Cultural Dress to be wored in Tamilnadu Temples from Jan-2016

High Court order prescribed what devotees have to wear.

This new year’s day a sartorial idea laid siege to the temples of Tamil Nadu that have routinely been stormed on the count of several social and reformist ideologies.

The Madras High court bench in Chennai had on December 1 directed the state government and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to implement dress code for devotees, for entry into temples kicking in on January 1, a routine visit gained much more significance as men, women and children were told what they had to wear. 

The Madurai bench of Madras High Court has ordered that police should ensure a dress code for people entering temples —dhoti and shirt or pyjama “with upper cloth” for men and saree or half-saree or churidar “with upper cloth” for women. Children can wear “any fully covered dress”.

The court also directed the state government to take a decision on this issue and directed the authorities to implement the court-mandated dress code from January 2016. It also directed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to communicate to all temples to strictly adhere to the dress code.

Devotees entering temples in Tamil Nadu will have to follow a new dress code from January 1 as several important shrines have put up notice boards highlighting this.

According to a notice board outside the Palani temple, male devotees have been advised to wear dhoti, shirt, pyjama or pant and shirt while women and girls should wear saris or churidhar or 'pavadai' with half-sari.

Devotees wearing lungi, bermudas, jeans and tight-leggings would not be allowed, it said.

Other major shrines which have put up notice boards about the dress code included the Rameswaram and Meenakshi temples, officials said.

‘Improper clothes’

The order, issued by Justice S Vaidyanathan on November 26, came during the hearing of a writ petition seeking the court’s permission to hold a “Gramiya Adal Padal Vizha” (musical dance programme) at a temple in Akkiyampatti village in Trichy district. The court said the objective of the order is to restrict devotees from wearing improper clothing.

The code emerged as a result of Judge S. Vaidyanathan’s “concern over improper clothes” worn by many people during temple visits.

Moreover he had said "we should dress for public worship in a way that is generally considered appropriate."

"The department should consider implementing the dress code as follows: for men dhoti or pyjamas with upper cloth or formal pants and shirts and for women saree or half saree with blouse, churidhars with upper cloth, for children any fully covered dress," the judge had said, adding, it should be followed in temples from January 1, 2016.

He directed that it be implemented in all temples coming under the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department until the State government takes a policy decision on the issue in order “to enhance the spiritual ambience.”

This Friday, regarded as auspicious by Hindus, rendered more significant by the birth of a new year, huge crowds thronged the temples.

On the day of implementation though, few temples actually turned away devotees.

At the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple, and at the Kapaleeswarar and Parthasarathy temples in Chennai, devotees were told to adhere to the norms on their next visit. In Tiruchi’s Rockfort Sri Thayumanaswamy Temple, temple authorities gave dhotis and shawls (they had been offered to the temple) to those who had come in jeans or shorts, a strict no-no as per the new code. In southern Tamil Nadu however, temple authorities said there was good compliance with the dress code, with only a few people coming in jeans.

“According to Christianity, a general lesson from the New Testament is that we should dress for public worship in a way that is generally considered appropriate. Standards of dress are different from church to church and change over time, but we should avoid any style of dress that is offensive or sends a message opposing the church community’s values,” the judgment said.

The judge observed that Islam also insists on a dress code: “Sleeves should reach to each wrist and the hair should be covered by a headscarf. Pants or skirts that are too revealing, clingy, or tight should not be worn and the dress permissible to men for worship is that they should wear long pants and plain shirts without messages or slogans when visiting mosques.”

It also referred to the recently imposed dress code banning short skirts and shorts in Somnath temple and a similar rule in Tirupati temple.

Among the devotees though there were mixed reactions – ranging between bemusement and irritation, stopping just short of outrage, and a good many of them saying if they had known earlier, they would have conformed to the code.

Patricia Narayan - Owner of a chain of Restaurants

When you think millionaire, what image comes to mind? For many of us, it’s one who flies a private jet, owns several homes and expensive cars and lives a flashy lifestyle—affording most of it with loads of inherited wealth.

But many modern millionaires started out the hard way, live in middle-class neighbourhoods, work full-time and shop at discount stores like the rest of us. “For the rich, it’s not about getting more stuff. It’s about having the freedom to make almost any decision you want,” says T. Harv Eker, author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. Wealth means you can send your child to any school or resign from a job you don’t like.

According to the Merrill Lynch-Capgemini World Wealth Report 2011, the number of Indian millionaires (those who have a net worth of at least Rs5 crore, the equivalent of nearly a million US dollars, not counting the value of their primary residence) had more than doubled to 153,000 in two years.* (And remember, those counted here comprise only those who report their true incomes and pay their taxes.) Anyway, that figure is expected to triple in the next two years, according to a report in The Economic Times.

If more people are getting richer than ever, why shouldn’t you work hard and be one of them? Here, three self-made millionaires share the secrets that helped them get there.

