VILLUPURAM: In a vibrant celebration of inclusivity and tradition, the district hosted the 21st edition of the annual Koovagam beauty pageant on Monday. The event, renowned for its unique cultural significance, witnesses participants from the transgender community come together from various states to showcase their talents, beauty, and grace. Higher education minister K Ponmudy, along with former district chairperson K Janagaraj, district chairperson Kalaiselvi Prabhu and other officials took pa

CHENNAI: In the world of gastronomy, certain individuals possess a rare talent that transcends the mere act of cooking; they are culinary artists who weave stories through their dishes, creating experiences that linger in the memory long after the last bite. Among these luminaries stands Chef Anna Polyvieu, a maestro of the kitchen whose culinary creations evoke emotions, provoke thought, and celebrate the essence of food in its purest form. Chef Anna talks to CE about her new found love for Ind

Gods own country, Kerala is known for its picturesque landscape, and coastline, and also has a diverse food culture which is very unique. The three main communities Hindu Pandits, Christians, and Muslims have their own drastically different food habits and cuisines with the common undertone of coconut oil, coconut, spices, and fresh produce. The origin of the Syrian Christian culinary heritage dates back to the time of St Thomas coming to India and his followers intermingling with the powerful

CHENNAI: After a sweltering morning when the sun melts into the deepening hues of blues and oranges in the evening, the city shines with a warm glow of streetlights, and sweet scent of chocolate wafting through the air in several avenues. On trailing this aroma we find a vibrant cart with warm lights and a tempting array of desserts. Whether gathered in search of an unwinding escape from the office, a spontaneous meet-up with folks, or a romantic date with a crush, these bustling kiosks welcome

CHENNAI: American actress and acting teacher, Stella Adler, once said, The word theatre comes from the Greeks, which means the seeing place. It is the place people come to see the truth about life and the social situation. Staging real-life narratives on how one treats a slave and sending a social message that everybody is powerful but the use of it changes, is the play Pattanathil Bhootham by Sathya Sai Creations. With this play, the 33rd Kodai Nataka Vizha by Kartik Fine Arts was inaugurated a

After realising the impact relationships have on individuals and the effects her own relationships have had on her tribe, Puja Puneet, the founder of Life by Design, decided to step into the arena of relationships. She has come up with her first post-pandemic live workshop. A transformative experience in the romantic exploration of women that helps relationship to become great from good is how the life coach and author of Unlocking the Golden Cage explains her workshop The Love Bubble. Focused o

CHENNAI: Amid the verdant fields, almost 33 kms away from the city, in Thirukandalam village, Tiruvallur district, preparations for a new health centre are ongoing. The village, which houses almost 3,000 people, mostly Dalits, had been distant from the vital services, especially healthcare. There is no health care facility around the three-kilometre radius of the village, shares Sudha Ramalingam, managing trustee of Manonmani Trust. Established in 2006, the trust focuses on elder care, health an

CHENNAI: A 34-year-old man has been detained by police in connection with the death of a six-year-old girl, whom the man claimed drowned in a bathtub in Puzhal on Monday. The deceased, V Tejaswini, is survived by her mother V Divya (31) and brother Kathirvel. The 34-year-old man had been living with Divya and her children since last year, after she separated from her husband. On Monday, Divya left Tejaswini in the landlords portion of the building before leaving for work, since the man who was l

CHENNAI: The VR shopping mall in Thirumangalam received a bomb threat over a phone call, which later turned out to be a hoax. The police are yet to identify the caller. The mall management alerted the police following which the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad reached the mall with sniffer dogs. After thoroughly checking the premises, the threat was declared to be fake. A spokesperson from VR Chennai said, In response to recent media reports and rumours regarding a potential threat to the mall,

CHENNAI: Parking vehicles in Anna Nagar will become dearer soon as the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) is proposing a parking project with an hourly fee. Within this financial year, the projects pilot phase will be executed on 5 sq.km area in Anna Nagar (covering 23 km of road network). This will make CUMTA the lone agency carrying out and regulating parking management in Chennai. Sources said the CUMTA has already completed a detailed study of the area and is likely to

