Trans Rights Trans rights activist and theatre artist Living Smile Vidya listed several demands for transgender persons welfare, including special laws to protect trans people from violence and grants to set up small businesses. Days after Tamil Nadus Budget for the financial year 2023-24 was presented, transgender rights activist and theatre artist Living Smile Vidya has raised concerns regarding the lack of fund allocations for the welfare of transgender persons. In a social media post address

Caste Discrimination The family of Sudalaimadan, a 55-year-old sanitation worker, alleged that he had been facing casteist abuse from former and current panchayat officials of Udangudi in Thoothukudi, for seeking a promotion at work. The death by suicide of a 55-year-old sanitation worker in Tamil Nadus Thoothukudi has led to an outcry in the district. Sudalaimadan belonged to a Scheduled Caste (SC) community, and his family has alleged that on March 17 the day he attempted suicide a former pa

#MeToo Survivors and staff tell TNM that Kalakshetra enables a culture where sexually loaded comments and body shaming are par for course. Image for representation Chennais famous Kalakshetra Foundation, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, has been accused of enabling a culture of sexual abuse by several former students and staff. While Kalakshetra has denied these allegations against the institution, as well as a faculty member who has been accused of harassin

Sexual Harassment The announcement came a day after the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu directed Chennai Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal to probe the allegations based on directions from the NCW. The National Commission for Women (NCW) announced on Saturday, March 25, that it has closed its investigation into the sexual harassment allegations at Chennais Kalakshetra Foundation, stating that the victim has denied sexual harassment while she was inquired by the institutes i

Sexual Harassment The National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought a detailed Action Taken Report from the police and said that the commission would initiate the probe if the report was unsatisfactory. Tamil Nadu Director General of Police C Sylendra Babu directed Chennai Police Commissioner Shankar Jiwal to probe the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against a senior faculty member in Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts (RDCFA), Kalakshetra Foundation on Friday, March 24. The directive

Wildlife The elephant rubbed himself against a cement post which was used to support an electric pole after which the cement post broke down and the electric pole fell on the elephant, killing him on the spot. Representative image In a tragic accident, another elephant has been electrocuted to death in Tamil Nadus Coimbatore. In the early hours of Saturday, March 25, an adult male elephant was electrocuted in the Poochiyut forest range in Coimbatore. According to reports, the elephant rubbed him

Crime The four were arrested in Navi Mumbai and brought to Chennai for questioning after the businessman filed a complaint, claiming he was duped of Rs 33 lakh. Representative image A group of four Nigerian nationals were arrested by the Cyber Crime Wing of the Chennai Police on Friday, March 24, for allegedly cheating a Tamil Nadu-based businessman. The group had reportedly cheated several businessmen by promising good returns on investments. The four of them were arrested from Kharghar in Navi

IT There are nearly 1,300 tech centres already and we are leading in automation and innovation. Tamil Nadu will soon become the largest IT hub in Asia, CM Stalin said. File Photo Stating that Tamil Nadu is contributing nearly 10% to the Indian IT Sector, Chief Minister MK Stalin appealed to all stakeholders to come together to increase the contribution. He was addressing the Umagine Chennai 2023 event via a video message on Thursday, March 23, when he said that there will also be three tech citi

News The immediate reason for the synchronised elephant census is following the death of a wild female elephant who was injured in the mouth. Pixabay The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has pitched for a synchronised census of wild elephants along with its counterparts from neighbouring Kerala and Karnataka to avoid double entries. TN Forest Department sources told IANS that it has already communicated to the Forest Departments of Kerala and Karnataka in this regard. The immediate reason for the sy

News Tamil Nadu Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, KKSSR Ramachandran said that the greed of the owners and negligence of workers is leading to the explosions in small firecracker units. Tamil Nadu Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, KKSSR Ramachandran said that the greed of the owners and negligence of workers is leading to the explosions in small firecracker units. He said this while responding to a calling attention motion in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Thursday on the acc

