I happened to attend the inaugural of a Mega Summer Camp for youth at Sriperumputhur. Organised jointly by the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD) and the national Service Scheme (NSS), it is essentially to promote volunteerism and citizenship. As part of the educational visit, the NSS volunteers will visit Coimbatore, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kanyakumari and Madurai.
Union Minister Dr M S Gill was the Chief Guest. He started his career as an I AS officer as the Deputy Commissioner and Collector, Lahaul and Spiti, now in Himachal Pradesh. We know that he was our Chief Election Commissioner. Later he became a Member of the Rajya Sabha and then a Union Minister. As the first member of the IAS to go to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling, he got trained by Tenzing Norgay, the Everest hero in 1961. Dr Gill has climbed to a height of twenty thousand feet! He received the Padma Vibhushan in 2000. Yet, he is exceptionally simple and humble. In his extempore address, he laid stress on mountaineering and women-empowerment.
At the inaugural, I also met Shri C R Kesavan, great-grandson of Rajaji. He is the Vice-President of the RGNIYD. mentioned to him of my own good fortune on a couple of times when I met Rajaji in the sixtees, the experience of which is unforgettable.
Let me recapitulate. I was working in All India Radio, Madras (now Chennai) when Jawaharlal Nehru died in 1964. Poornam Viswanathan was the News Editor and me, a newsreader/translator. Those days Newsreaders were expected to go out for spot recordings. We went to several celebrities to record their ‘tributes’ to Nehruji.
We requested Rajaji to record a message. He said, ‘You don’t record a message when someone dies.’
‘Ok Sir, We will record your tributes,’ Poornam pleaded.
‘Neither would I pay my tributes to him. You can record an obituary reference from me, if you so choose, but on one condition. You should broadcast the entire recording without editing out any portion. It might contain some uncomplimentary remarks. If you agree, I am willing.’
What happened thereafter? I will reserve it for another occasion.
I received a wedding invitation, or rather, more than an invitation from Sakthi Nilayam, the home of Pollachi Shri N Mahalingam. The opening page of the invitation is inspired from an ancient wedding scroll. The creation is a composition of many symbols that act as auspicious representations in the Indian cultural ethos. The celebratory creative is done in the 400 year old Thanjavur art form.
The invitation has also verses from Abhirami Anthathi, Thiruvarutpa, Thevaram and Thirukkural.
What can create the rare bonhomie in the Tamil Nadu assembly between members of arch rivals DMK and AIADMK? Any guess?
A brand of herbal Viagra, which has become a runaway hit weeks after it was launched by a state-run corporation,created this bonhomie, after it was distributed for feedback.
The aphrodisiac 'Laboob Sageer', a prized invention of Tamil Nadu Medicinal Plant Farms and Herbal Medicines Corporation Ltd (TAMPCOL), brought out a rare camaraderie between members of the parties who were otherwise at loggerheads.
It all started when Health Minister M R K Panneerselvam was replying to the debate on demand for grants for his department. AIADMK MLA and former minister D Jayakumar sought to know how effective and reliable 'Laboob Sageer' would be, evoking peals of laughter in the House.
During the week, I happened to watch a movie, ‘Door To Door’, the inspirational true story of a salesman who refused to let severe physical debilitation get in the way of his life’s goal. William H Macy in the lead role is simply marvelous. If you get a chance to watch, please don’t miss.