Quick Headlines View: August 14

Puducherry Flash News:

• Two country bombs thrown at AIADMK activist in Vanarapet area on Wednesday, August 13.
• On August 14, Communist parties to form human chain against nuclear deal.
• JIPMER organised an awareness programme as part of the World Breastfeeding Week on August12.
• The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) will launch various online courses for PhD, M Phil, MA and post-graduate diploma this week.
• V Vaithilingam, minister for industries & power, said Ponduducherry govt to promote SEZs to boost industrial growth.
• Two day conference on HIV/AIDS in Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute on August 15 and 16.
• The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting would be held on August 18 to take stock of the situation in politics and administration in the Union Territory.
• More than 2,000 policemen will be deployed on security duty during the 61st Independence Day celebrations.
• Chief Minister N. Rangasamy on Monday congratulated shooter Abhinav Bindra for winning the Gold Medal in Beijing Olympic Games.
• The Bobby Fischer Chess Club, affiliated to the Pondicherry State Chess Association, is conducting an open chess tournament on August 16 and 17.

Mile Stones of French Architecture

We all are familiar with the fact that our home town is popularly known as “Mini France”. It is because of the architectural design of our town. So it made me curious to search for the reasons that are behind this fact. So here are some interesting facts that make our city unique in the architectural design.
Pondicherry town in its earlier stage of development is said to have followed the pattern of bastide towns (Medival towns of South west France, bulit according to a geometrical plan) in France with a wall around the town and main gates (Madras Gate, Valudavur Gate) leading to the market. The rest of the area was divided into rectangular blocks on the same pattern of Montpazier in Southern France.

Another notable feature of Pondicherry is the “Quai” which is found in many french towns. Most of the french “Quais” are bulit along the rivers flowing through the town. In Pondicherrry, this has been achieved through the town. In Pondicherry, this has been achieved through the formation of two promenades called “Quai de Gingy” and “Quai de Ambour” on the either side of the grand canal both of which were once lined with shady trees.
The Place du Gouvernement in Pondicherry is a brilliant example of french planning squares. Although it cannot be compared to any of the squares in its scale, it still epitomises the basic principles of the classical French squares. Another important characteristic is that all the main public buliding are lined along this square. Thus, these are few of the notable architectural designs of our city and it make the city on par with France.

Bindra wins Olympic gold, shoots into history

Abhinav Bindra won India's first-ever individual Olympic gold medal when he claimed the men's 10m Air Rifle shooting title here on Monday.

Athens Games champion Zhu Qinan of China won the silver and Henri Hakkinen of Finland took the bronze at the Beijing Shooting Hall on the outskirts of the Chinese capital.

Bindra, the 25-year-old businessman from Chandigarh, followed his world championship title two years ago to finally win a landmark gold medal for his country.

In one of the most thrilling shooting finals in Olympic history, Bindra overcame a two-point deficit against Hakkinen and one point against Zhu after the qualification rounds to annexe the title.

The Indian trumped his rivals with the best finish of 104.5 in the 10-shot final as he went into the last shot level with Hakkinen on 689.7 points.

While Bindra secured his best score of 10.8 in the deciding shot, Hakkinen managed only 9.7 to concede the silver to Zhu, whose last shot was 10.5.

Bindra finished with a combined tally of 700.5, a fair distance behind Zhu's Olympic record of 702.7 set in Athens.

Zhu came in with 699.7 this time and Hakkinen, a member of Finland's armed forces who is taking part in his first Olympics, scored 699.4 points.

India, winners of eight field hockey gold medals, had never won an individual Olympic title before Bindra's feat.

The previous best was trap shooter Rajyavardhan Rathore's silver at Athens, while there were bronze medals for wrestler Khasaba Jadhav (1952), tennis star Leander Paes (1996) and woman weightlifter Karnam Malleswari (2000).

The Transition from Kanaka Suburathinan to Bharathidasan

Kanaka Suburathinam, born on 29th April 1891, even as a child evinced a liking for Tamil Literature which was so ably nurtured by Bangaru Pathar, his school teacher and subsequently reinforced by Saram Periasamipillai, a renowned Tamil scholar. He began his career as a school teacher even before he was 18, in a primary school at Niravi. His contacts with Bharathi and other freedom fighters attracted him to the cause of Indian Nationalism.

