For Sagar Surya, acting was never the dream it was something that unfolded, piece by piece. From the long-running sitcom Thatteem Mutteem , in which audiences first took notice of him, to films that tested his limits, his journey has been a mix of chance and quiet persistence. Though his first film role was in Upacharapoorvam Gunda Jayan (2022), the Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer Kuruthi (2021) which premiered on OTT ended up reaching audiences first. Though the latter was widely discussed, it w

Urvi Foundation was born out of a passion for environmental restoration and community engagement. At its core lies the vision of architect Hasan Naseef, whose thesis project became the key factor behind this Thiruvananthapuram-based NGOs mission. During my studies, I worked on a thesis that examined the urgent need for change in Keralas construction industry, says Hasan. The research revealed that if we continue on the current path, we will face many climate challenges. My thesis emphasised the

KOCHI: Sukanth Suresh P, suspect in the alleged suicide of Megha Madhusudhanan, an Intelligence Bureau (IB) official, approached the Kerala High Court on Thursday seeking an anticipatory bail plea in the case. The police probing the case recently issued a look-out circular against Sukant to prevent him from fleeing the country. In his bail plea, Sukanth revealed that he and Megha had shared a profound mental and emotional bond and had mutually decided to enter a marital relationship. Megha had a

KOZHIKODE: T B Venugopala Panicker, 80, a renowned teacher, linguist, and grammarian, passed away in Kozhikode on Wednesday. A native of Ezhikkara near North Paravoor, he had presented papers at over 100 national and international seminars, including the First International Dravidian Seminar (2003) organised by the University of Cologne in Stuttgart, Germany. A prolific writer, he authored several books and received the Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award for his translation of Thoppil Muhammed Meerans

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The health department has received national recognition for conducting the maximum number of molecular tests as part of the tuberculosis control project. A total of 82% of 87,330 people got tested for TB during the 100-day programme of the Tuberculosis Control Project held from December 7, 2024 to March 7, 2025 with modern molecular tests such as CBNAAT and TrueNAAT. As many as 5,588 tuberculosis patients were identified and provided with follow-up treatment. The state has re

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The trial has concluded for the 2022 Peroorkada murder case, in which Vineetha, an employee at a nursery, was murdered. The court will announce its verdict on April 10. The prosecution relied entirely on scientific and circumstantial evidence, as there were no direct eyewitnesses in the case. Of the 118 listed witnesses, 96 were examined. The prosecution submitted CCTV footage stored in 12 pen drives and seven DVDs, along with 222 documents, to establish the movements of the

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ambitious LED streetlight project implemented by the city corporation has come under severe criticism due to alleged lack of timely maintenance and replacement of faulty LED lights. The civic body has roped in three private agencies for implementing the LED streetlight project in the state capital. However, the agencies are struggling to promptly replace faulty lights, leaving the capital in darkness and raising safety concerns among residents, pedestrians and motorists.

KOCHI: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is launching holiday tour packages from Kerala, featuring visits to significant Hindu pilgrimage centres in North India, as well as destinations in Nepal and Sri Lanka. The flight packages will operate from Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi. One of the highlights is a 5-day flight package to popular pilgrimage sites in Uttar Pradesh, including Varanasi (Kashi), Ayodhya, and Prayagraj, departing from Kochi on April 15. Additionally, th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to resolve the ongoing strike by ASHA workers, Health Minister Veena George has invited representatives of all trade unions for discussions on Thursday. The meeting, scheduled for 3 pm at her office, will include members of the Kerala ASHA Health Workers Association (KAHWA), which is spearheading the protest outside the Secretariat, along with representatives from CITU and INTUC. The invitation follows the ministers discussions with the Centre on Tuesday. KAHWA state

KOCHI: Various emotions flicked on the faces of the agitators on the premises of Our Lady of Velankanni Church at Kadappuram as they watched the MPs from different political parties debated the Waqf(Amendment)Bill,2025, in Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Hope, disbelief and anger were the most common emotions, as Munambam residents saw and heard the MPs they had elected turn Brutus to their cause. Seated before the 40-inch TV set up before the shed where for the past 172 days the Munambam residents have

