apollo Hospital Tuesday after developing complications mid-air while on her way to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore from Pakistan.

She was accompanied by Wasim Akram.

At Apollo Hospital, she was in the intensive care unit (ICU) since then and died Sunday without regaining consciousness.

Arrangements are being made to take her body back to Pakistan, the sources said.

India in World Motor Sport Council

Published: October 23, 2009Posted in: National, SportsTags:

Chennai, Oct 23 – India won a seat on the elite World Motor Sport Council of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) at the general body meeting and elections in Paris Friday where former Ferrari team boss Jean Todt took over as the president.

While Frenchman Todt defeated Finland’s former world rally champion Ari Vatanen 135 votes to 49, India was elected as one of the members of the 26-strong council, the inner sanctorum of the FIA.

Vijay Mallya, chairman of the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), will be the country’s representative.

Reacting to the development, FMSCI president Khushroo Madan, told IANS: ‘It is fantastic news for Indian motor sport. It would mean that India will see better and more international events in the near future. More importantly, India can expect a lot of backing for the proposed 2011 Formula One Grand Prix in Delhi.’

Madan said he was not surprised at India’s election to the WMSCI.

‘Jean Todt (the new president) always had India on his list and that he won by a landslide margin definitely augurs well for motor sport in our country,’ he said.

Renjith, Elam, Surekha set Meet records

Published: October 23, 2009Posted in: National, SportsTags:

Chennai, Oct 23 – Renjith Maheshwary of Kerala, Elam Singh of Uttarkhand and V.S. Surekha of Tamil Nadu rewrote the Meet records in the men’s triple jump and 3000 metres Steeplechase and women’s pole vault, respectively in the 49th Inter-State athletics championship here Friday. They also bettered the qualifying norms for the next month’s Asian championship in China.

Maheshwary reasserted his status as one of the top triple jumpers in Asia as he bettered his own Meet record with a winning leap of 16.73 metres that was an improvement over his own record of 16.67M.

Maheshwary, the 23-year old from Kerala who was the gold medallist at the 2007 Asian Meet in Amman, Jordan, with a wind-assisted and career-best 17.19, began with a foul, but then did 16.73 in his second attempt that assured him of the top spot.

The qualifying norm for the men’s triple jump is 16.64M that proved beyond the other contenders among whom Amarjeet Singh of Jharkhand finished second (15.99M) ahead of Malkit Singh of Punjab (15.59M).

Surekha, the 22-year old local challenger, gave the home supporters plenty to cheer about as she cleared 3.95 metres to rewrite her own Meet record of 3.90M, but way below her best of 4.08 that she had achieved in 2006. Her performance Friday also carried her past the qualifying standard of 3.50M.

Surekha skipped the initial heights and then started at 3.70 that she cleared in the very first attempt. She moved to 3.85M (third attempt) and then 3.95M (second attempt) before failing thrice at 4.05M.

In second spot was Surekha’s team-mate S Saranya who tied with Jisha R. of Kerala, both clearing 3.30M, but was placed ahead on the countback.

Sudha Singh of Uttar Pradesh set a scorching pace in winning the women’s 3000 metres Steeplechase that saw the top five finishers coming under the qualifying standard of 12 minutes, 12.40 seconds.

Sudha clocked 10:21.88 for the gold medal while Kiran Tiwari of Madhya Pradesh (10:40.40) came in second, followed by Rajashri Patil of Maharashtra (10:54.14), Rameswari M.V. of Kerala (10:56.25) and Shanti Burman of Bengal (11:52.45).

The day’s programme ended with Elam Singh winning the men’s 3,000 metres Steeplechase in a record time of eight minutes, 43.89 seconds as against the previous best of 8:46.92 and the qualifying norm of 8:47.99.

Finishing second was Jaibir Singh of Maharashtra, clocking 8:47.53 to also qualify for the 2009 Asian championship while Prtam Bind of Uttarkhand came in third (8:52.57).

The results:

Men:

200M: Arunjith S (Kerala) 1 (21.38s); M Manikandaraj (Tamil Nadu) 2 (21.76M); Anas CG (Kerala) 3 (21.92s).

