Chess Olympiad 2022 Speaking to TNM, Pudukkottai collector Kavitha Ramu who conceptualised and choreographed the viral video said, Chess pieces like the rook, kings and pawns naturally lent themselves to classical, folk and martial art forms. Saradha U Screengrab/ Twitter- CMO TamilNadu Effortlessly wielding the kombu (stick) and slaying stereotypes, women Silambam artistes take position as pawns in a recently released chess video, while Malyutham artistes draped in Veshti holding Gada (a type o

Art Titled A brush with madness, the exhibition displaying the works of Boston-based artist Preetha Mahadevan will be at Chennais Apparao Galleries. Saradha U Twitter/ KanimozhiDMK Preetha Mahadevan, an artist who lives with bipolar disorder, shares that she found painting therapeutic. She finds the soothing colours and calming patterns in her abstract bursts soothing during depression. And during her manic episodes, she says she gravitates towards stories of communities and environment. Her lat

Travel A favourite haunt of film crews, the peaceful and pristine environs of Barachukki and Gaganachukki waterfalls have formed the backdrop of many fight sequences and romantic interludes in various commercial movies. Susheela Nair Credit: Badarish NP It was a pleasant drive on the NH-209, cruising past the scenic Karnataka countryside, with its silvery fronds of sugarcane and emerald fields of paddy. Coconut grove and vast vistas of orange marigolds heralded a welcome. Enroute, we stopped in

On June 28, the Union government notified the Forest Conservation Rules (FCR) 2022, replacing the earlier rules of 2003 and subsequent amendments, negating tribal forest rights. These new rules are in complete violation of the provisions of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 and the provisions of the Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996. Several political parties have raised serious concerns over the notification of the new rules by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Clim

After its Parliamentary Board meeting, the BJP announced Draupadi Murmu, a tribal leader from Odisha, as its presidential candidate, thereby claiming inclusive politics. After his recent comparison of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Dr Ambedkar, maestro Ilaiyaraaja was nominated as a Member of the Rajya Sabha. In March this year, 28-yr-old DMKs Priya Rajan became the youngest and first-ever Scheduled Caste Mayor of Chennai. Consequently, the Dravidian model was lauded for accommodating Dalits. E

In a society where talking about sex openly is still considered to be a taboo, understanding consent can be a challenge. Growing up, many young people dont have access to reliable information or opportunities to explore their sexuality in a safe way without being subjected to judgement and punishment. They may feel guilty about having sexual feelings or unsure about how to communicate their thoughts with someone theyre interested in. Popular culture can set unrealistic standards and perpetuate i

Over a year after journalist Priya Ramani won against MJ Akbars defamation claim for speaking up about the sexual harassment that she had experienced, a disciplinary committee constituted by the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru (NLSIU), punished two students both women for naming an alleged perpetrator of sexual harassment at the request of a survivor. They were held guilty of having committed major misconduct under its disciplinary rules, stripped of all positions of respons

Travel Besides the worlds oldest teak plantation and the teak museum, Nilambur in Kerala is also known for its vast rainforests, sparkling waterfalls and extensive plantations of bamboo, rosewood, and mahogany. Susheela Nair When we think of the teak town of Nilambur in Keralas Malappuram district, the images conjured are of varying shades of green, Indias first teak museum, worlds oldest teak plantations, and the rock shelters of the erstwhile cavemen of Kerala. Nilambur delivered on this promi