  
No Guts, No Glory

Thirty years ago, Patricia Narayan hardly seemed on the road to wealth. Just into her 20s, she lived with her two small children and an abusive, alcoholic husband who couldn’t keep his job. “It was miserable and so hard to make ends meet, I returned to my parents’ home and yearned for a better life,” says Patricia. Today she’s a 54-year-old Chennai caterer and restaurant-chain owner.

There was one big reason Patricia pulled ahead of others in her situation: Instead of moaning about her failing marriage, she decided she had to earn for herself and the kids and not be a burden to her family, although both her parents were gainfully employed.

Being ambitious and determined to succeed are crucial first steps. “The biggest obstacle to wealth is fear,” says Eker. “People are afraid to think big, but if you think small, you’ll only achieve small things.”

It all started after friends and neighbours routinely praised her cooking, something Patricia enjoyed. “They relished my pickles, jams and squashes. So I began to sell some to them,” she says. Next, she opened a food-kiosk at Chennai’s Marina Beach. “It was a whole year’s struggle getting the licence, but once I started, I made sure my home-made cutlets, sandwiches and other snacks were the best available there,” says Patricia, who worked 16-hour days to cook, pack and sell, with the help of her husband and five employees. In a few years, she was also supplying food to the canteens of three big organizations, including a bank.

Meanwhile, Patricia’s life wasn’t a bed of roses. Her marriage unravelled and she got a divorce in 1991. In 2004, her daughter Prateepha and son-in-law died in a road accident, soon after they were married. After that Praveen, her son, resigned from his merchant navy job to join the business.

Realizing that Prateepha had died in an accident-prone area with no nearby medical facilities, Patricia started a free ambulance service to cover that stretch of highway.

“All along, it was hard work that kept my mind off the problems in my personal life,” she says. In 2006, Patricia opened Sandheepa, her own restaurant, which has since grown to 19 outlets in Chennai.

In 2009, Patricia won a coveted Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Woman of the Year Award. “When you are determined, the odds are in your favour,” she says. “I constantly think about how to do better, and that usually gives me good ideas.”

A Model Village in Tamilnadu, South India

Mahatma Gandhi said that India lived in villages. He wanted the villages to be developed. While everybody talks on every platform, nobody takes the serious initiative.

Here is the story of R Elango, a Dalit leader turning his village into a Model village in India. R Elango, born and brought up in Kuthambakkam village, in the adjoining district of Chennai City was involved in the social work right from his childhood. After completing his B.Tech in Anna University, he joined Oil India and shifted to CSIR as a Scientist.

When Mr. Elango, a native of Kuthambakkam, quit his job as a scientist at CSIR - Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, to return back to his village and contested in the 1996 Panchayat elections, history and fate were about to be rewritten..

His village Kuthambakkam with 7 hamlets and with more than 50% of Dalit population was always facing caste clashes. Due to illicit liquor trade, the poor villagers were losing money, health and family relations.

He was inspired by the idea of the then PM Rajiv Gandhi, who promoted the idea of ‘Panchayat Raj’ to give full freedom to village Panchayat. Later in 1992, Narasimha Rao Government passed the 73rd Amendment in the Parliament to implement Panchayat Raj in the entire country. The first elections were held in 1996 for Panchayats, based on the new Act.

Since nobody was willing to contest election to become the President of the Kuthambakkam village, he resigned his Government job to contest the elections.

In the 1996 Panchayat election, he was elected by the villagers with a three-fourth majority to become the first President of the village under the new Act. Panchayat Raj Act gave powers to the villagers for self governance. He started implementing word by word the guidelines given in the Act.

He visited many model villages across the country and developed a model for his village. He brought peace between the warring casts. The illicit liquor was totally eradicated through persuasion. He brought transparency in the village administration. The first Gram Sabha was constituted as per the Act with full powers.

Since he brought transparency in the administration, many of the contractors and the Government officials did not like his way of functioning. On some flimsy grounds, he was suspended in 1998 by the then Collector. As the Collector read out the charges before the Gram Sabha, the entire village stood by Mr Elango, rejected the charges completely. He was reinstated by the Government as the President. After this incident, the Government realized his potential.

In 2000, for the first time in India, he built 50 twin houses in a single colony called ‘Samathuvapuram’ (Place for equality). In every twin house, one dalit and one non dalit lived. This scheme was later adopted by the Tamilnadu Government and extended to the entire State.

During the first five years, he made a lot of transformation in the village, including creating opportunities for employment generation and education. In 2001 Panchayat election, he was elected unopposed by the villagers. During his second term, he completed all the unfinished works and placed his village in the Indian map as a Model village.

He made the systems to work well and improved the economy of his village. While in 2006 and 2011 elections, he encouraged others to become the President. Till date, his system continues.

Elango feels that though India has around 2.70 lakh Panchayats covering around 6 lakh villages, there are only 100 to 200 model villages like Kuthambakkam. In order to train the Panchayat leaders to function properly, he started a ‘Panchayat Academy’. Through this Academy, he has networked over 700 Panchayat Presidents. By 2016, he wants to help 200 villages to become model villages and to train 1000 aspiring Panchayat leaders.