Politics A Gujarat court held Rahul Gandhi guilty in a criminal defamation case filed for his statement from 2019 where he said how come all the thieves have Modi as common surname. Twitter Protesting against Rahul Gandhis conviction by a Gujarat court for criminal defamation, Congress party workers staged a protest in Tamil Nadus Kumbakonam on Thursday, March 23. Led by former Congress MP KS Alagiri, the party workers protested on a railway track in Kumbakonam. The protesters raised slogans con

Oscars 2023 Director Kartiki Gonsalves posted a picture of the couple holding the Academy Award for Best Documentary Film (Short) Courtesy/KaritikiGonsalvesInstagram Kartiki Gonsalves, director of The Elephant Whisperers, posted a picture of Bomman and Bellie posing with the Oscar award won by the film. The film bagged the Academy Award for best Documentary Film (Short). The Elephant Whisperers follows a couple, Bomman and Bellie, who adopt two orphaned elephants in Tamil Nadus Mudumalai reserve

NEWS The event, of which TNM is the Digital Media Partner, was marked by a speech delivered by Chief Minister MK Stalin, laying out his vision for Tamil Nadu's future growth. Umagine Chennai 2023 Umagine Chennai 2023, a technology and innovation event held in Chennai, was inaugurated at the Chennai Trade Center on Thursday, March 23. The event, of which TNM is the Digital Media Partner, was marked by a speech delivered by Chief Minister MK Stalin, laying out his vision for Tamil Nadu's futu

Crime After throwing the acid, the man tried to escape but the lawyers present at the court complex caught him and handed him over to the police. In a shocking incident which took place in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore, a man attacked his wife with acid at the Covai Combined Court complex on Thursday, March 23. The man, identified as Sivakumar, had attacked his wife Kavitha with acid, affecting her entire body. The lawyers who were near Kavitha during the incident had helped her and made arrangements

Parandur Airport Row Residents belonging to Eganapuram and 12 other neighbouring villages have been protesting against the project for more than 200 days. The residents of Parandur village in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu adopted a resolution for the fifth time against Chennais second greenfield airport project. Residents belonging to Eganapuram and 12 other neighbouring villages have been protesting against the project for more than 200 days. During the Gram Shaba meeting on World Water Day, on

News Governor RN Ravi had returned the Bill on March 8, asking the state government to furnish additional information and make certain changes. Screengrab/TN Assembly Youtube The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday, March 23, unanimously re-adopted the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill, 2022. This is the second attempt of the Tamil Nadu government to enact a Bill to ban online gambling, after it was returned by Governor RN Ravi. The Governor had returned

Wildlife The wild tusker 'Karuppan' has been wrecking havoc in Thalavadi and Jeeahali forest ranges for over a year now. IANS A 75-member-team comprising veterinarians and forest officials have been deployed by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department to capture a wild elephant 'Karuppan' that has been wrecking havoc in Thalavadi and Jeeahali forest ranges for over a year.Two Kumki elephants 'Sujay' and 'Bomman' are already included in the team to capture the rogue elephant. Forest Department

Environment This anniversary is an occasion to remember that Sterlites closure is not on account of a conspiracy but due to orders issued by a statutory body and a duly elected government and upheld by a court. Today March 23, 2023 is the 10th anniversary of the Sterlite gas leak disaster in Thoothukudi. Many outside Thoothukudi may not remember the disastrous leak, or associate Sterlites closure with the leak. But anniversaries are a good time for stock-taking and for remembering Remembering

Fire Accident During summer, it is prohibited to operate the firecracker unit from 9 am till sunset, but at least 35 persons were working inside the unit during the blast. At least 11 people were killed and nearly 20 were injured in an explosion at a firecracker unit in Tamil Nadu's Kancheepuram on Wednesday, March 22. The injured have been admitted to the Kancheepuram district hospital. The accident took place in Narendran fireworks at Kuruvimalai near Orikkai village in the district. According

Sexual Misconduct The director of the foundation Revathi Ramachandran is also the person heading the sexual harassment committee which dismissed the allegations, raising serious questions of conflict of interest. Image for representative purpose only Chennais famous Kalakshetra Foundation, an institute of national importance as ordained by the Union government, has been mired in controversy after a senior dance faculty at the Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts (RDCFA) was accused of sexual harass

