Published on Page 4 Weekend
with The New Indian Express
Coimbatore edition, dated January 13, 2007
By Francis P Barclay
Fashion designing is a virtuosity that demands a creative instinct for innovation, knowledge about the fashion world and a yearning for change. It seems, today's youth have all these in abundance. A testimony to this was
`Saffron', an expo-cum-sale presented by the final year design students of Sri Jayendra Saraswathy Maha Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore.
The three-day exhibition, which ended on Friday, was a sumptuous spread of apparels, meant for all gender and age, and accessories.
What was the motive behind the expo? Vinayagamurthi, Head of the Department of Costume Design and Fashion, had this to say: ``It was our maiden attempt to understand the customers' needs and preferences and we succeeded. In fact, we were overwhelmed by the sales volume and customers' response. We sold about 110 apparels on the first day itself.''
Of the 380-odd garments displayed by the 40 students, 180 were in assorted styles. An elated Vinayagamurthi said ``More such exhibitions will roll out from us.''
There were a few virgin styles that everybody did appreciate. Archana E, a student, said ``Change is recurrent in fashion. At present, apparels with embroidery and kundan works are in great demand. So, we have brought out
innovative designs.''
``Fashion had never been so important as now. Its monetary worth is also increasing, for the attire not only adds to the physical look, but also boosts the inner spirit. It is the outlook of the mind,'' she added.
Her contrasting work on a saree was alluring. A big rose that comes a little above the chest of the wearer and the branches running across the rest of the saree have made her work remarkable. The roses are painted with fabric colours and embellished with sequence and beed work.
The highlight of the show was that many garments were designed and created based on themes. For example, labelled as `Natural view', there was a skirt, blouse and handbag set, all made of jute and coconut fibres, with a little touch of sparkling paint.
Another was Mohanapriya's `Autograph', a saree with a mass of scribbles on it as design. An ordinary saree has been given a new look with sequence and 3D work.
Similarly, Tamarai Selvi dyed a white saree and made it more attractive with a design of small knots. She gave it a wonderful name also - `Tie `n' Dye'.
Meenambika's kundan and embroidery work on a cotton silk saree took one month to complete. A plain saree, that she had bought for Rs 300, carried a price tag of Rs 2,000 at the exhibition!
The accessories on display included ornaments of kundan work.
Fashion jewellery making is a profitable vocation, and anybody can learn it. ``I have made fashion jewels for my use. Now I make them for sale because they have great demand in the market,'' said Aathi Selvi, another student.
January 13, 2007
January 11, 2007
Join politics to lead the nation, youth told
Published in The New Indian Express, Page 2
Coimbatore edition, dated January 9, 2007
By Francis Barclay
Coimbatore, Jan 9: Educated youth should step into politics to shape the country's future, said Karthik P Chidambaram, son of Union Finance minister P Chidambaram, during an interaction with students of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) here on Tuesday.
Youth should not shy away from politics on the pretext that it is highly corrupt. The responsibility of cleaning the muck rests with them, Karthik, one of the founders of Karuthu.com, told the session organised as part of
the two-day `Muthamizh Vizha.'
He lamented over the fact that the era of students' revolution appears to be over. Students hardly participate in public affairs.
Though campus elections are significant, many colleges and varsities fail to hold them. But in universities abroad, students councils are treated on par with Senate.
Politicians alone cannot be blamed for the fall in democratic values.
The political outlook of treating the Opposition as enemy should change in the State, he said.
Even while promoting Tamil language, English should be promoted in rural areas. It is a global language, and for economic prosperity, knowledge of English is mandatory, he reasoned.
He attacked the present system of education that focuses only on examinations and marks.
Box story
`Globalisation, a two-way street'
Coimbatore, Jan 9: Globalisation is like a two-way street where exports and imports flow fast. Jump in imports need not cause any fear since there will be a spurt in exports too, Karthik P Chidambaram said.
C Ramasamy, Vice-chancellor of the varsity, said in his presidential address that globalisation is bound to succeed as the country is now governed by eminent economists at the Centre. Students are being prepared
for the global markets now, he added.
In his advice to students, he stressed the need to set goals and read a lot. He also outlined the importance of higher education.
Organised by the Students' Club of the TNAU, the `Muthamizh Vizha' features debates, poem recitations, plays, etc., by students. Lyricist Yugabharathi, the `Kalakka povathu yaru' troupe of Vijay TV, Tamil movie director Vasantha Balan and renowned dramatist `Crazy' Mohan are presenting programmes. Poet Arivumathi will address the valedictory function tomorrow.
Coimbatore edition, dated January 9, 2007
By Francis Barclay
Coimbatore, Jan 9: Educated youth should step into politics to shape the country's future, said Karthik P Chidambaram, son of Union Finance minister P Chidambaram, during an interaction with students of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) here on Tuesday.
Youth should not shy away from politics on the pretext that it is highly corrupt. The responsibility of cleaning the muck rests with them, Karthik, one of the founders of Karuthu.com, told the session organised as part of
the two-day `Muthamizh Vizha.'
He lamented over the fact that the era of students' revolution appears to be over. Students hardly participate in public affairs.
Though campus elections are significant, many colleges and varsities fail to hold them. But in universities abroad, students councils are treated on par with Senate.
Politicians alone cannot be blamed for the fall in democratic values.
The political outlook of treating the Opposition as enemy should change in the State, he said.
Even while promoting Tamil language, English should be promoted in rural areas. It is a global language, and for economic prosperity, knowledge of English is mandatory, he reasoned.
He attacked the present system of education that focuses only on examinations and marks.
Box story
`Globalisation, a two-way street'
Coimbatore, Jan 9: Globalisation is like a two-way street where exports and imports flow fast. Jump in imports need not cause any fear since there will be a spurt in exports too, Karthik P Chidambaram said.