Though people in and around his village respect him, he is not interested to join any political party and to contest for Assembly or Parliament elections. “I will move only horizontally to develop villages”, says Elango proudly.

Mr Elango can be reached at panchayat@yahoo.com

About Kuthambakkam 
 
Kuthambakkam is located in Poonamallee (or) Poovirundhavalli union, Thiruvallur district of Tamilnadu State, South India, situated in the latitude of 13°2'30"N and Longitude of 80°2'26"E

This is an agriculture-based village. It is situated 8 KM from Poonamallee, 31 KMs West from State Capital Chennai and 18 KMs East from District head quarters Thiruvallur.This village covers an area of 36 square kilometers. It constitutes about 700 acres of wetland and 1100 acres of dry land.

Kuthambakkam Pin code is 600 124 and postal head office is Thirumushi. Nemam ( 1 KM ) , Vellavedu ( 1 KM ) , Melmanambedu ( 1 KM ) , Padur ( 2 KM ) , Korattur ( 3 KM ) are the nearby Villages to Kuthambakkam. Kuthambakkam is surrounded by Kunnattur Taluk towards East , Sriperumbudur Taluk towards South , Ambattur Taluk towards East , Tiruvallur Taluk towards west .

Thirunindravur , Ambattur , Thiruvallur , Nandivaram-Guduvancheri are the nearby Cities to Kuthambakkam.

This Place is in the border of the Thiruvallur District and Kanchipuram District. Kanchipuram District Kunnattur is East towards this place . Also it is in the Border of other district Chennai . It is near to bay of bengal. There is a chance of humidity in the weather.

What the village was like 15 years back ----  

a) illicit arrack brewing activities and easy availability of illicit liquor
b) Caste clashes between dalits and non dalits
c) Inadequate basic facilities like, safe drinking water, drainage and internal roads
d) No regular income due to unemployment
e) No assurance to food
f)  Violence against women and children existed.
 

Demographics of Kuthambakkam

Tamil is the Local Language here.
 

How to reach Kuthambakkam
 

By Train

Nemilicherry Halt Rail Way Station , Tiruninravur Rail Way Station are the very nearby railway stations to Kuthambakkam. How ever Chennai Central Rail Way Station is major railway station 29 KM near to Kuthambakkam

Colleges near Kuthambakkam

C. T. M. College 

Address : Irulappalayam; Kuthambakkam Post; Thiruvallur Dist; Postcode -- 602 107.
Schools near Kuthambakkam

St.claret Mat School,nadukkath 

Address : nadukuthagai , poonamallee , thiruvallur , Tamil Nadu . PIN- 602024 , Post - Tiruninravur Rs
 

St Johns Rural Hs,pazhanjur 

Address : pazhanjur , poonamallee , thiruvallur , Tamil Nadu . PIN- 600123
 

Govt (g) Hss, Kamaraj Nagar 

Address : avadi ward-25 , poonamallee , thiruvallur , Tamil Nadu . PIN- 600071 , Post - Kamarajnagar
 

Jaya Jaya Sankara,nazarathpett 

Address : nazarathpettai , poonamallee , thiruvallur , Tamil Nadu . PIN- 600123

Veteran Leader of C.P.I - Nallakannu

R.Nallakannu is an Indian politician and also Senior Communist   Party of India (CPI) leader. He was the former State Secretary of the Communist Party of India of Tamil Nadu. He was born in the temple town of Srivaikuntum, in VO. Chidambaranar district. 
 

Born in an affluent family, he was very patriotic from an young age and participated in the freedom struggle.

Born to a Highly religious and a noble father,who was a helpfulman to all people in the local town, was heartbroken to hear that his son was sentenced to life imprisonment.Though communist activities are unknown in a traditional Hindu family,his father always talked about his son in a manner of pride, till the last days of his life.

His elder brother was a senior IRS officer of govt of India.His wife Ranjitham was the daughter of a communist leader,herself,who as a wife rendered a tireless life of sacrifice ,wedded to a diehard communist leader.His two daughters,the elder is a headmistress of a school,and the younger one is a professor in a medical college.

At the age of 15, Nallakannu joined in the communist movement, mainly agitated by the atrocities committed to the downtrodden people, of a particular community. A firebrand politician, he belonged to the action force, and was handed over 14 years in jail. Though he was released after 7 years as a pact was signed by the communist leaders and then the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. A very dedicated, and a most sincere politician,he has set an example how a politician should live, with simplicity, and diginity, and an effective role model.,for all politicians to follow .Highly respected even by the opponent parties, he uses most cultured restraint even when he voices his concerns about unpleasant occurrences.Respected as one of the last surviving leaders who founded communist movement in India.widely travelled, and his visits include,USSR,Germany,China,and of late to USA.

Even at the Age (September 26)of 89 plus he individually fought a court case in Madurai, and won in High court ordering a ban on digging sands from the river Thambaraparani of his native place. He has undergone many a hunger strikes some lasting for more than 20 days and once the govt build a dam because of his hungerstrike. He was honoured by the Vice President of the Peoples Republic of China, during his visit to Beijing.