Crime Aishwarya Rajinikanth lodged a complaint with the Teynampet police in Chennai on March 20 stating that her ornaments had been stolen from her flat. Representative image/Pexels The Teynampet police in Chennai have arrested the domestic worker and driver of Aishwarya Rajnikanth daughter of superstar Rajinikanth for stealing her jewellery. The police alleged that Aishwaryas domestic help Eswari and driver Venkatesan colluded and stole the jewellery that was kept in a locker at the director'

Sexual Harassment Benedict Anto, a Syro Malankara Catholic church priest who hailed from Kaliyakkavilai in the Kanniyakumari district was arrested in Nagercoil The Kanniyakumari police on Monday, March 20, arrested a 30-year-old Catholic priest who was on the run in connection with a sexual assault case. Benedict Anto, a Syro Malankara Catholic church priest who hails from Kaliyakkavilai in Kanniyakumari district, was arrested in Nagercoil while he was trying to escape to Tirunelveli district. B

Court Karuna landed in the police net in 1997 when he was charged with murder. His legal troubles mounted when he was named as an accused in four other cases. Picxy.com/DREAMWORKS It took nearly 22 years for Karuna to be found not guilty in a case that he had all along maintained was fabricated. The 52-year-old man from Chennai was vindicated when he was acquitted in a case of attempt-to-murder (charged under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code) by the Court of Assistant Sessions Judge, Tambara

Education The girls risked backlash from schools and parents by proceeding with the act which symbolised bodily autonomy and their choice to wear what they like. Instagram/awareindia2020 As Geeta Ilangovan, the author of a collection of feminist essays titled Dupatta Podunga Thozhi('Wear a dupatta, girlfriend') arrived at the venue of a three-day workshop for female students of tribal schools in Tamil Nadu, scores of dupattas went flying out of classroom corridors. It was a gesture to show how m

Crime The video, posted by a Twitter account called Voice of Savukku, showed women being addressed in a derogatory manner and criticised the scheme to aid women heads of households. Twitter/MRKKUMAR23 The cyber crime wing of the Chennai city police arrested a 23-year-old man on Wednesday, March 22, for posting a video meme depicting women in a derogatory manner. Pradeep is the administrator of a Twitter handle named Voice of Savukku, and was arrested based on a complaint filed by the Chairperson

Politics The membership drive will be initiated on April 3 and will go on till June 3, which is also former Chief Minister Karunanidhis 100th birth anniversary. Facebook Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M K Stalin is expected to launch a membership drive named Udanpirapugalai Inaivom (let us unite as siblings) to include one crore members in the party. The membership drive will be initiated on April 3 and will go on till June 3, which is also former Chief M

Court The Madras High Court was hearing a petition filed by 61 people practising alternative medicine who had moved the court seeking permission to practise without any hindrance. Wikimedia Commons/Yogi Balaji The Madras High Court directed the Tamil Nadu police and the state government to take action against institutes offering unauthorised medical diplomas and people practising alternative medicine or offering treatment without the necessary qualifications. In a judgement passed on March 6, Ju

TN Budget 2023 Minister MRK Panneerselvam said that mirco irrigation was the most important factor for the improvement of agriculture in the state and hence such a huge allocation was made for it. IANS Tamil Nadu Agriculture minister MRK Panneerselvam on Tuesday, March 21, presented the state's agriculture budget in which Rs 450 crore allocation was made for micro irrigation. In his speech in the Legislative Assembly, the minister said that mirco irrigation was the most important factor for the

Caste Discrimination It is to be noted that on March 17, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court sought an action report from the Tamil Nadu government on the case. The Madras High Court, on Tuesday, March 21, said that they will consider the possibility of appointing a retired judge to monitor the ongoing CB-CID (Crime Branch, Crime Investigation Department) investigation of the Vengavayal caste crime, in which a potable water tank for the Dalits was contaminated with human excreta. A bench comp