CHENNAI: The 20-year-old wife of Praveen (26), who was allegedly hacked to death by a five-member gang including the girls brother in a case of honour killing, died by suicide. The girl, Sharmila, attempted to kill herself on April 14 and was moved to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital where she died on Monday night, without responding to treatment. Praveen's mother G Chithra said Sharmila was distraught after reading Praveen's post mortem report. In what Praveen's family claimed was a sui

In the game Harold Halibut, I play as Harold, the handyman on board the Fedora. When it crash-landed during its mission, the spaceship Fedora, stayed in stasis for years, caught in the waters of an alien planet. It left Earth during the height of the cold war, and now, generations have passed. Hardly any of the inmates remember why they left their comfortable planet in the first place. As you can imagine, there is a very real feeling of cabin fever on board. It cant help when a strange message f

CHENNAI : With the fashion world leaning towards sustainability, if the accessories that accompany these also follow suit, the industry can certainly be said to be moving towards a better future. Bringing a unique concept in line with this thought to the city is Aabaranam. The jewellery store in Adyar has handpicked collection and it rents out these pieces rather than selling them. The store was inaugurated by film actor Upasana RC along with singer Soundarya Bala Nandakumar on Sunday. The store

The Thazhuva Kuzhaindishwarar is a small Siva temple in Padappai, which is mid-way between Chennai and Kanchipuram. There is a connection between this temple, the Kamakshi Amman temple in Mangadu (one of the suburbs of Chennai) and the Ekamranatha temple in Kanchipuram. According to the ancient lore (Sthala Puranam) of the Mangadu temple, Goddess Parvati was cursed by God Siva to come down to earth as She had playfully closed His eyes and the entire world had come to a standstill. In Mangadu, Pa

CHENNAI : Inspired by the architecture of the Brodie Castle of his clan in Scotland, James Brodie, a civil servant in erstwhile Madras, had constructed a house that would also give him access to his favourite Adyar River. Unfortunately, James could only reside here for a few years until his accidental death in the very Adyar River. After being home to several famous tenants like Sir Thomas Strange, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Madras, the building is now the Tamil Nadu Governm

CHENNAI : Success stories of cricketers inevitably finds a mention of the Ranji Trophy, a stepping stone for many of them. With every season, new talents come to the fore. And among the star performers for Tamil Nadu in this seasons Ranji Trophy was left-arm spinner Ajith Ram. He played a perfect foil to skipper Sai Kishore and the duo together engineered many wins for the state team. Although Tamil Nadu could not make it to the final, the experience Ajith gained in this season should come in ha

CHENNAI : From the picturesque streets and antique structures of Kolkata, Arunanjan Saha began his exploration into the limitless world of photography. He wanders through the lanes of different towns and villages across the country, with and without his camera, and sometimes stumbles upon some amazing idea for his photo story. From the zig-zag routes of Ladakh, Kabul Gali, and the welcoming and earnest people there, the religious spots of Varanasi, and the saints in trance, his camera lens has s

CHENNAI: Residents of North Chennai, who returned from their native places on Monday, spent a harrowing three to four hours to reach their homes from the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus (KCBT) in Kilambakkam due to inadequate bus connectivity. While many of the people spent Rs 600 to Rs 800 on cabs to reach Thiruvottiyur, Ennore, Periyar Nagar, Minjur, Manali, or other areas, the others had to change at least two buses, all the while dealing with heavy luggage. Despite the KCBT being in operati

CHENNAI: The state government on Monday informed the Madras High Court that a policy for dealing with unauthorised parking in Chennai city is being chalked out and it will be completed in three months. The submission was made before the first bench of Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice J Sathya Narayana Prasad when a 2021 petition filed by T Sri Krishna Bhagavat came up for hearing. The draft policy has been prepared and was circulated to the departments concerned for approval, the govern

CHENNAI: Three youth were arrested by the Kannagi Nagar police for allegedly attacking a policeman and biting him in an inebriated state. The suspects S Prem (23) of Kannagi Nagar, K Rahul (22) of Ezhil Nagar and V Santhosh Kumar (22) of Ezhil Nagar allegedly possessed a knife, and were creating a ruckus when the policeman confronted them. A police officer said, Constables Pushparaj and Silambarasan were patrolling the streets on Saturday around 8.30 pm when they saw three drunk men creating a