Triple jump: Renjith Maheshwari (Kerala) 1 (16.73M; NMR, Old: 16.67M); Amarjeet Singh (Jharkhand) 2 (15.99M); Malkit Singh (Punjab) 3 (15.59M).

Discus throw: Prabhjot Singh (Punjab) 1 (52.17M); Amrit Pal Singh (Jharkhand) 2 (51.30M); Gurpreet Singh (Punjab) 3 (49.96M).

3000M Steeplechase: Elam Singh (Uttarkhand) 1 (8:43.89, NMR; Old: 8:46.92); Jaibir Singh (Maharashtra) 2 (8:47.53); Pritam Bind (Uttarkhand) 3 (8:52.57).

Women:

200M: K Soujanya (Andhra Pradesh) 1 (24.33s); HM Jyothi (Andhra Pradesh) 2 (24.48s); S Geetha (Andhra Pradesh) 3 (24.71s).

20Kms Walk: Deepmala Devi (Jharkhand) 1 (1:47:29.69); Supriya Adak (Maharashtra) 2 (1:52:59.61); Sandhya KJ (Kerala) 3 (1:54:38.83).

Hammer throw: Sukanya Mishra (Uttarkhand) 1 (56.96M); Seema Jakhar (Haryana) 2 (54.31M); Usma Darayan (Uttar Pradesh) 3 (53.57M).

Pole Vault: VS Surekha (Tamil Nadu) 1 (3.95M); S Saranya (Tamil Nadu) 2 (3.30M); R Jisha (Kerala) 3 (3.30M).

High jump: Samana Kumari (Jharkhand) 1 (1.82M); Kavya Muthanna (Uttarkhand) 2 (1.76M); Mallika Mondal (Bengal) 3 (1.73M).

3000M Steeplechase: Sudha Singh (Uttar Pradesh) 1 (10mins, 21.88secs); Kiran Tiwari (Madhya Pradesh) 2 (10:40.10); Rajashri Pateil (Maharashtra) 3 (10:51.14).

Karunanidhi diluting Tamil Nadu’s case on Mullaiperiyar: Jayalalithaa

Published: October 23, 2009Posted in: National, PoliticsTags:

Chennai, Oct 23 – Tamil Nadu opposition leader J. Jayalalithaa again took up the Mullaiperiyar dam issue to attack the DMK-led state government Friday, saying a public meeting announced by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in connection with it was nothing but deception.

AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa referred to the announcement as a ‘shameful act’. ‘If Karunanidhi wants the people of Tamil Nadu to believe he has truly been let down by the central government, then he should withdraw his DMK party’s support to the union government immediately,’ she said.

On Wednesday, DMK leader and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had said a public meeting would be held in Madurai to condemn the manner in which a union minister had conducted himself on the Mullaiperiyar dam issue.

The minister in question is believed to be union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh who has allowed a survey by Kerala along the Mullaiperiyar river. Kerala’s neighbour Tamil Nadu is opposed to any moves to build a new dam on the river as it believes its water supply will be affected.

Jayalalitha said about DMK’s Madurai meeting: ‘This is tantamount to conducting a condemnation meeting against one of his own DMK ministers in the minority DMK government headed by Karunanidhi himself.

‘The people of Tamil Nadu will not accept this drama of deception being staged by Karunanidhi.’

‘He had diluted the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils by way of enacting various dramas. Now, he is going to enact the same kind of drama in the Mullaiperiyar issue also.’

She said the Supreme Court’s refusal to stay the centre’s approval and the carrying out of a survey for a new dam across Mullaiperiyar river ‘comes as no surprise. The petition had been filed only for the sake of filing. The apex court has faulted Tamil Nadu for failing to furnish all the particulars required to make out its case for stopping the survey’.

She said during her tenure as chief minister, the state made a powerful presentation of its case so that the Supreme Court in 2006 allowed the storage level to be raised from 136 ft to 142 ft. Soon after the order, the DMK came to power that year.

‘Till this day, the storage level has not been raised even an inch beyond 136 feet. Now, by making a haphazard presentation before the Supreme Court, the Karunanidhi government has also let slip the opportunity to stop the survey from being conducted by Kerala, preparatory to constructing a new dam,’ Jayalalithaa charged.