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Putting aside political differences, UDF and LDF MPs from Kerala ignored the Christian Churchs warning and opposed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025 tabled in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. All the MPs from the state who spoke, barring Union minister Suresh Gopi, questioned the BJP governments intention in bringing in the bill. Invoking German poet Martin Neimollers poem First They Came, CPM MP K Radhakrishnan sought to remind the supporters of the bill that if the BJP government is

KOZHIKODE: IUML has asserted that the Waqf Bill will affect not only Muslims but all the minorities in the country. The constituents of the INDIA bloc are against the Bill precisely because of the reason, said IUML state president Panakkad Syed Sadik Ali Shihab Thangal . IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty told reporters n Malappuram on Wednesday that certain vested interests are connecting the Bill to some other issues. The Bill is an intrusion into the rights of all religious mino

SABARIMALA: The 10-day annual festival at Sabarimala temple began on Wednesday with kodiyettu. The ceremony was performed under the leadership of thantri Kandararu Rajivaru in the presence of thantri Kandararu Brahmadathan and the melsanthi at 9.56 am.The ceremony began with the thantri performing pooja on the temple flag at the mandapam and later at the sreekovil. The thantri hoisted the flag at golden flag mast after the procession carrying the flag circumambulated the sreekovil.Ashtabhishekam

IDUKKI: In the 20th century, Idukki witnessed a large-scale migration of settler farmers from various parts of the state. Braving the climatic conditions and the threat of wild animals, the settlers made a living high up the hills and valleys. Many faced evictions, resulting in massive protests and hunger strikes in later years. This rich history of migration in Idukkis high ranges and the life of the people there are finding a realistic depiction in the Settlement Memorial Museum being set up b

KOCHI: After more than a decade of waiting, the fire and rescue services department is set to acquire a mechanised aerial ladder, significantly enhancing its ability to combat fire in highrises. While the department has yet to finalise its deployment location, Kochi is the likely choice due to its higher concentration of skyscrapers. Last year, the department issued a global tender for the procurement of aerial ladders, with Brijbasi Fire Safety Systems, representing Finnish firm Bronto Skylift,

KANNUR: The Kerala Library Council is rolling out an ambitious initiative to foster reading habits among households. Building on its existing mobile library services, which primarily cater to women and the elderly, the council has now introduced a home delivery service for books. Titled 'Vayanavasantham', the project will be implemented through 3,000 libraries across the state. With the tagline A Book to the Home, the initiative aims to encourage family reading and further cement Keralas reputat

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Just three among 262 teenagers interviewed as part of a research study had good knowledge on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) matters. The research paper Parental communication on sexual and reproductive health: An adolescent perspective in Kerala by Prof Sijimol Mathew of Mar Sleeva College of Nursing, Palai, was published in the Asian Journal of Pregnancy and Childbirth recently. Only 44% of teenagers ever had a discussion with their parents on such matters. Among them,

KOCHI: The Kerala governments decision to install Artificial Intelligence (AI) cameras across highways to crack down on traffic offences, a move that had stirred up controversy over its huge cost, is paying dividends. The latest figures reveal that 98 lakh offenders were caught and the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) issued fines amounting to Rs 631 crore since the AI cameras were installed in June 2023. Of this, around Rs 400 crore has been collected. In the fiscal that ended March 31, 2025, fin

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Researchers at the College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET) have invented a tribometer that could pave the way for enhancing the efficiency and durability of automobile engines and a slew of other machines having reciprocating-sliding motion. A tribometer is a scientific instrument used to measure mainly friction, wear and lubricity between contacting surfaces under controlled conditions. The invention, Pin-on Reciprocating Plate Tribometer With Provision for Changing Stroke L

Enforcement agencies have intensified their crackdown on narco mafias following a surge in drug-fuelled crimes. This full-blooded pushback revives memories of a high-profile arrest made by the excise department last year. Back then, the arrest of Adimali resident Shajimon, aka Moorkhan (cobra) Shaji, from Madurai crippled an international racket that specialised in smuggling hashish oil. Shaji entered the scene in the 1990s when Idukki became infamous for cannabis sourced from Andhra Pradesh and