CHENNAI: The Lok Sabha elections have wound up in Tamil Nadu and the politicians have gone into hibernation, but the whole process has left an indelible mark of disarray at government schools that were used as polling booths across the city. In the once colourful and homey classrooms, the walls now bear notices pasted using strong adhesives, the benches and shelves are damaged, and the floors are littered with garbage. Teachers and educationists said this is what the schools undergo every electi

CHENNAI: We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. These words of Dolly Parton serve no less than an enduring affirmation that guides us through lifes ever-changing circumstances. Harmonising all senses at his disposal, Arvind Kumar, a 27-year-old with Autism Spectrum Disorder, unveils his latest page-turner, The Book of Hope. Beyond showcasing a distinctive expression, the work that was launched earlier this month serves as a beacon of inspiration and optimism for individuals with

CHENNAI: One of the classic, most misguided, anti-lawyer jokes is a quote from William Shakespeares Henry VI, The first thing we do is, lets kill all the lawyers. But the context in which Dick the Butcher utters this phrase is key to understanding its true meaning. The character meant that in order for anything unconstitutional to succeed, you have to kill the lawyers, explains PS Raman, advocate general of Tamil Nadu while delivering the presiding address at the SGS Awards For Ethics In The Leg

CHENNAI: The three constituencies in Chennai continued their streak of low turnouts, as per the provisional figures released after the polling for the Lok Sabha election on Friday. Chennai North saw a turnout of 60.13% while Chennai South saw a 54.27% turnout and Chennai Central recorded 53.91%, the lowest in the state. The turnout in all three constituencies showed a decrease from the 2019 elections when Chennai North recorded 64.26%, Chennai South recorded 57.07% and Chennai Central 58.98%. Th

CHENNAI: Amidst the ongoing protests against the proposed Parandur green airport project, only 21 out of the 1,375 eligible voters in Kancheepuram districts Ekanapuram village took part in the voting process on Friday. Upon visiting the village, TNIE witnessed tense arguments between the villagers and officials, including Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) and Sriperumbudur Tahsildar Sundaramurthy. The villagers alleged that the ARO visited the village assistant Ezhilarasans family on Friday and

CHENNAI: Despite possessing valid voter identity cards and having lived in the same address for several years, many people across the city claimed on Friday that they were excluded from the electoral roll and consequently failed to exercise their franchise in the general elections. Among those affected was actor Soori. When he reached the polling booth in Valasaravakkam along with his wife, the officials told him that his name was missing from the list. This is disheartening. They are claiming t

CHENNAI: The 26th Indian Prosthodontic Societys Postgraduate Convention was hosted by Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Chennai recently. The conventions theme was Next-Gen Prosthodontics, drawing over 2,300 delegate registrations from across the country. This national convention, focusing on tooth replacement specialties, brought together more than 300 subject experts, with over 30 distinguished keynote presentations in various formats such

CHENNAI: A 54-year-old man from Sudan recently underwent a life-saving procedure at Kauvery Hospital Vadapalani after suffering a severe heart attack. After receiving conservative treatment in Sudan due to persistent pain, he was brought to Kauvery Hospital Vadapalani where he was diagnosed with myocardial infarction and found to be suffering from renal failure. Under the guidance of Prof P Manokar, senior interventional cardiologist and clinical lead in Heart Transplant with his associate consu

CHENNAI: A 2021 study published in the Indian Journal of Pediatrics estimates that 1 in 68 children in the country are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The prevalence of autism is higher in boys than in girls, with a male-to-female ratio of about 3:1. In the last 20-30 years, the commonness of autism has increased. Earlier, it was one to two per cent, but now, it is up to 5-6%, says Dr Jaichitra Suresh, senior consultant, department of family medicine, MGM Healthcare. This Autism Awar

CHENNAI: It is incredible how opera, a widely known musical genre in the West, has seeped in to become a part of the culture of Indias urban suaveness. Augustine Paul, the founder of Chromatics, says that in the opera concerts that are conducted in major cities like Mumbai and New Delhi, the professionals are often from outside the country. Albeit being a rare form of music in India, Augustine, has always set his sights on providing a platform to the local talents of Chennai, and encouraging thi

