grilled at Adelaide ~ David Warner magic !!

IPL is a grand festival .. .. . and hours before the match, huge crowds gather at TTK Road in Alwarpet – just to catch a glimpse of MS Dhoni and other team members getting into team bus from the hotel – thousands would cheer and wave at them – if MSD or a Suresh Raina were to see and wave back – raptures would erupt … earlier days, Indian team used to stay in Connemera Hotel and later at Taj Coromandel .. it is not possible for commoners to get into hotel lobby or get near Cricketers as there would be heavy security ring.

Miles away, Pakistan are roasted at the 2^nd Test at Adelaide in a pitch where one thought bowlers would hold the upper hand.  Adelaide  is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide is a coastal city situated on the eastern shores of Gulf St Vincent.  Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide.  The city was founded in 1836 and was planned as the capital for British province in Australia; named  after Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen.  Princess Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen (Adelaide Amelia Louise Theresa Caroline; 1792 –  1849) was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and of Hanover as spouse of William IV of the United Kingdom.

In the 24th over of Australia's innings, David Warner tucked a ball towards long leg and rushed off for a second. The throw from Shaheen Afridi was wayward and went for four overthrows. Warner was awarded six runs, much like Ben Stokes was in the World Cup final, and brought up his half-century.  Upon review of footage in the World Cup final, it was clear that the throw had left the fielder's hand before the batsmen had crossed each while taking the second run. In such cases, according to the MCC laws, only five runs should be awarded to the batting team. In the end, England tied the final with New Zealand, and then also the Super Over and won the World Cup on a boundary countback.

~ some may still debate, but that 1 run in inconsequential at Adelaide where Aussie massacred and piled 589/3 and declared .. .. David Warner remained  unbeaten on 335 off 418 balls with 39 hits to the boundary and one over it. The other opener JA Burns was out for four and then came a big partnership of 361  with Marcus Labuschagne who scored 162.  Steve Smith was engaged in another partnership for 121 and then 99* with Mathew Wade.

One has to scoff those reports that stated that  Warner has been sorted out, Pakis have a game plan and could dismiss him easily. Warner's issues this summer in the Ashes are well-documented. Past experience revealed that  Stuart Broad from around the wicket, fuller and right at Warner's stumps and 95 runs from 10 innings (61 of them in just one) the result. Broad dismissed Warner seven times in the Ashes that way. All of Warner's 10 dismissals were by right-arm pace bowlers coming around the wicket to him. England's right-arm fast bowlers bowled 149 out of the 184 deliveries Warner faced against them from around the wicket, or nearly five balls every over!

A pink ball, a floodlit evening, an evenly grassed Adelaide Oval pitch. These are conditions in which, most of the time, bowlers have prospered. Josh Hazlewood described Adelaide as his favourite pitch to bowl on in Australia. Before now David Warner had never reached 50 in a day-night Test; before now, Marnus Labuschagne had never made a first-class century against the pink ball.  So there was an enormous amount to admire about the way Warner and Labuschagne took their second opportunity in as many innings to completely dominate Pakistan. 

Warner's century,  was his 17th in Australia, taking him level with Michael Clarke and trailing only Sir Donald Bradman (18), Matthew Hayden (21) and Ricky Ponting (23).   At Brisbane,  David Warner, who hit his first Test century since his year-long ban, wore shoes with names of his three daughters embroidered on them during the ongoing Test against Pakistan in Brisbane. David Warner and his wife Candice Warner were already parents to two girls- Ivy Mae (5 years) and Indi Rae (3 years) - and were blessed with their third daughter, Isla Rose (5 months) during the World Cup 2019.

Meantime, Steve Smith has become  the quickest cricketer to 7000 runs in Test match history. It's taken him only 70 matches, which is nine quicker than the next best - West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers. Smith averages 64.22 and has 26 tons to his name with a best of 239. He's 23 not out today. After serving a one year ban, Steve Smith made a roaring comeback to Test cricket as he scored a whopping 774 runs at an average of 110.57 in the Ashes series this year.