The heat in April and May is intense, but even stronger is the fervour of festivals in Kerala during this season. And they are never complete without the pulsating beats of percussion. Instruments such as the chenda , thimila , madhalam , idakka , ilathalam , kuzhal , and kombu come together to create a rhythmic intensity that is intoxicating. Despite a generation more exposed to western and now oriental influences, when percussion takes centre stage at Keralas festivals, everything else takes a

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday restrained the CBI from taking any coercive steps, including arrest against the parents of the two minor girls who died at Walayar. The parents are accused of abetting the rape of their children. Justice C Jayachandran also dispensed with the personal appearance of the parents before the CBI Special Court, Ernakulam, till the final hearing of the petitions. The court will hear the matter after the summer holidays. The court issuedtheorder on the parents'

ALAPPUZHA: Two individuals were arrested on Tuesday night for possession and supply of hybrid ganja in Alappuzha. Following the arrest, several Malayalam film actors have come under the scanner, as excise officials seek to uncover linkages between drug networks and film personalities. The Excise Departments Special Investigation Team apprehended Thasleema Sulthana alias Christina of Chennai and Feroze, a native of Mannancherry, Alappuzha, with three kilograms of hybrid ganja worth Rs 1.5 crore.

THRISSUR: A 'kazhakam' employee of the famed Koodalmanikyam temple here has resigned citing personal reasons, following allegations of caste discrimination. Balu, who was recruited for 'kazhakam' duties by the state-run Devaswom Recruitment Board, submitted his resignation to the Devaswom administrator on Tuesday evening, sources said on Wednesday. 'Kazhakam' refers to a designated group within the temple hierarchy tasked with preparing garlands and performing other ceremonial chores. The resign

MADURAI: Being highly self-critical of its lost mass base and its failure to enforce decisions made at previous conferences, the CPM review report, which is set to be presented at the party Congress, has outlined a detailed plan to reclaim its past glory. In a significant departure from the past, the report proposes to evaluate the functioning of the Politburo members on an annual basis. The party review further calls for a rectification campaign against the growing parliamentarianism within the

MADURAI: Having realized that it won't be possible to make an immediate comeback in its erstwhile strongholds of West Bengal and Tripura, the primary focus of the CPM will be to protect its sole remaining turf in the country - Kerala. This gains significance, especially in view of the party assessment that the CPM has been losing its base to BJP-RSS, including in Kerala. As the Communist Party of India (Marxist) is set to begin its 24th Congress in Madurai on Wednesday, the Kerala CPM will have

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The investigation into the BSNL Engineers Cooperative Society scam has concluded, recommending the recovery of Rs 362 crore from 19 governing body members and one employee. Conducted by the cooperative department, the inquiry identified liabilities stemming from three governing bodies operating since 2007. The misappropriated total comprises Rs 257.34 crore in principal and Rs 104.67 crore in interest, calculated at an 18% rate up to December 31, 2024. The largest recoveries

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to ensure safer workplace in the Malayalam film industry, the women and child development department will be rolling out a specialised training programme to enforce the provisions of the POSH Act. Health and Women and Child Development Minister Veena George will inaugurate the state-level launch of the initiative at KTDC Mascot Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan will preside over. Prominent figures from the Malayalam film in

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a crackdown on drug use in student hostels, an excise team seized 20 g of cannabis during a raid at the Government College Hostel for Men near LMS Church, Palayam, on Tuesday. The contraband was found in room number 455, which, according to hostel residents, was occupied by Pandiyaraj, a native of Chokkanad Estate in Munnar. However, students informed officials that Pandiyaraj had vacated the room early Monday morning. The excise department has since intensified search for

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KSRTC has started disbursing salaries in full on the first of the month, starting April 1, fulfilling the promise made by the Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar. On Tuesday, a sum of Rs 80 crore was distributed as salaries to employees. This is the first time since December 2020 that KSRTC employees are receiving salaries in full on the first of the month. April is also the eighth consecutive month that KSRTC employees are receiving their salaries in a single instalment. The