On 1999, Nallakannu stands for Coimbatore constituency on loksabha elections. Even though, He secured 43.21 percent of total votes, he was defeated by CP Radhakrishnan.On 14 August 2007, Nallakannu receives "Sahayogi Puraskar" award from Governor Surjit Singh Barnala of Tamil Nadu.On 2008, The State Government of Tamil Nadu headed by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has chosen senior Communist Party of India leader Nallakannu for the 2007 "Ambedkar Award" for his outstanding contribution to public life, especially to the poor and the downtrodden. On 3 October 2008, Nallakannu receives "Gandhian award" for social service from All India Mahatma Gandhi Social Welfare Forum. Nallakannu was honored by "Jeeva Award" from District Writers Association on 21 January 2009 at Thiruchirapalli.

As a writer, Nallakannu wrote many books based on social problems, River interaction possibilities in India, Agricultural reforms,and of course lot about communist based articles.He is also valued as a learned speaker, and a great social reformer,and all his life he fought for the equal opportunities for the socially most suffered communities. He stayed with them,had food with them,taught them how to fight for their own rights,from the upper classes and made considerable progress in lifting the living conditions of poor people in Nanguneri taluk and neighbouring villages,most of the period when he was spending his time in underground. 

A fearless fighter,he was,and he will do any sacrifice to uphold the principles of a casteless socity. A living example of what a leader should be, his role models were Lenin,che,and Ho-chi-min.

Arutprakasa Vallalar Ramalinga Adigal

Arutprakasa Vallalar Chidambaram Ramalingam (Tamil: அருட்பிரகாச வள்ளலார் சிதம்பரம் இராமலிங்க அடிகள்) (5 October 1823 – disappeared on 30 January 1874 (Presumed not dead)), whose pre-monastic name was Ramalingam, is commonly known in India and across the world as Vallalar (Tamil: வள்ளலார்).

He was one of the most famous Tamil Saints and also one of the greatest Tamil poets of the 19th century and belongs to a line of Tamil saints known as "gnana siddhars" (gnana means higher wisdom). The Samarasa Suddha Sanmarga Sathiya Sangam (Common, pure, good and true way of life) was spread and passed on by him not only in theory but mainly in practice by his own way of living which was itself inspiration for his followers. Through the notion of Suddha Sanmarga Sangam, the saint endeavored to eliminate the caste system. According to Suddha Sanmarga, the prime aspects of human life should be love connected with charity and divine practice leading to achievement of pure knowledge.

Ramalinga Adigal was the youngest child of Ramiah Pillai and his sixth wife Chinnamaiar, born on Sunday October 5, 1823, at 5:54 PM. in Marudur in South Arcot district, a small village 15 km north-west of Chidambaram.  
Ramaiah Pillai, a Saiva faith and Chinnammai were the couple who were blessed with this embodiment of God. Ramalinga was the fifth child of Ramaiah who had remained childless after losing five wives in succession and then married Chinnammai as his sixth wife.

Chinnamaiar, however, bore him five children; the older ones were two sons, Sabhapati and Parasuraman, and two daughters, Sundarammal and Unnamali. They named their youngest child Ramalingam. When Ramalinga was six months old, his father died, and his mother moved to her native village Ponneri, where from they shifted to Chennai after two years.  
Ramalinga was exposed to a spiritual experience at Chidambaram Nataraja Temple when he was barely five months old. The parents took the baby boy to the sacred shrine of Nataraja for worshiping the deity. When the priest drew aside the veil, the child experienced the formless aspect of God. In later years he said of this experience

In tender age when, with my mother,
I came to You in Chidambaram,
and the screen being lifted,
the Divine revealed the vacant space behind,
You admitted me to the secret which is as clear as the void space
O Lord, my Joy, You ripened me at once, without bitterness in my heart.

Ramalinga Vallalar’s elder brother, the earning member of the family, tried to educate Vallalar in traditional way, but his efforts went in vain. Vallalar, unlike the other children of his age, was totally disinterested in the usual pleasures of childhood. He had unparalleled proficiency in Tamil language and his inclination was totally towards God. He could compose wonderful devotional songs at a very early age. Later his elder brother realized the greatness of Ramalinga Vallalar and has allowed him to live in his own style. However, due to compulsion of relatives, Vallalar had to get married. But he did not lead an active marital life.

Vallalar had himself reported that he was took over by the Almighty at the age of nine and that his spiritual life began at the age of twelve. In the initial stages, he used to visit many temples and shrines nearby and worshipped the deities. Later on, his orientation shifted towards higher realms and his focus was the supreme power beyond all forms.

In 1858, Vallalar moved from Chennai and started staying at Karunguzhi, a hamlet near his birth place, There he had performed several miracles including burning light with water, bringing up an everflowing spring (which is still there) by digging with his hand, etc. In 1865, he formed the ‘Sanmarga Sangh’ to advocate his principles of One God, Compassion upon beings, Avoidance of killing animals and non-intake of Non Vegetarian food, feeding the hungry people etc. In 1867, Vallalar established Dharmasala at Vadalur wherein the hunger of poor people was satiated.

