Ideas & Views

A down-to-earth human, a distinguished professor,  a true lover of the subject Physics and an ardent supporter of Indian Fine Arts. That is ,was Dr.Suresh Ramaswamy, fondly called SuRa. It is a rare quality amongst highly prejudiced professors of top ranked institutions to be friendly and approachable to a first year student ( come on, 3 idiots was not a joke). Riding around the campus in his favorite bicycle with a Jolna Pai adorning his side, organizing NSS meetings in the SkyLabs to concerts for spicmacay in the Auditorium, one could not but notice this humble Professor who was one among the students first of all.  The range and nobility of his thoughts and service to the community around him stands out in my memory. He hosted a number of spicmacay gatherings and would encourage us to sing and he even recorded them. Those friendly conversations about art and artistes, the special spicmacay Khetri trip, evening and weekend redi chai conversations as part of getting the audi

Let's look at these two options for entertainment as black and white as possible.  Going to a Jaya T.V. Margazhi Mahotsavam concert vs Going to a cinema.   We are talking of common folks like you and me - bank officer, engineer, marketing manager, house wife, etc and not any fancy profession. Attending the kutcheri is probably more time consuming and yet more thrilling. One has to plan ahead and leave home to reach the hall well in advance. That's because the seating is a first come first serve basis. You might simply end up sitting on the ground or get pushed to the last row, either way getting missed out from T.V.camera. Talking of T.V camera, you also need to focus on your appearance. Chennai is hot in Margazhi too, remember. Depending on your gender, you have to try few sarees and jewels or kurtas and dhotis. You must remember not to dress up any grander than the performer. Else, you might prompt unwarranted pause-and-look in the video that gets posted illegally

A brilliant Economics 101 for the engineer. World makes sense now. Need I elaborate? Must read. http://www.nakedeconomics.com/

I was raised in a family that listened to more carnatic music than choose any other form of entertainment. Reading books was the other indoor activity when any member (except me since I was the youngest) of the family needed silence in the household. A small black and white Solidaire invaded our house when I was in 6th or 7th standard and only selected DD programs were watched at certain times with all family members. Father was the censor board of our home - he would ban anything he thought was obscene. I remember a hot discussion between the special three  (elder brother, Mom and Dad - in that order)   in the other room when I dropped a bomb in the house - I sang the first and only line I knew from 'Pakkadhey Pakkadhey' of Gentleman fame. Henceforth, the teenage elder brat was not allowed to influence me as I would sing anything that he sang without knowing the meaning.   My elder brother and I used to play all games from badminton to hockey inside the house when my Father