SABARIMALA: The Sabarimala temple was opened on Tuesday for 18 days to celebrate annual and Vishu festivals.Melsanthi Arunkumar Nampoothiri opened the sreekovil at 5pm in the presence of thantri Kandararu Brahmadathan and Kandararu Rajivaru. No rituals were performed at the sreekovil in the evening. Darshan for devotees are restricted to those who possess virtual queue passes and should undergo verification at the counters at Pampa Anjaneya auditorium before the gate at Pampa. However, devotees

KOCHI: How can an accused in a case demand a CBI probe? A division bench of the Kerala High Court posed the question to actor Dileep, the eighth accused in the 2017 actor assault case, while hearing his plea challenging a single judges dismissal of his request for a CBI probe. Dileep submitted that a CBI probe was essential to ensure fair and impartial investigation into all the aspects of the case, particularly the real nature of the incident and the conspiracy that led to the registration of t

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The family of an Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer at Thiruvananthapuram Airport who had died by suicide, has raised allegations regarding her death. Her father told the media that his daughter was a victim of sexual assault by a colleague and that they had submitted related evidence to the Pettah police. The family arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday morning and handed over hospital records as proof. The father said that the police are examining these records and coordin

KOCHI/KOTTAYAM : The Congress MPs from Kerala, especially the Christian members, are in a tight spot after the party took an official stand to oppose the Waqf Amendment Bill, which will be tabled in Parliament on Wednesday. BJP has taken a stand in Kerala that the dispute over Munambam land between the Kerala State Waqf Board and 600-odd families, mostly Christians and Hindus, who are living in the 400 acres of land for generations, can be resolved in favour of the residents once the Bill is pas

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala University (KU) has decided to conduct the re-examination of the 71 MBA students of the 2022-24 batch whose answer-scripts went missing from an evaluators custody, on two dates. Candidates unable to appear for the re-examination on April 7 can do so on April 22, KU Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummal announced after a high-level meeting of university officials on Tuesday. The Controller of Examinations had earlier announced that the re-examination would be held on Apr

KOZHIKODE: Four years ago, when their father Riyas gifted them Simba, Riffa, Risha and Risal were ecstatic. Within no time, the cat, a Russian breed, became an inseparable part of their lives. When the family from Karikamkulam in Kozhikode lost Riyas last year, Simba became their source of comfort, joy and solace. Now, the family is facing another tragedy. Simba has been missing from their home since Friday, and the family has been looking everywhere for it. A video of them pleading for their pe

KOCHI: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) plans to take its courier service to the next level by initiating measures to appoint a professional agency to run its popular logistics initiative, a development expected to give other courier companies a run for their money. Despite the success, authorities have courted sharp criticism for mismanaging the service in the face of growing demand. Critics cite poor infrastructure facilities including tiny counters, lack of personnel, and u

KOTTAYAM: The Vadakkupurathupattu, a sacred ritual performed only once every 12 years at the Vaikom Sree Mahadeva Temple, is set to commence on Wednesday. According to authorities, arrangements are in place to perform the ritual. The Kodiarchana, a ritual being held as part of the Vadakkupurathupattu, has been ongoing since March 17. The rituals will come to a close with Valiya Guruthi ceremony on April 13. Legend has it that during the rule of the Vadakkunkur Rajas, a devastating epidemic struc

KOCHI: Kerala is becoming a boat manufacturing hub, especially in the small vessel category, as evidenced by the number of boatyards operating in the state. As per the statistics from the Kerala Maritime Board (KMB), the authority has issued accreditations to around 80 to 85 boatyards in Kerala, most of them concentrated in Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam. And many of these boatyards boast of orders not only from other states but also countries like Canada and Israel. Joy Jacob, the CEO of Mat

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Grappling with increasing heat stress, Kerala is all set to come up with a cool roof policy. With this, Kerala will be the second state in the country after Telangana to introduce the cool roof policy, which promotes indoor cooling strategies and empowers local self-government institutions (LSGIs) and other agencies in implementing effective heat mitigation solutions. Energy Management Centre (EMC) director R Harikumar told TNIE that the draft cool roof policy is nearing comp