As time went, he realized many of his devotees were not ready to follow his principles as per his expectations. Also people started thronging the place at Vadalur. So in search of solitude, Vallalar chose Mettukuppam, a village 5 kms from Vadalur and started residing there. The house where he stayed was named by him rightfully as ‘Siddhi Valagam’ which means ‘Place of Attainment’.

Vallalar’s spiritual efforts matured and he could achieve immortality by changing his physical coil into embodiment of light. He could reach the highest point by Grace of the Almighty. He has expressed his way, life and the truths that he found in various forms of songs, at every stage. He created ‘Sathya Gnana Sabha’ at Vadalur to indicate the inner experience.

Finally, on 30.01.1874, he merged with the Great Light of Grace at his room in Siddhivalagam. He remains a beacon and as well a guiding Master for those in the search of God.  

He came to uplift the whole humanity towards perfect bliss without hunger, disease, thirst, desire, poverty, fear, death, with full self existent delight or bliss through true knowledge, true love, true compassion accompanied by common wealth activities without disparities of dogmatic rituals pertaining to any religion, philosophy, caste, creed, color, sex or nationality.

Kanchi Maha Swamy Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamigal

Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal (Tamil: சந்திரசேகரேந்திர சரஸ்வதி சுவாமிகள்) (May 20, 1894 – January 8, 1994) or the Sage of Kanchi was the 68th Jagadguru in the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.

He is usually referred to as Paramacharya, Mahaswami or Maha Periyavaal. Mahaswami was born on 20 May 1894, under Anuradha nakshatra according to the Hindu calendar, into a Kannadiga Smartha Hoysala Karnataka Brahmin family in Viluppuram, South Arcot District, Tamil Nadu as Swaminatha.

He was the second son of Subramanya Sastri, a District Education Officer. The child was named Swaminatha, after the family deity, Lord Swaminatha of Swamimalai, near Kumbakonam.

Swaminatha began his early education at the Arcot American Mission High School at Tindivanam, where his father was working. He was an exceptional student and excelled in several subjects. In 1905, his parents performed his Upanayanam, a Vedic ceremony which qualifies a Brahmin boy to begin his Vedic studies under an accomplished teacher.
 
His brother was Sadasiva shastrigal, popularly known as Sivan Sir. Sadasiva Sastri was born on 3.10.1903 in Viluppuram, South Arcot District, Tamil Nadu.He has written a magnum opus based on Hindu philosophy in a Tamil book titled "Yeni Padigalil Mandargal". He attained videha mukthi in 1994. 

An embodiment of simplicity, Śrī Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Mahāswāmiji, 68th pontiff of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, adorned the Peetam for 87 years from February 1907, when he was just 13. 

He travelled across the country mostly on foot, in keeping with the Math's tradition, meeting people and showering his blessings. His erudition and compassion endeared him to everyone, irrespective of class, creed and nationality. His foremost vision was the preservation of the Vedas, tradition and Dharma.

Taking one meal a day and sleeping in makeshift rooms, cowsheds and withered palanquins, he advocated simplicity and shunned extravagance. His exposition of the Vedanta, our sastras, agamas, puranas and epics appealed to scholars and laymen alike. They were very simple in language but rich in appeal and content. He was a great humanitarian, deep in his heart. He attained mahasamadhi in January 1994 at Kanchipuram. 

The renowned Muruga bhaktar Kripānanda Variar composed this eulogy of the late Maha Swamiji.

For more details see at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrashekarendra_Saraswati 

Mrs.ChinnaPillai of Madurai

Continuing the life sketches of 'Women achievers of India, here is the life sketch of the great Mrs. Chinnapillai. It is matter of great pride for all Maduraiites and Tamils when the then Prime Minister of India Shri. Atal Bihari Vajpayee when he visited Madurai paid his compliments to Mrs. Chinnapillai.

Mrs. Chinnapillai was born in Pullisery village, Madurai District, state of Tamilnadu, in South India. She has been deeply involved in organizing and working with co-agricultural laborers for undertaking various agricultural operations on a collective basis to maximize their benefits.

She started a very successful banking system in the villages in Tamil Nadu and is a champion trying to reduce poverty and debt grievances by empowering women. Her intent efforts in leading a savings unit among women in the dept stricken village of Pullucheri became so successful that soon many groups sprung in the region with equal effectiveness. The Kalanjiam, microcredit movement received a huge boost from her dedication and contributions, reaching out to many women living under poverty.

She was the founder of a number of Kalanjiams (savings and credit groups) of poor women and was instrumental in forming Vaigai Vattara Kalanjiam, Appantirupathy, which is the First Federation of Rural Women Savings and Credit Group in India. This has a membership of over 40,000 women. The linkages that she has established between the Kalanjiams and the banks and other financial institutions like NABARD, HUDCO etc. has resulted in promotion of income generation for hundreds of poor women to get them rid of the clutches of money-lenders.