CHENNAI: Dr Poorna Chandrika, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry of The Institute of Mental Health remembers seeing a decaying postcard that had enquired about a brother residing in the asylum. There were other postcards sent by the institute to their loved ones asking them to visit the patients, but visits were rare. There was a time when mental illness was a byword for madness and treatments translated to isolation and fetters around arms and ankles. However, the scenario is perceptib

CHENNAI: Voters with disabilities can avail themselves of free pick-up and drop facilities arranged by the Election Commission of India in association with Uber, to reach polling booths, said District Election Officer J Radhakrishnan on Thursday. They can also use the transport facilities provided by the Chennai corporation through the Saksham mobile app. Further assistance will be available on helplines 1950 or 18004257012, wherein help can be sought from three persons who are adept at sign lan

CHENNAI: The city arterial roads and national highways leading to neighbouring districts witnessed increased congestion on Thursday as thousands of commuters left for various parts of the state by trains, buses or their own vehicles ahead of the Lok Sabha election on Friday. Meanwhile, encashing the huge demand for tickets, a section of omnibuses increased their fare by 100%-200% in the Chennai-Coimbatore, Chennai-Tirunelveli and Chennai-Nagercoil sections, resulting in semi-sleeper seat prices

CHENNAI: A 56-year-old transwoman, M Radha, who had contested in the previous Lok Sabha polls as an independent, will manage voters this time around as Velachery zones polling officer. Having undergone a training session conducted by the ECI, Radha expressed excitement regarding her new role and added that she was looking forward to the polling day. I feel this is an honour not just for me, but for the entire transgender community. When I showed up at Thiruvanmiyur for the ECI training session,

If there is one thing that can warm the soul, take you on a trip down memory lane or help you connect with yourselves, its a good coming-of-age story, where every scene is painted with the hues of transition and self-discovery. One such is Bengaluru-based author Andaleeb Wajids books TV adaptation Dil Dosti Dilemma releasing on April 25 which promises one such journey full of raw emotions and tender moments while weaving a story of growth, love, and resilience. Based on the Young Adult fiction

CHENNAI: We all carry mysteries within ourselves. This complexity amplifies further when its on our children, grappling with emotions beyond their cognizance and limited means to navigate them. Kindling a better life for these youngsters, The BALM (Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health) with the Sundaram Fasteners Limited unveiled its 4th edition of Lecture Series 2024 on supporting child and adolescent mental health in the context of social disadvantage and parental mental illness, on M

CHENNAI: Since the implementation of NOTA, the power devoted to it has become a problem. It is more of a choice than having a strong outcome. In the upcoming elections, if you plan to cast NOTA, there is something you should remember. Even if a majority of votes are NOTA, the candidate with the next highest number of votes will be declared the winner. With no constructive power, there is a fraction of citizens who see NOTA as a waste of rights exercised. Over a decade later, while a few amendmen

CHENNAI: Large lights beaded together and transformed into 20x20 ft cutouts of Dr BR Ambedkar, CN Annadurai, or J Jayalalithaa. These structures light up pockest of the city like Parrys Corner, Chepauk and Perambur as the campaign season begins for the Lok Sabha Assembly polls. No roadshow or rally is complete without entry songs, music performances, red carpets, and speeches. Borrowing from cinema, which has long been an inseparable part of Tamil Nadu politics, background music and decorative l

CHENNAI: Avantika, the Indian-origin American actor who has shot to fame with a fresh remake of Mean Girls, has been honoured with the South Asian Person of the Year Award from Harvard University. In her acceptance speech, she dedicated the award to people who are fighting on behalf of the people (our people) of Gaza, who are currently experiencing genocidal military attacks. This has infuriated rightwing trolls in India. Avantika is just 19 years old, and at the start of her career. To take a s

CHENNAI: An accessible election for voters with disabilities, in all likelihood, wont be completely achieved this time too as many polling booths in Chennai have failed to arrange the minimum facilities mandated in this regard by the Election Commission of India. The hasty upgrades to improve accessibility at some of the polling booths have also raised eyebrows. An accessibility audit undertaken by the Disability Rights Alliance (DRA) had found lapses regarding facilities to ensure accessibility