The Elephant Whisperers Last week, Chief Minister MK Stalin felicitated Bomman and Bellie, whose lives are featured in the documentary, and handed over Rs 1 lakh to each of them. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin felicitated Kartiki Gonsalves, director of the Academy Award-winning documentary film The Elephant Whisperers on Tuesday, March 21 at the Secretariat in Chennai. He handed over a cheque worth Rs 1 crore to Kartiki after he praised her for the movie. He said the documentary brought the

Chennai News Tamil Nadu Ministers KN Nehru and Ma Subramanian inaugurated the renovated Anna Nagar Tower, on Monday evening. Twitter/Greater Chennai Corporation After a long hiatus of 12 years, the Anna Nagar Tower, located inside Visvesvaraya Park, was inaugurated for the public, on Monday, March 20. Minister for Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply KN Nehru and Minister for Medical and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian, inaugurated the tower. According to reports, renovation work costi

Crime Aishwarya claimed that the stolen jewellery included diamond jewel sets, antique gold jewellery, and gold bangles. Tamil Superstar Rajinikanth's daughter Aishwarya Rajinikanth has lodged a complaint with the police that her gold jewellery and ornaments were missing from the locker in her residence. She has alleged that three of her domestic workers were behind the burglary at the residence. Aishwarya said the jewellery was kept in the locker at her home. In her complaint with the Teynampet

Tamil Nadu budget 2023 The AIADMK MLAs said that they had staged a walkout because the DMK failed to keep inflation in check and because the prices of food, milk and real estate property have also increased. PTI Opposition parties have reacted to the budget presented by the Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan (PTR) on Monday, March 20. Members from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) staged a walkout, led by the partys interim general secretary Edappadi K Palanisw

LGBTQIA+ In a letter to the Coimbatore Commissioner of Police, Dalit trans woman police officer R Nasriya described the harassment she faced while working in the Special Juvenile Aid Police unit. When R Nasriya joined the Tamil Nadu Police a few years back, she was the second trans woman to join the states police force. But such a distinction did not prevent her from being harassed by her cisgender colleagues. Following relentless harassment based on her gender and Dalit identity, Nasriya resign

Tamil Nadu Budget 2023 An international bird centre will be set up in Villupuram district, at an estimated cost of Rs 25 crore. Presenting Tamil Nadus Budget for 2023-24, state Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan (PTR) announced several schemes intended to protect wildlife and address environmental concerns. In the state Budget, a sum of Rs 1,248 crore has been allocated to the department of environment, climate change and forests. Among the newly announced measures for wildlife protection ar

Tamil Nadu budget 2023 Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan said that Coimbatore was selected for the metro rail project because of its future growth potential. Represetative image Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan on Monday, March 20, announced that Madurai and Coimbatore will get metro services. Presenting the Tamil Nadu budget, the state finance minister said that a metro rail project will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 9,000 crore along Avinashi Road a

Tamil Nadu budget 2023 Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan said that the ex-gratia has been increased to recognise the valour and supreme sacrifice made by security forces in guarding our nation. Representative image/PTI The ex-gratia amount offered by the Tamil Nadu government to families of deceased armed forces officials will be doubled. Presenting the state budget on Monday, March 20, Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan said that the financial compensation provided to the kin of armed

Tamil Nadu Budget Activists and organisations, such as the NCSTL, who had earlier drafted a peoples Bill on SC/ST Sub Plan, have welcomed the move. In what is seen as a welcome move by activists, the Tamil Nadu state government has announced its intention to introduce a Bill to govern the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) and the Tribal Sub Plan (TSP) in the next Assembly session. The announcement came during the Budget speech by Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan on Monday, March 2

Tamil Nadu Budget 2023 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin will launch the scheme on September 15, the birth anniversary of Dravidian icon and former Chief Minister CN Annadurai. Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan (PTR) announced the Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme, which gives Rs 1,000 assistance to women heads of households every month in his budget speech on Monday, March 20. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin will launch the scheme on September 15, the birth anniversary of Dravi

Tamil Nadu Budget 2023 Finance Minister PTR announced that the scheme will be expanded to 711 factories in the first phase, covering 8.35 lakh workers. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagams (DMK) Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam health scheme will be expanded to industries, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan said while presenting the state Budget on Monday, March 20. Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam is the DMK governments flagship scheme to provide health services to peoples doorsteps. Finance Ministe