She led many struggles to establish the rights and entitlements of poor women against landlords, moneylenders, politicians and officials. The most notable was the right for fishing over the village tank, which was controlled by the landlords.

Her selfless and untiring service for the poor women in the South has earned her Mata Jijabai Stree Shakti Puraskar award for the year 1999, one among the 5 women.

In a picture perfect moment for the press, then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee bowed down in respect and touched her feet while presenting her with the award.

An Young Girl with Highest I.Q

Born in Palayamkottai, Thirunelveli, a small city of Tamil Nadu, to an electrician father, Vishalini is no different than other children of her age who love watching cartons, riding bicycle and playing games; however, her IQ and intelligence is not of an average 11-year-old girl.

She is a child prodigy blessed with exceptional computer and analytical skills. According to reports, her IQ stands at 225, which is considerably higher than the previous Guinness of world record holder, Kim Ung-Yong, whose IQ is approximately 210.

Her wonderful accomplishments include the Microsoft Certified Professional and Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA). By scoring 90 % in CCNA, Vishalini has broken the record of a Pakistani girl Arfa Karim Randhawa (At the age 9,she was the youngest MCP). Unfortunately, Arfa succumbed to a cardiac arrest on 14th of January 2014; she was only 16.

“She did not find a place in the Guinness Book because the minimum age requirement is 14 years,” says her electrician-father, Kumarasamy.

Blessed with exceptional IQ, the Standard 8 student is an IT whiz kid who can come up with solutions to the trickiest of technical problems. Yes, she spends three hours a day learning about computers. But that is no big deal.

 

Recently, she participated at an international seminar which was held at the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Mangalore, where she was invited as a guest speaker. It wasn’t the first time Vishalini addressed a strong tech gathering; several such offers and honors have become a part of her daily routine. She lectures engineering students about the Technical fundamentals and computer intricacies. Her syllabus has been wrapped up well in advance. So this child prodigy has the time to visit engineering colleges to deliver lectures to B.E. and B.Tech students on the intricacies of computer science.

At seminars, many an IT expert has been foxed by this chit of a girl who has answers to complex questions.

Her amazing achievements include cracking the Microsoft Certified Professional and Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) courses with ease.

According to her family, she had speech impairment in the early childhood that caused a great concern of her family, her mother Mrs. Sethurakamalika ( An anchor with All India Radio at Tirunelveli ), says that “despite her blessed intelligence, Vishalini struggled to talk at her younger age and as per the consultancy given by a doctor, we interacted regularly with her and we could see some positive results in six months.”

Today, Vishalini is a wonder girl that her parents can be immensely proud of. The irony was that the mother spoke incessantly on radio while the daughter had difficulty in articulating herself. “People would point that out to me all the time,” says Ragamaliga.

A local doctor came to her aid. “Dr Rajesh advised me to talk continuously to Vishalini in order to help her improve her speech ability,” says Ragamaliga.

She was preparing for her Group-1 exams at that point. So she began reciting questions and answers of the syllabus in front of her. “Moreover, I used to recite religious verses as well,” she adds.

“All this might have looked a little pointless but I persisted. Suddenly one fine morning, after nine months, Vishalini started speaking."

The girl’s parents heard of a boy who had secured admission in an engineering college after his Standard 8 exams.

"We approached Kalasalingam Engineering College. They asked us to bring a certificate from CCNA. Vishalini took the exam and got 90 per cent marks. It was a world record. She was only 10 years old. Earlier the youngest student to pass this exam was a 12-year-old boy from Pakistan, Irtaza Haider,” says Kumarasamy.

Both NITK of Mangalore and Kalasalingam Engineering College are now more than ready to welcome Vishalini. But her parents want the girl to enjoy her childhood for the next three years before thinking of entering a college campus.

Their only disappointment now is that the state and central governments have failed to recognise and appreciate Vishalini's extraordinary achievements.

Today, Vishalini deserves more exposure and support which should come from beyond the government of Tamil Nadu and a couple of engineering colleges; her talent must be recognized and appreciated by the central government as well as every citizen of India. She is not only a bright star of her family but also a gem for the whole country. “Hats off to Vishalinin!”
 

Eight-year-old Pakistani Boy Shafay Thobani is now the World’s Youngest Microsoft Certified Professional. Click HERE to read the story.

A Self-Confident Village School Teacher

In South India, state of Tamilnadu, Karur District, Krishnarayapuram Constituency, a small village namely Narikattiyur with a total population of between 1000 to 1100 people, where a Panchayat Union Elementary School is functioning from the year 1956, when it was established. The school was functioning with a student strength of lesser than 50.

Meanwhile in 2002, the students strength has drastically reduced to mere 5 a closure condition of this school. In this situation a Headmistress namely Tmty.R.Vijayalalitha has taken charge on June-18, 2002. Being a single (S.Nirmala ) teacher school, (PTA Teachers - 2 ) with enormous confidence, visited all nearby houses in which all school age students were called for studying in that school. After several attempts the strength of 5 has gone up to 38, in 1 year.

