Latest news with #Chandran
The Hindu
a day ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Free cancer screening camps evoke poor response in Tiruchi; health officials blame it on ignorance, social stigma
Despite the growing need for cancer awareness and early detection, free cancer screening camps set up at the health centres in Tiruchi have evoked a lukewarm response from residents. Aimed at screening people aged over 18 for oral cancer and women aged over 30 for breast cancer and cervical cancer and providing appropriate treatment for recovery, the camps are yet to pick up pace despite being launched on May 12. According to M. Vijay Chandran, City Health Officer, several factors contribute to the low turnout. 'Lack of awareness about preventive cancer screening and its benefits is a major deterrent. Many people are hesitant to get screened for fear of diagnosis and social stigma associated with cancer.' The screening camps are set up in all 18 urban primary health centres and 36 health and wellness centres in the city. Each centre has a doctor, four staff nurses, six urban health nurses, and woman health volunteers. Training sessions were conducted for the doctors and medical staff. Urban health nurses and woman health volunteers are engaged in a door-to-door awareness campaign to sensitise people and invite them to the screening camp. With the data recorded in the Family Registration, which contains complete details of the persons in the family, their age, and other information, they reach out to the people and hand over invite cards. They are asked to bring the filled-in cards at the time of screening. As of June 21, about 14,125 invites were given, of them, 6,270 people have been screened at the centres. Among the screened, 111 were referred to hospitals for diagnosing, but only seven had gone in for a follow-up. 'Biopsy for cervical cancer was done for seven patients and there are no confirmed cases of cancer. A follow-up to check if the patients had visited the referred facility for screening is planned,' said Dr. Chandran. Steps have been taken to intensify the awareness campaign and enrol the people under the Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme. The team has been instructed to screen patients enrolled at the UPHCs, beneficiaries of the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme, and Corporation officials and workers. Special cancer screening counters have been set up at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital for a hassle-free treatment experience.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Reel life in the dark room of Emergency
It didn't take even three decades for the sovereign democratic Republic of India to face a nation-wide internal Emergency (June 25, 1975–March 21, 1977), which in practice meant democratic despotism and electoral autocracy. Both paradoxical and contradictory-in-terms, when film producers, directors and artistes saw how their freedom was clipped while the censorial scissors became extra-constitutionally sharper in the hands of an elected despot. After the Emergency got over, the newly elected Janata Party government at the Centre published a White Paper on Misuse of Mass Media During the Internal Emergency in August 1977, that listed all branches of mass media (including cinema) and examined how their rights were violated through the reckless abuse of power. Playback singer Kishore Kumar was another artiste who fell out with the authorities during the Emergency. (HT Photo) My story begins with two instances from Southern India that the White Paper did not mention. Incidentally, on the very day of the clamping of the draconian Emergency, i.e. June 25, 1975, a Kannada film was winding up its shooting while a Malayalam film project was being launched in Bengaluru; the Malayalam film crew was in the Karnataka capital because at that time the State government was offering a subsidy of ₹ 50,000 to producers who made films in that state. The Malayalam film was Kabani Nadi Chuvannappol (When the Kabani River Turned Red, 1975). The director of the film, PA Backer, and its producer, Pavithran, are no more, but I spoke with TV Chandran, who debuted as an actor in Kabani (Chandran is better known as a screenwriter and director in Kerala today). Chandran recalled how they were harassed during the shoot because the film dealt with the theme of student revolt against the establishment. Later, the censors asked the producer to chop off nearly 1,000 feet of the footage. Parts of the film were reshot and was resubmitted to two central representatives. The film was screened for the two men at the massive Kalaivanar Arangam theatre in Madras (Chennai), who did not find anything objectionable in it. However, Kabani Nadi Chuvannappol was withdrawn from a cinema hall in Thiruvananthapuram a couple of weeks after its release under