The “Kadar Rattinapattu” was the result of his national zeal. Enveloped as he was by the reformist zeal of Bharathi he also defended the cause of the women’s freedom, attacked child marriages and advocated widow re-marriages. In due course he came to call himself as “Bharathidasan”.



Following the tradition set by Bharathi, he wrote in a simple elegant style and sought to liberate, as it were, Tamil poetry from the clutches of the pedantry and infused new life and verve into it. His poems inspired a new generation of young poets not only in Pondicherry but in the whole of TamilNadu. Among them, mention may be made of Vanidasan of Seliyamedu, a self-acknowledged disciple of Bharathidasan.

Thus Kanaka Suburathinam, inspired by Bharathi, followed his foot steps by adding flavor to the Tamil literature on his part.

The Cultural Fresco of 20th Century Puducherry

Our territory is known for its literary values and the famous people who nurtured it. The city also excels itself in the fine arts. Many organizations dedicated themselves for the promotions of fine arts in the territory. This article gives information about some of the organizations that developed fine arts in the city.

The 20th century stands out as the period that gave birth to several associations devoted to the promotion of fine arts in the territory. Mention may be made of Societe Philharmonique de Pondicherry (1920), Vasoudevagana Sabai (1912), Krishna Gana Sabha (1940) and Mangala Gana Sabha (1943). The institutions were very often the progenies of one or more connoisseurs of art. Only some of these associations had a long lease of life. Most of them flourished for a few years and then they went defunct after sometime either due to the lack of resources or decline in the enthusiasm of their progenitors.

The Thiaga Bramha Saba started in 1946 was in receipt of financial assistance from the administration for several years to celebrate the Thyaga Bramha Aradhana in honor of Saint Thiagaraja. The opening of the radio Station in 1966 and the opening of the organization somewhat brightened the cultural atmosphere of the territory.

Students’ woe at Delayed BCA results by Pondicherry University

I have been always allergetic of exam results from my childhood until now. Like many other students out there, I was even more sensitively nervous before and after the exam results. But my response to delayed results is beyond my imagination (expected symptoms: rise in body temperature, extended fever, heavy headache, anger over authorities and teacher…list goes on).

Recently I found students experience delayed final year BCA results by Pondicherry University. The institute has announced its final date of application submission for MCA would be on July 26th and importantly none of the students have any idea of their marks and final year results. The university which has scholars and expets on various field should have known that it is impossible for a student to apply for a new course without knowing his current exam results. The institute has to consider the situation of the students who are in chaos of choosing new courses or aspiring for their future career.

Generally the academic year has almost started in colleges and schools of Puducherry. Delayed results not only risks students’ career but also affect the classes for the new academic session. The classes for the new academic session would also be delayed as the classes can begin only after the results are declared at any university. The main reason behind the delay is the lack of consensus between authorities and teachers over the evaluation process of the answer scripts.
I have contacted few students regarding this issue and came to know that the HOD (Head of the Department) of MCA was kind enough to extend the application submission date upto the end of August. A section of students feel that “those who lost PEC have lost one year”.

In the mean time, exams results were announced on July 30 with no perfection (many witnessed erroneous results). One of the students exclaimed, “The exams which we wrote came absent... Which we had not attended or applied for, come with absent. The fact is we have already passed out those papers.”
Yet another student said “We are only announced results, not Mark list, which is what asked in colleges while admission...I think it will take one more month for issuing it... I am not sure about it. And I don't know how many errors there will be in our mark list too, and if at all there is, How many months they will take to correct it and we don't know where to vent our anger!!!”

Some of the students are worried of the act of university with lack of care and awareness. Their voice meant more than what they shared to me. And their eyes transmitted “They are playing with our lives.”

I do believe the university is working hard on giving quality results and render 100% standard education. But at the same time, they have to understand the timely decisions and effective implementation of academic plans matters a lot to a student’s life and his career. Thanks to those who rescheduled the last application submission date. As we advice students arrears and reattempt are not good, we must also ensure rescheduling the last date, rescheduling the exams, and reevaluating the erroneous results. Behalf of all college students (involved in this), I request Pondicherry university to take necessary steps to distribute the mark lists as soon as possible.