C Ramasamy, Vice-chancellor of the varsity, said in his presidential address that globalisation is bound to succeed as the country is now governed by eminent economists at the Centre. Students are being prepared
for the global markets now, he added.
In his advice to students, he stressed the need to set goals and read a lot. He also outlined the importance of higher education.
Organised by the Students' Club of the TNAU, the `Muthamizh Vizha' features debates, poem recitations, plays, etc., by students. Lyricist Yugabharathi, the `Kalakka povathu yaru' troupe of Vijay TV, Tamil movie director Vasantha Balan and renowned dramatist `Crazy' Mohan are presenting programmes. Poet Arivumathi will address the valedictory function tomorrow.
January 08, 2007
Portraying the secret of life
Published on Page 4 Weekend
with the New Indian Express dated Jan 6, 2007
By Francis P Barclay
The divine soul is wide awake in each one of us, yearning to enounce the secret of life. Be cool and close your eyes, it will slowly disclose the secret. It's what Manisha Raju, a representational artist, says about art as she believes that it is a means to reach the celestial inner self.
Born in 1969 at Nagpur in Maharashtra, Manisha has a few art exhibitions to her credit both at home and abroad. Her latest exhibition `Nostalgia' was held at the Kasthuri Sreenivasan Art Gallery on the Avinashi Road in Coimbatore. The 20-odd paintings, that were on display at the six-day exhibition which ended on January 1, were about meditation and introspection.
Although art was an inborn talent, all her initial interests were in studies and she got a doctorate in management besides many degrees. But not after she visited the Cholamandal artist village in Chennai, 10 years ago.
She settled there and art became her main vocation. She started with abstract art, but in 1999, she started doing figurative works in dry pastel medium. Although Cholamandal has got a grip in her, the influence of the
Bengal School of Art is evident in her paintings. ``That's because of the influence of Shantiniketan artist Satyavrat Deshmukh,'' she said.
Manisha's paintings reveal her belief that inner soul is always live and vibrant. The forms of people, from Lord Vishnu to Arthanareeswaran to a flower vendor are more or less similar and feminine. ``The difference in form is only with the outer self,'' she said.
She has her own style of drawing the face. ``The illuminating faces in my paintings are those of the inner self,'' she said.
Manisha doesn't fail to outline a flower in each of her paintings. ``I use flowers to reveal the freshness of the soul. The life span of a real flower is very less but the flowers in the paintings are always fresh,'' she said.
She added: ``The lotus which I have used in many of my paintings symbolises evolution. Lotus is a flower in which development is brisk and overt. Life is also like that.''
Indian mythology also has influence in her paintings. ``Mythology is a source of values, culture, tradition, conceptual ideologies and aesthetics. The forms have a traditional touch of Indian mythology. The colours are
lavish with dark backgrounds. My lyricism is an expression of mythological forms,'' she said.
The figures in her paintings have closed eyes. They are composite and tranquil with a divine aura. ``They are silently speaking with the supreme inside,'' Manisha explained.
As you look into the paintings, you `hear' the errie sound of silence. It makes you feel the power and pleasure of introspection.
And what does the soul say? ``The secret of life. Gaining it is a long process. The ultimate secret of life is `nothing'.''
with the New Indian Express dated Jan 6, 2007
By Francis P Barclay
The divine soul is wide awake in each one of us, yearning to enounce the secret of life. Be cool and close your eyes, it will slowly disclose the secret. It's what Manisha Raju, a representational artist, says about art as she believes that it is a means to reach the celestial inner self.
Born in 1969 at Nagpur in Maharashtra, Manisha has a few art exhibitions to her credit both at home and abroad. Her latest exhibition `Nostalgia' was held at the Kasthuri Sreenivasan Art Gallery on the Avinashi Road in Coimbatore. The 20-odd paintings, that were on display at the six-day exhibition which ended on January 1, were about meditation and introspection.
Although art was an inborn talent, all her initial interests were in studies and she got a doctorate in management besides many degrees. But not after she visited the Cholamandal artist village in Chennai, 10 years ago.
She settled there and art became her main vocation. She started with abstract art, but in 1999, she started doing figurative works in dry pastel medium. Although Cholamandal has got a grip in her, the influence of the
Bengal School of Art is evident in her paintings. ``That's because of the influence of Shantiniketan artist Satyavrat Deshmukh,'' she said.
Manisha's paintings reveal her belief that inner soul is always live and vibrant. The forms of people, from Lord Vishnu to Arthanareeswaran to a flower vendor are more or less similar and feminine. ``The difference in form is only with the outer self,'' she said.
She has her own style of drawing the face. ``The illuminating faces in my paintings are those of the inner self,'' she said.
Manisha doesn't fail to outline a flower in each of her paintings. ``I use flowers to reveal the freshness of the soul. The life span of a real flower is very less but the flowers in the paintings are always fresh,'' she said.
She added: ``The lotus which I have used in many of my paintings symbolises evolution. Lotus is a flower in which development is brisk and overt. Life is also like that.''
Indian mythology also has influence in her paintings. ``Mythology is a source of values, culture, tradition, conceptual ideologies and aesthetics. The forms have a traditional touch of Indian mythology. The colours are
lavish with dark backgrounds. My lyricism is an expression of mythological forms,'' she said.
The figures in her paintings have closed eyes. They are composite and tranquil with a divine aura. ``They are silently speaking with the supreme inside,'' Manisha explained.
As you look into the paintings, you `hear' the errie sound of silence. It makes you feel the power and pleasure of introspection.
And what does the soul say? ``The secret of life. Gaining it is a long process. The ultimate secret of life is `nothing'.''
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