government instruction. This time, the police ordered further cuts. The second story is about the Kannada film, Chanda Maruta (Rogue Winds, 1975) starring Snehalatha Reddy and directed by her husband Pattabhi Rama Reddy. The film, inspired by P Lankesh's play Kranthi Bantu Kranthi had, in fact, prophesied the Emergency. The censors banned the film. On June 25, 1975, Snehalata Reddy, who was one part of the lead pair (along with Girish Karnad) in Samskara (1970), Pattabhi Rama Reddy's adaptation of UR Ananthamurthy's celebrated novel, was imprisoned on false charges. She was tortured in Bangalore Central Prison and passed away while on parole on January 20, 1977. She was only 45. Eminent Malayalam writer-director MT Vasudevan Nair had planned to make a film about her, which, unfortunately, didn't happen. However, Uma Chakravarti's documentary Prison Diaries (2019) provides us an invaluable document about the imprisonment of a number of women who resisted the Emergency through the life of Snehalatha Reddy. Anand Patwardhan's 1978 film Prisoners of Conscience is a chronicle of how, under the Emergency, dissenters were detained and tortured in prisons. Among the films the White Paper mentions is Aandhi (Storm, 1975) directed by Gulzar and starring Sanjiv Kumar and Suchitra Sen. The film's heroine was to be modelled on Indira Gandhi but that idea was dropped. Permission was granted only after the producer revised the film. Kissa Kursi Ka, directed by Amrit Nahata in 1975, fared worse. The film was a satire on the politics of that time. It was first banned and later, its prints were confiscated. The film as well as its negative were destroyed. Andolan, directed by Lekh Tandon (1975) dealt with the 1942 movement. It could not be released because the producer was ordered to cut all the portions dealing with underground activities that were contextualised around the story. Even the blockbuster Sholay wasn't spared. The censors asked the producer to change the end scenes. Playback singer Kishore Kumar was another artiste who fell out with the authorities during the Emergency. As a result, his songs were banned from the radio and television, both controlled by the government, and the sale of gramophone records with his songs was made unlawful! Such bullying and arm-twisting by the central government were commonplace during the 21 months of the Emergency. Like Snehalatha Reddy and Kishore Kumar, not everyone meekly surrendered. Actor Dev Anand opposed the Emergency publicly and described it as a 'dark night, a nightmare, an insult to the people'. He even formed a political party – the National Party of India – which had to be disbanded when he failed to find suitable candidates to fight elections after the Emergency was lifted in 1977. As the nation commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, these instances of pushback should be remembered. Amrit Gangar is a Mumbai-based author, curator and historian. The views expressed are personal.
Straits Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Singaporean stand-up comic Deepak Chandran finds success on Netflix
SINGAPORE – Deepak Chandran never dreamed he would become a stand-up comedian, let alone have his comedy show Deepak Chandran: Technically Funny streamed on Netflix Singapore. The 65-minute stand-up show, released on April 18, earned the 10th spot on Netflix's Top 10 Shows In Singapore list a week after its premiere . Deepak Chandran: Technically Funny was recorded from the 40-year-old comedian's sell-out show at KC Arts Centre in River Valley on June 28 and 29, 2024 . The show celebrated everyday life in Singapore, from the quirks of taxi uncles to the pride Singaporeans take in Changi Airport, offering a heartfelt and humorous take on local culture. 'I feel very grateful to have my show picked up by Netflix,' Chandran tells The Straits Times. 'How many people will have the opportunity I had?' He is the second Singaporean comedian with a show on Netflix. Home-grown comedian Fakkah Fuzz, whose real name is Muhammad Fadzri Abdul Rashid, had his stand-up comedy special Almost Banned listed on Netflix in 2018. Fuzz's second comedy special, Too Real, was released on the streaming platform in 2023. Getting Technically Funny on Netflix was a shot in the dark. A producer acquaintance helped pitch Chandran's show to Netflix Singapore. 