After taking charge of this school she has spent Rs.50,000 / - for Additional School Building, Ceiling fan, Painting, Bathroom & Toilet facilities. Been in a closing stage of school in the forthcoming years strength has rised slowly as 64 , 71 , 78 , 103.

Due to the increase of students, and un-availability of classrooms, two additional buildings at Rs.4.15 / - lakhs were allotted. The Headmistress accompanying with her Husband Mr.Sudhirkumar donated Rs.1,00,000 / - affordable by them.

With the above cash and collecting more from other peoples, two additional School Buildings were constructed with all facilities ( challenging like in private schools ) such as Tiled floors, Ceiling Fan, Wall Charts, Purified water, Computers for Training, Toilet etc..by the Headmistress.

Due to Educating Methods, Strict and Discipline year by year students strength increased. For the past 5 years the people living nearby to the school send their children by arranging Auto-rickshaw facility.

Pre-K.G children of Private schools are joining in 1st standard of this school.Even class 1 to 4, students of private schools too join this school. Including English medium classes a total of 7 classrooms now, doesn’t provide sufficient building, a visit conducted by the District Collector Tmty.S.Jayanthy, assured that she would take necessary action for additional building for this school.

Now, the strength being increased as 217, Village Education Committee has proposed to Enhance as Middle school.

While talking about the efforts taken, the Headmistress Tmty.Vijayalalitha has enunciated as by approaching parents door-to-door, advertising in local T.V. channels, we admitted students. By carefully handling with quality education, keeping the premises clean, many parents are admitting their children educated in private schools.




Located at 10.57 N latitude and 78.06 E longitude nearby cities are Thiruchirapalli, Kangeyam and Dindigul.

While Enhancing the level of School, teachers strength may also increase. Hats Off to Headmistress Madam ! Continue your service.

A Honest I.A.S Officer

Please read the Non-corrupt IAS officer's life story. We need more of such officers in every place.

By refusing to take bribes, the then Madurai collector has earned 18 transfers in 20 years, a modest house and bank balance and lots of respect. Some of his Transfers are listed below :-

Secretary                       State Election Commission, Tamilnadu
Joint Commissioner       Civil Supplies & Consumer Welfare
D.R.O                             Kallakurichi
D.R.O                             Kanchipuram
Deputy Commissioner    Coimbatore ( Customs )
Collector                        Namakkal
Collector                        Madurai
Managing Director          New Thiruppur Area Dev Corporation Ltd
Spl Officer & M.D            Handlooms, Tamilnadu
Managing Director          Co-Optex, Chennai 


Ubagarampillai Sagayam (born 1964) is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. He is currently the Managing Director of Co-optex,Tamil Nadu. He is the first IAS officer in the state to make his assets public - a bank balance of Rs 7,172 and a house in Madurai worth Rs 9 lakh.

U.Sagayam is the youngest of five sons of a farmer from Perunchunai village, Pudukkottai, Tamil Nadu. He hails from a poor agricultural family. He did his schooling in a Tamil-medium Panchayat Elementary school and in a Government Higher secondary school at Ellaippatti, 7 km away from his home which he walked all the way back and forth everyday. He got his undergraduate degree from H. H. The Rajah's College, Pudukkottai and his postgraduate degree from Loyola College, Chennai in Social Work. Later he joined Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai and got a degree in law. After that he appeared for the Civil Service Examinations. He’d cleared the civil service exam but had not been selected as an IAS officer, so pursued his Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission exams, was selected as an IAS officer and became sub divisional magistrate of Ootacamund (popularly called Ooty) in 1991.

" Lanjam thavirtthu,nenjam nimirtthu " (Reject bribe and hold your head high) is his mantra. And because of this policy, he was transferred for 21 times in 20 years. He filed a case against the Union Minister Alagiri's son Durai who involved a granite quarry business which made a loss more than hundreds of crores of rupees to the government. Following this, he conducted voter awareness campaigns in colleges during the 2011 assembly elections. The DMK party to which Alagiri belongs petitioned the court twice, seeking to end what it said was an attempt to influence voters, but the court demurred. When he was in Kancheepuram district as revenue officer,he took on the sand mafia and sealed the bottling plant of a mighty soft drink multinational corporation, when a consumer complained and showed him a bottle of soft drink floating with dirt . He was also commended by the Chief Election Commissioner of India S.Y. Quraishi for conducting honest and bribe-free elections when he was the collector of Madurai district.
 
On a hot summer afternoon, on Madurai’s busy main road, the district collector, U. Sagayam, saw a young man talking on a cellphone while riding a motorbike. He asked his driver to wave the man down, got down from his car and meted out instant punishment: plant 10 saplings within 24 hours. Somewhat unconventional justice, some might say. But that’s how Sagayam works.