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A meeting between the state and Union health ministers, Veena George and J P Nadda, has paved the way for renewed talks with the protesting ASHA workers. While previous discussions had failed to reach a resolution, Veena now backed by an assurance from Nadda to look into key issues including the Rs 637-crore central due that has restricted the states actions hopes to reassure the ASHA workers protesting in Thiruvananthapuram. She has already expressed her intention to meet

The scene at Vaikom Mahadeva temple on March 31 was euphoric almost like a rock band in action with fans singing along. However, the music wasnt headbanging stuff but a fluid melody, soul-stirring, with emphatic troughs and crests, and above all, a sense of blissful peace. It was the Nandagovindam team who are on a spiritual music journey across Kerala in action, staging a selection of songs drawn partly from the traditional sampradaya bhajan culture and partly from lilting tunes adapted from

City residents will soon have more modern and convenient options to purchase liquor as the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) is all set to launch premium outlets at the Vyttila and Vadakkekotta metro stations. According to a top official, Bevco has received the Excise licence for the Vyttila station outlet, while its application for the one at Vadakkekotta is being processed. The licencing procedures are expected to conclude by next week. Once approved, we will enter into a lease agreem

Keralas highly acclaimed public health sector has often made headlines for its achievements. However, a closer look reveals several areas that need improvement, one of the most important being the shortage of staff. This issue was highlighted by the recent CAG report, which noted a shortage of 1,160 doctors, 978 nurses, 716 paramedics, and 4,430 other staff across government hospitals in Kerala. In the case of doctor-to-population ratio on the basis of availability, only two districts Pathanamt

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Keltron, the state-owned electronics enterprise under the Kerala Industries Department, has recorded a revenue of Rs 1,056.94 crore for the financial year 2024-25. This marks the highest revenue in the companys history. When the second Pinarayi Vijayan government assumed office in the 2021-22 fiscal year, Keltrons revenue stood at Rs 521.71 crore. The latest figures show that the company has now surpassed the Rs 1,000 crore milestone, significantly improving upon the previous

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday refused to pass an interim order banning the screening of the Mohanlal starer film ' L2: Empuraan ' in theatres. The court issued a notice to the central and state governments and directed them to file statements, if any. Justice CS Dias said that notice to the other respondents, including actor Mohanlal and director of the film Prithviraj Sukumaran are dispensed with. The court issued the order on the petition filed by VV Vijeesh, District Committee membe

KOCHI: The BJP Thrissur District Committee member on Tuesday approached the Kerala High Court seeking a directive to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in New Delhi to immediately ban the screening of the Malayalam film ' L2: Empuraan ' in theatres to prevent further controversy and avert potential communal unrest. Soon after the release of the film,it faced a backlash from a section of people over some scenes, including ones seen as referring to the 2002 anti-Muslim riots in the Gujar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Having touched rock bottom nationally, both electorally and politically, the CPM is on a last-ditch attempt to win back its mass base. Literally shrunk to the bare minimum, the party is keen to expand its independent strength, as it gears up for its 24th Congress in Madurai from Wednesday. Keen to emerge from the rut the largest Communist party in the country finds itself in, the CPM wants to convert the support it garners from mass and class agitations into electoral victori

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The commissioning of a modern abattoir in Thiruvananthapuram, a long-held dream of the city corporation, continues to face indefinite delays because of financial hurdles. The Rs 9.58-crore slaughterhouse project at Kunnukuzhy has remained in the finishing stages for the past several years as the corporation keeps delaying the release of funds for the purpose. The Kerala State Pollution Control Board had sealed the slaughterhouse almost 13 years ago citing pollution issues. Si

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The annual Painguni festival at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram will be celebrated from April 2 to 11 with special rituals and cultural programmes. The festival will begin on April 2 with the flag hoisting between 8.45 am and 9.30 am, followed by the Mannuneerukoral ritual at 10.15 am and the Mulapooja at 6.45 pm. The Valiya Kanikka ritual will take place on April 9, while the Pallivetta ceremony is scheduled for April 10. The festival will conclude with the