'I was surprised they picked it up immediately,' he says. He credits his growing presence on social media, which helped create awareness of his comedy. Chandran regularly posts clips of his comedy routines for his more than 300,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram combined. He will be taking the stage at Drama Centre Theatre on June 26 with Time Traveller. The 75-minute show will feature him sharing his experiences of living and travelling in different countries. From lonely guy to funnyman For India-born Chandran, who has always been the 'tech guy', becoming a stand-up comic was never part of his career plan. Armed with a master's in computer science from India's Sikkim Manipal University, he worked as a software consultant, and travelled for work to countries such as Sweden, Australia and Germany. He arrived in Singapore in 2013 to work as a consultant at an American technology company. Being new to the country , he initially spent his days at a Starbucks cafe in Clarke Quay, watching movies and feeling directionless. 'I used to sit there watching movies on my phone. I was lonely, and I didn't know what to do with life,' he says. During that period, he discovered comedy clubs, such as The Lemon Stand Comedy Club, East Coast Comedy and Comedy Masala, initially attending as a spectator. Loneliness drove him to reach for the microphone, but his first attempts at comedy in 2016 were brutal. 'I did one open-mic session at Talk Cock Comedy at Blujaz . I failed horribly at it. I went home and cried,' he admits. None of his jokes landed and the audience was unresponsive. He gradually found his comedic voice a year later at an open-mic session at Comedy Masala, when he finally received genuine laughter. He thought: 'This is not too bad.' Being a stand-up comedian is hard work and one needs a lot of perseverance to come up with new jokes, he says, adding that he could not have done it without the support of his Singaporean wife of eight years. They have no children. 'Imagine sacrificing every Friday and Saturday all these years,' says Chandran. He has been a regular headliner since 2022 at The Lemon Stand in Queen Street, the largest full-time comedy club in Asia. He performs twice a week each month. He says his 35-year-old wife, who is in financial compliance, is shy and does not like being in the spotlight, and attends his shows discreetly. But she is a sounding board for his routines and offers feedback. Good, clean fun 'I used to do political jokes, but I quickly realised it's not my style,' he says, adding that racial jokes and swearing are off-limits for him. Technically Funny received a PG13 rating on Netflix. Chandran, who became a Singapore citizen in 2022, describes his comedy style as good, clean fun with self-deprecating, relatable jokes that draw from his middle-class everyday experiences like work, relationships, travel and personal observations. He cites American comedians Louis C.K., Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld as inspirations, adding that Seinfeld's philosophy of being 'funny without having to say anything' influences his comedic approach. Over the years, the techie by day and comic by night has headlined at several comedy clubs in Asia, such as the TakeOut Comedy Club in Hong Kong. He was also a runner-up at the Bangkok Comedy Festival and a finalist at the Hong Kong Comedy Competition, both in 2017. He does not get paid at open-mic sessions at comedy clubs, calling them 'testing grounds for jokes'. Money from comedy comes from sales of ticketed shows such as Some Technical Jokes at The Projector in 2023, or when he is invited to perform at overseas comedy festivals. Making his mark in the comedy world has not been easy. Creating a good joke is a trial-and-error process, and not every idea becomes a successful comedy bit. It can take about six months to develop a good five -minute set, and developing a 30-minute headline set is equivalent to 'climbing Mount Everest'. 'Making people laugh is so difficult,' says Chandran, adding that comedy is a brutal industry. Having his show on Netflix was great validation. His next goal is a solo show at the Esplanade Concert Hall in 2026. He says: 'I'm very happy and grateful to be where I am now. You can't get to this place without having gone through many mistakes and troubles.' Book It/Deepak Chandran: Time Traveller Where: Drama Centre Theatre, 03-01 National Library, 100 Victoria Street When: June 26, 8pm Admission: $50 Info: Deepak Chandran: Technically Funny is showing on Netflix. Joanne Soh is a lifestyle correspondent at The Straits Times, with a special interest in entertainment and pop culture. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New Straits Times
15-06-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Batik Air to launch Subang–Bangkok Don Mueang route earlier than scheduled