Tamil Nadu Budget 2023-24 The Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation will implement a scheme to help civil services aspirants access better coaching facilities and study material. Facebook In a bid to encourage civil service exam aspirants, the Tamil Nadu government has decided to provide financial assistance to them during their preparation. Presenting Budget 2023 on Monday, March 20, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan said there had been a decline in the number of students fro

Tamil Nadu Budget 2023 PTR also informed in the house that the service conditions and benefits of teachers and staff presently working in these schools will be protected. In his Budget Speech on Monday, March 20, Tamil Nadu finance minister Palanivel Thiagarajan announced that all schools under Adi-Dravidar and Tribal Welfare, Backward Class, Most Backward Class & Denotified Communities, Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments and Forest will be brought under the School Education Department. He

Accident A speeding car rammed into the bike on which Santhosh Kumar (18) and Kalaiselvi (26) were travelling, throwing Kalaiselvi off the Medavakkam flyover from a height of 30 feet. Image for Representation Two siblings were killed in a road accident on the Medavakkam flyover in Chennai on the night of Saturday, March 18. The deceased have been identified as 18-year-old Santhosh Kumar and his 26-year-old Kalaiselvi. They were travelling on the flyover when a car driving at high speed rammed in

Politics Annamalai had earlier stated that BJP should contest the 2024 general elections independently and without any alliance with the AIADMK. K Annamalai Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President K Annamalai, who has been making a strong pitch to contest the upcoming 2024 general elections alone, has taken a U-turn stating that he was not empowered to decide on the alliance with the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).Annamalai has earlier been vociferous for contesting

Right to Information Activists say that a search committee headed by retired justice Akbar Ali submitted its recommendations to Chief Minister MK Stalin in February 2023 and that the CM met a candidate in March. Yet, the post remains vacant. Representative Image The post of Tamil Nadus State Chief Information Commissioner (SCIC) has been vacant for over four months, ever since R Rajagopalan resigned from the position in November 2022. Right to Information (RTI) activists say that this has made a

Politics Muthuvel played a major role in politicising the death of a 17-year-old teen girl named Lavanya from Ariyalur in January 2022. The Tamil Nadu police on Saturday, March 18, invoked the Goondas Act against Muthuvel, the Ariyalur district secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), who was arrested on March 13, on charges of exporting money from a parish priest in the district. The complaint was lodged by Dominic Savio, the parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes in Ariyalur. The complaint

Wildlife In a video that is doing the rounds on social media, the elephant was walking up a slightly elevated piece of land when it came in contact with the electrical wire and died immediately. Representative image/PTI A male elephant died after being electrocuted by an electrical wire in Dharmapuris Kelavalli village on Saturday, March 18. This is the fourth elephant to have been electrocuted in a span of 11 days in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu. In a video that is doing the rounds on soci

Migrant Workers The arrest was recorded on Saturday, March 18, at the Jagdishpur police station in Bettiah, after he surrendered before the police. In a recent development in the series of actions against those spreading false news about attacks on migrant workers in Tamil Nadu, the police arrested Manish Kashyap, a Bihar-based YouTuber. The arrest was recorded on Saturday, March 18, at the Jagdishpur police station in Bettiah, after he surrendered before the police. The Tamil Nadu and Bihar pol

Protest Sanitation workers working in delivery wards of PHCs on a contract basis held a protest in Chennai seeking regularisation of services and better work conditions. Nearly 300 sanitation workers hired on a contract basis at Primary Health Centers (PHC) in Tamil Nadu under the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) scheme staged a protest on Friday, March 17, over various demands to improve their working conditions, including regularisation of their services. Amid heavy rain, the protest was he

Politics He was reportedly speaking at a meeting with BJP functionaries in Chennais Aminjakarai, where he said that the party will grow if it stands alone in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President K Annamalai reportedly said in a meeting on Friday, March 17, that the party wouldnt join hands with any of the Dravidian parties in any election. He was speaking at a meeting with BJP functionaries in Chennais Aminjakarai, days after unrest surfaced between the BJP and AIADMK (A