.. .. .. and what did he do after 1^st Test at Gabba – he punished himself ! Smith punished himself by running all the way back from the Gabba stadium to the team hotel as he missed the team bus. "I always punish myself when I get no runs, just like I reward myself when I score runs with a chocolate bar at the end of the night if I get a hundred," Smith said on Tuesday. "So yeah, if I get no runs I always like to have a run or go to the gym or do something just to give myself a bit of a punishment," he added.. Reacting to his dismissal for the 7^th time  by the leg-spinner, Smith, who could just manage four runs in the first Test against Pakistan, said: "Yasir's send-off has given him extra motivation to be more careful in the 2nd Test, which will be a Pink ball affair in Adelaide.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

30^th Nov 2019.

bonding of mahouts and elephants at Thiruppunithura

inமலைநாடு திவ்யதேசங்கள்  ~ மலையாள திவ்யதேசங்கள் 13 ~ கேரள நாட்டில் முக்கிய பல கோவில்கள் உண்டு - திருவனந்தபுரம் அனந்தபத்மநாபஸ்வாமி திருக்கோவிலும், சபரிமலை கோவிலும், குருவாயூர் கோவிலும் மிக பிரசித்தி.  இவற்றை தவிர பல சிறந்த கோவில்களும் உள்ளன. கண்ணன் வழிபாடு பிரபலம் - பகவான் ஸ்ரீ கிருஷ்ணருக்கு பல கோவில்கள் உள்ளன.  எர்ணாகுளம் எனப்படும் கொச்சி ஊர் அருகே உள்ள திருப்புனித்துரா ஸ்ரீ பூர்ணத்ரயேஸ்வரர், ஸ்ரீ பூர்ணத்ரயீஸர் எனப்படும் கண்ணன் கோவில்.

Thrippunithura is a prominent historical and residential region in the city of Kochi.  Located about 8 km (5 mi) from the city centre, Tripunithura was the capital of the erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin. Thripunithura is believed to be obtained from  "Poorna Veda Puri" - the town of Vedas in its entirety. Another possible origin to name comes from the meaning "the land on the shores of Poorna river".

Thursday, 28^th Nov 2019 was a blessed day for me ~ for I had darshan at this beautiful temple of Sree Poornathrayeesar.  As I neared this temple, could feel the vibes of the festive atmosphere .. .. shops, people, jubilation and more !  .. .. as I entered the temple my joy knew no bounds .. it was the time of Vrischikothsavam, 8 day long annual temple festival of Sree Poornathrayeesar.  Vrischikol ulsavam marks the beginnings of the season of festivals .. ..  The highlight of Vrischikotsavam is the majestic procession or ezhunnallippu  ~ wonder what ?

Pets are often smaller animals kept for companionship and enjoyment. These are domesticated animals, which would obey commands and do things that would please its master [is that not what is wanted everywhere !] – man’s interaction with animals is boundless – there are wild animals [or is animals in wild more appropriate], livestock, laboratory animals, working animals, sports animals, breeding animals kept for food and making money – there are few others which are kept for their loyalty, playfulness, singing prowess, beauty and other characteristics.  Believers claim that pets would help relieve stress – but you need to love your pet and believe on this to really enjoy and get some health benefits ! Some say, merely looking at the swimming fishes would take away the strain and stress. Then suddenly there came the concept of vasthu and vasthu fishes. Going by available statistics, Cat tops the list of pets followed by Dogs, Fishes, small mammals, parrots, pigeons, lovebirds and other  small birds, reptiles, amphibians and equine – but keeping a pet would be more driven by one’s liking than by any empirical evidence. 

In foreign countries, there are some peculiar pets too !   In some countries, hamsters are quite popular.  They have been successfully bred and domesticated as small house pets.   The list of pets owned by people would sometimes take you by surprise.  There are reported incidents of people having – rabbits, guinea pigs, anteaters, foxes, coydogs, dingos, civets, deers, big felines, llamas  marsupials like opossum, wallaby, mongoose, even snakes, badgers, otters, rodents, hogs, suirrels, tapirs besides huge variety of small and big birds.   Most countries prohibit having wild and endangered animals as pets.  There is a market in Chennai near Mannadi, where on Sundays, exotic pets are sold – these include varieties of dogs, many a types of birds including pigeons, parrots, hen and more including monkeys.