CHENNAI: In the television series Derry Girls, as an ethno-religious conflict rages across northern Ireland, Erin Quin turns 18 and needs to cast her vote for the first time on the Good Friday Agreement. This deal aimed to bring an end to 30 years of conflict dubbed the Troubles. Im not sure Im ready for the world. But things cant stay the same, and they shouldnt. No matter how scary it is, we have to move on, and we have to grow up because things...well, they might just change for the better. S

CHENNAI: A Tamil Nadu special police cop has been arrested for being involved in smuggling of wildlife species, after customs officials seized 484 red eared slider turtles and nine African spurred tortoise from a passenger who arrived from Bangkok on April 12 at Chennai Airport. The cop, S Ravikumar, was to recieve the consignment being smuggled by Mohamed Mubee, a resident of Pattukottai, who was arrested the same day. According to a customs department release, Ravikumar is a habitual offender

CHENNAI: IIT Madras has partnered with two German universities - RWTH Aachen (RWTH), and TU Dresden (TUD) - to launch a new joint masters programme on Water Security and Global Change. This programme will provide students with opportunities in interdisciplinary research and studies. It will also empower them with the skills to address water security challenges and climate adaptation realms in a global environment. Indian as well as international students with specified engineering backgrounds ar

CHENNAI: A former police Home Guard along with another man was arrested in a POCSO case by MGR Nagar police recently. On March 27, a couple lodged a police complaint stating that their 15-year-old daughter was missing. The child was traced last Monday and further inquiry revealed that she was allegedly kidnapped by a man named Rajapandi (27) under the pretext of a romantic relationship. The victim also told us that Rajesh Kumar (39), who was employed as a police Home Guard from 2009 to 2013, had

CHENNAI: In a scene straight out of a movie, two unidentified men stole `6 lakh from a private banks ATM after tampering with the machines settings during the first week of April. The duo used a key to open the machine on GST Road in Meenambakkam, and set the machine to dispense notes of `500 denomination when requested for notes of `100 denomination. Police said the bank did not observe the theft immediately since the suspects were clever enough to revert the machine to its original settings. T

Popular modern diets are often seen as a panacea for improving health and promoting weight reduction. The relations between societal, environmental, and economic development are crucial to the integral concept of sustainability. Unlike organic food, which already has a more concrete and regulated concept in many countries, the interpretation of local and seasonal food can vary depending on the context that is being used, and who is using it. The concept of local food depends on and is contextual

CHENNAI: Taking offence to the L&T and Adani Kattupalli ports not reinstating the 10 fishermen, who were earlier booked in a clash case, even after a court acquitted them over two years ago, around 150 families residing in Kattupalli Kuppam near Ponneri have decided to boycott the Lok Sabha elections. They will raise black flags on the houses and stage a hunger strike on Friday, the day of polling. These families were relocated to Kattupalli Kuppam by the government to commence construction of t

CHENNAI: A 28-year-old man was charred to death near Manali after his bike got crushed between a van and a container lorry. Madhavaram Traffic Investigation Wing police said the deceased, Sundarrajan of Andarkuppam near Ponneri, worked as a contract employee for Indian Additives Limited (IAL). On early Tuesday morning, Sundarrajan was riding his bike along Thiruvottiyur-Manali road, when a van rammed his vehicle from the rear side and due to the impact, the bike collided with a container truck t

CHENNAI: The Southern Railway has decided to operate special trains from Chennai to Coimbatore and Nagercoil aiming to reduce rush ahead of the general elections. Interestingly, the trains to Coimbatore from Chennai Egmore will pass through the mainline covering Chidambaram, Sirkazhi, Kumbakonam, Tiruchy and Dindigul. According to an official note, the Chennai Egmore-Coimbatore Special Express will leave Chennai Egmore at 4.25 pm on April 18 and 20 (Thursday and Saturday) and reach Coimbatore at

CHENNAI: The 14th annual convocation of the Vels Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies (VISTAS) was held at Velan Arangam, Pallavaram recently. The institute conferred an honorary doctorate on the project director of Chandrayaan-3 mission, P Veeramuthuvel, on the occasion. Actor Ram Charan Konidela, Dr G S K Velu, Founder Chairman and Managing Director, Trivitron Healthcare and Padma Shri Sharath Kamal Achanta, Indian professional table tennis player, were also awarded honorary d