" Lanjam Thavirtthu, Nenjam Nimartthu " (Reject bribes, hold your head high), says a board hanging above Sagayam’s chair in his modest office. That’s the code he lives by, even if politicians are incensed they cannot bend him their way—he’s been transferred 18 times in the last 20 years—and has made enemies of both superiors and subordinates. “I know I sit under a dangerous slogan and probably alienate people,” he says. “But I have been the same Sagayam from Day 1. Standing up against corruption is not for a season. Nor is it a fad. It’s forever.”

Two years ago, as district collector of Namakkal, he voluntarily declared his assets: a bank balance of Rs 7,172 and a house in Madurai worth Rs 9 lakh. Once, when his baby daughter, Yalini, who had breathing problems, was suddenly taken ill, he did not have the Rs 5,000 needed for admitting her to a private hospital. At that time he was deputy commissioner (excise) in Coimbatore and there were 650 liquor licences to be given out. The going bribe for each was rumoured to be Rs 10,000.

Sagayam started cleaning up Madurai the minute he landed here. The main bus terminus at Mattuthavani looked more like a bazaar, with shops all over the bus-shelters and no waiting place for passengers. Even a police outpost had been turned into a shop. The system was well-oiled with haftas to local politicians and policemen. Sagayam quickly went through the rulebook, cited the relevant clauses and cleaned up the entire area. But didn’t it hit poor shopkeepers who lost their livelihood? “A violation is a violation,” says Sagayam, “but we will help them rehabilitate.” Nageswaran, a taxi-driver and one of Sagayam’s many fans, says, “He’s strict and hasn’t taken even ten paise in bribe during his career.

He’s like the upright collectors they show in some films, a real hero with integrity.”Sagayam’s masters degrees in social work and law come in useful in his role as an administrator. He knows the rulebooks in detail and is not afraid of using them, however powerful the opponent. No wonder then that Sagayam’s career is marked with the scars of countless battles.

When errant village officers ganged up to get Sagayam transferred, people protested and the order was rescinded.When he was in Kanchipuram as revenue officer, he took on the sand mafia, ordering them to stop dredging sand from the Palar riverbed.

Large-scale dredging had made the area flood-prone. The mafia sent goons to assault Sagayam, but he did not budge and would not take back the order. He also took on a mighty soft-drink mnc when a consumer showed him a bottle with dirt floating in it. He sealed the bottling unit and banned the sale of the soft drink in the city. In Chennai, he locked horns with a restaurant chain and recovered four acres valued at some Rs 200 crore.

Given such credentials, it wasn’t surprising for him to be picked by the Election Commission to oversee elections in Madurai, as famous for its temples as its political gods. During the last polls, Sagayam took on M.K. Azhagiri, the local MP and son of former CM and DMK supremo M. Karunanidhi. He conducted voter awareness campaigns in colleges; the DMK petitioned the court twice, seeking to end what it said was an attempt to influence voters, but the court demurred.

Sagayam’s wife Vimala has stood by him all these years but she was rattled by some of the threats during the elections. “He always says if you are right, nobody can hurt you,” she says. “But sometimes it becomes difficult.”

Sagayam takes a hands-on approach to his work. He holds a Monday ‘durbar’, at which anyone can meet him with their complaints. During tours of the district for review meetings and inspections, he will suddenly stop a school bus to talk to children or duck into a school to take a class. When students tell him they want to be IAS or IPS officers, he asks, “It’s all well to say now that you’ll be honest, but will you remain unbending about not taking bribes throughout your career?”

Some months back, while driving to a village, he found a 92-year-old woman cleaning rice. She said she had to work in order to eat. He immediately sanctioned Rs 1,000 as old-age pension for her. When 60-year-old Vellamma met him during a tour of Uthappanaikkanoor village this week and asked him to grant her a pension, he said, “I can do that. But do you want me to send your son to jail too—for abandoning you?”

He said it with a smile, as a joke, but he has in fact taken action against children who don’t take care of their aging parents.

“I believe, as Mahatma Gandhi said, that India lives in her villages,” says Sagayam, who also idolises Subhash Chandra Bose. His years as a collector—he has slept overnight in village schools many times—have convinced him to better the lot of villagers by strengthening the village administrative officer (VAO) system.

Many VAOs have never visited villages and often stay miles away from where they should be, in cities.

In Namakkal, his action against errant VAOs had them ganging up with politicians to get him transferred.

Over 5,000 villagers protested, saying they wouldn’t let Sagayam go. The politicians had to retreat.

Sagayam says he learnt honesty on his mother’s knees. He is the youngest of four sons of a farmer from Pudukottai. “Our adjoining field had mango trees and my friends and I would pick the fallen fruit,” he says.
 
“But my mother made me throw the mangoes away, saying I should enjoy only what is mine.” Now his daughter Yalini wants to become a collector. When she has an argument with her brother Arun, she asks her father, “Is he really your son? He just told a lie!” Both of them are proud of their father.

Recently, after a long time, the Sagayam family went on a vacation to Kullu in Himachal Pradesh. While visiting a gurudwara, a stranger came up to their father and asked him, “Aren’t you IAS officer Mr Sagayam?” Yalini and Arun have not stopped beaming.