KUALA LUMPUR: Batik Air Malaysia Sdn Bhd is accelerating its international expansion from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB), also known as Subang Airport, by bringing forward the launch of its daily flights to Bangkok Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) to July 28, ahead of its initially planned start date of September 12. Batik Air Malaysia's chief executive officer Datuk Chandran Rama Muthy said the earlier commencement was made possible by the timely availability of aircraft, enabling the airline to capitalise on the increasing air travel demand, particularly in the summer and strengthening its regional connectivity strategy. "With increasing demand for flights out of SZB, this milestone represents a significant step in expanding our international operations from Subang." "We are pleased to have accelerated this timeline and to position Subang as a key hub city airport within our network," Chandran told Business Times when contacted last week. The SZB-DMK daily route launch marks Batik Air Malaysia's first international route out of Subang Airport. The upcoming new daily service, which will be operated under flight OD532 from SZB to DMK and OD533 for the return leg, will be served by Batik Air Malaysia's Boeing B737-800 aircraft, marking another key route in the airline's growing short-haul international network. Chandran said the opportunity was strategically leveraged to support Batik Air Malaysia's network growth. Batik Air Malaysia began operating the B737-800s out of Subang Airport in August 2024, following Malaysia's decision to reopen the airport to commercial narrow-body jet operations for the first time in 22 years. The airline also operates out of Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1 (KLIA T1). Batik Air Malaysia has been steadily expanding its presence in Thailand, currently operating 21 weekly flights between KLIA T1 and DMK, in addition to seven weekly flights between Subang Airport and DMK. The carrier has also launched services from Johor Bahru to DMK beginning with four weekly flights, and will increase to daily frequencies from August 2025. Also on July 28, Batik Air Malaysia will commence daily flights to Kuching International Airport from Subang Airport, further strengthening domestic connectivity from Subang.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Chennai schools come up with ways to boost admissions
Three govt schools under the Chengalpet education district have found ways to solve a common problem — getting more children into classrooms. People will enrol their kids in govt schools if unique initiatives are implemented, said C Karpagam, chief educational officer. Govt Higher Secondary School, Kovalam Is snooker a rich man's preserve? Not necessarily, thought headmaster T Nakkeeran when he brought in a snooker table worth 2 lakh in 2021, with the help of Venkatraman Memorial Trust. "It broke the stereotype that certain games are meant only for certain people," Nakkeeran told TOI. Physical education teacher Mohan, said, "Our students participated in a competition in Chennai but since they were not accustomed to playing in an air-conditioned environment, they lost. Now, we'll get ACs in our PE room to equip our students to fare better next time," he said. Besides snooker, the school has nets for cricket. M S Nanina, Class XI, who played for the Tamil Nadu U-17 cricket team, said, "Here, both acdemics and sports get the same importance. We reached the U-17 quarter-finals in Haryana and my school bore all the expenses." MPL Govt Higher Secondary School, Hastinapuram Speaking without inhibition brings out the best in students, said headmaster J Chandran whose 'Coffee With HM' is extremely popular among his students. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Though there's a space crunch in this one-acre school, it has not deterred Chandran from placing grievance boxes across the campus. One's for faculty and one for students. Every evening he visits classes to connect with his students. "We discuss everything from academics to issues at home or school. And if there is an issue, we try to resolve it," said Chandran. Hari Prasad, a Class XI student, said, "The HM is a busy man, yet he finds time to listen to us. I wanted a library in the school but I was too shy to ask him. But drop boxes and 'Coffee with HM' room help introverts like me open up. Now, we have a library." Maraimalai Adigal Govt Higher Secondary School, Pallavaram At headmaster S Ravi Kasi Venkataraman's school, 80-plus CCTVs maintain careful watch over students' movements, and no one can play truant. But how does he ensure students stay in school? Answer: The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) app. This app lets the headmaster record messages and forward them to parents. "I send messages about students' absence, exam details and pass on updates. Student details are stored in the app along with their parents' phone numbers," said Ravi. Messages are sent four times a day, spaced 30 minutes apart. "If parents miss the first message, they can listen to the next." The school also offers free coaching for competitive exams., said the parent of GP Shravesh, a former CBSE student who is set to join Class XI. Three years ago, school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi opened the Young Kalam Discovery Science Centre at this school.