The majestic, affable, gigantic pachyderms are not exactly pets .. .. they are adored – Elephants have been associated with temples for centuries.  The affectionate bonding between man and elephant is to be seen to be belived.  The most beautiful creation has a unique status in our culture blending with the lives of people. 

In Kerala Temples, the deity is carried atop the elephant thrice a day as a part of daily ritual called Seeveli (Sreebhutabali !) the elephant carrying the God circumambulates the temple with accompaniment of instrument music.   Yesterday it was the 8 day long annual festival at Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple – there were 3 elephants caparisoned, tall, gigantic carrying the thidambu (Lord) and I could not take my eyes away – when I realized there were more – it was heavenly feeling. Total of 15 elephants and  temple arts on air with instruments  like Melam, Panchavadyam, Thayambaka, Madhalapattu, Kombupattu, Kuzhalpattu.  The Royal procession (Ezhunnallippu) of the deity was certainly the most  fascinating sequence of this festival. Fifteen fully caparisoned tuskers accompanied  the deity along with the  orchestration,  Pancharimelam resembling an ensemble richly orchestrated. 

This post has some photos of the mahouts so closely associated with the elephants that might make you wonder, whether we have ever loved even our near and dears so much.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

29^th Nov. 2019.

ringing of bells ~ recognising Cricketers !!

There was some flutter but the first day-night test at Kolkata played with pink ball ended short.  It took India about 47 minutes on the third day to become the first team in Test cricket to win four straight matches by an innings. At 968 balls, this was the shortest Test with an outright result in India, beating the 1028 balls against Afghanistan last year. This was India's first home Test win without a single wicket from a spinner. It was only their second such win overall, after Johannesburg in 2018.

Can you identify this footballer ~ who was at Eden Gardens too !!

Away, Bangladesh batsman Saif Hassan was denied boarding pass by Biman Bangladesh airlines ! On reaching the airport, Saif learnt that his six-month visa had expired a day before, on November 24.  Since he was ruled out of the tour due to split webbing, there was no reason for the Bangladesh Cricket Board to keep him in India for so long. But even if he had played the pink ball Test here, he would have missed the visa expiry cut-off date.  He stayed back to complete visa formalities - to extend the validity - with the help of the High Commission.  The incident reflects BCB's responsibility lapse and lack of planning. Saif is expected to leave for Dhaka on Wednesday.

This series was about Indian pacers especially Ishant Sharma, Mohd Shami  & Umesh Yadav.  Umesh Yadav is quoted as saying that  he knew.  he would get another shot at the highest level if he kept himself fit and trained hard when he was picked only occasionally across formats over the last two years.  Yadav was often badly treated, either not selected for prolonged periods and when getting a chance once a while, would get only very few overs at home then would get dropped on performance ! However, in India's last two home Test series - against South Africa and Bangladesh - he has emerged with the most wickets, the best strike rate and the best average among India's quicks.  .. .. he has a point in telling that it is hard to remain positive, when not playing and getting dropped often .. .

In the broad  corridors of the Red Building of Hindu High School, the walk of the attender would attract the attention of students inside the class room – before it even sounds, some would ready to fly away….  It was the sweet sound of school bell – #not physically a  bell# – but that of a metal hammered with a wooden object, creating enough sound audible to the locality.  There was a Public address system too,  through which Morning prayer was heard and some important announcements would be made. 

At Lords, the  ringing of 5 minute bell is ceremonious – and is usually done by an international cricketer, administrator or well-known enthusiast of the sport,  a recent tradition introduced in 2007. The bell located outside the Bowlers’ Bar of the Lord’s Pavilion, is rung to signify the imminent start of play,.    In 2014 during England India Investec Test on day 4, it was our World Cup winning Captain Kapil Dev who rung the bell.  .. .. and a few years back the iconic Eden Gardens got a ‘bell’ like the one that hangs at the hallowed Lord’s ground in London. 

Away from Cricket, in Nov 2013, Vishwanathan  Anand to played the challenge matches against Carlsen - FIDE World Championship 2013.  The reigning champion Vishy Anand faced   22-year-old upstart Magnus Carlsen of Norway—nicknamed the "Mozart of Chess" because of his meteoric rise at such a young age.  The FIDE World Chess Championship Match ( FWCM) is the final event of the World Championship cycle... ..  all roads led to the National Library   as Viswanathan Anand and Magnus Carlsen squared off in a Round 7 rapid game of the Grand Chess Tour (GCT) meet. All 600 seats at the Bhasha Bhawan auditorium were taken up even before the chess greats reached the venue. A huge applause greeted Anand, who arrived with wife Aruna, and Carlsen.

Years have rolled by .. .. Eden Gardens welcomed two special guests recently,  when chess wizards Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand made a quick visit to ring the ceremonial bell to signal the start of second day’s play in the pink-ball Test between India and Bangladesh. Since both Grandmasters had three rapid games lined up in the penultimate leg of the Grand Chess Tour (GCT) later in the day, they didn’t get time to watch any cricket. Asked about his Eden experience, the World chess champion Carlsen  revealed he had no clue of what was happening. “What actually happened was Anand rang the bell and I stood there stupidly having no knowledge of what was happening… That was my experience to sum it up,” he admitted.

Young Vidit Gujrathi, Grand Master  however, did not miss the chance to catch some cricket after finishing his matches at National Library’s Bhasha Bhawan. “Watching the cricket match #IndvsBan. The perfect way to unwind after a long day of chess,” the Nashik-based GM tweeted. Vidith, the India No. 3, was happy to bump into one of his idols Rahul Dravid at the team hotel. With the cricketers and chess stars staying in the same hotel, Dutch GM Anish Giri came across Virat Kohli, but could not recognize the India skipper. “I was in the hotel gym and there was an Indian guy right next to me. He was doing the stuff very well and looked quite tough. Later I came to know that he is a cricket legend — Virat Kohli,” Giri told a website. Giri, however, found time to visit the Eden Gardens, on Saturday afternoon.

Interesting !

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

28^th Nov. 2019.

மக்கள் சேவையில் மகத்துவம்.. 2 ரூபாய்க்கு மருத்துவம் : SYMA in Dinathanthi

SRinivas Youngmens Association (popularly SYMA) has been rendering service to the society ever since 1977.  On 4^th Aug 2019, We moved to a large spacious premises at 37 Car Street – now expanding our medical service from : General consultancy & Analytical Lab to :  Gynecological,  Physiotherapy, Dental, Eye-test .. .. our Education Centre ‘SYMA Growth’ is into its 12^th year now. 

We have been patronized by so many kind-hearted people and we owe our popularity to our friends in the Press.  Today (24.11.2019) Dinathanthi the popular Tamil daily has a half-paged article titled :  

மக்கள் சேவையில் மகத்துவம்.. 2 ரூபாய்க்கு மருத்துவம்..

~ heartily thank and acknowledge the assistance of Mr KV Srinivasan and special thanks to the team of Daily Thanthi.

42 வருடங்களுக்கு முன்பு ஒருநாள் திருப்பதி ஏழுமலையானை தரிசிக்க இளைஞர்கள் சிலர் சேர்ந்து நடை பயணம் மேற்கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள். அவர்கள் அனைவரும் சென்னை திருவல்லிக்கேணியை சேர்ந்தவர்கள்.

பதிவு: நவம்பர் 24,  2019 12:37 PM

நேரம் கிடைக்கும் போதெல்லாம் அந்த பகுதியில் சமூக சேவை செய்து வந்த அவர்கள், ‘சமூக சேவைக்கு கூடுதல் நேரத்தை ஒதுக்கி என்னென்ன செய்யலாம்?’ என்று விவாதித்துக்கொண்டே நடந்து போயிருக் கிறார்கள். ‘சமூக சேவையில் அக்கறை கொண்ட மேலும் பல இளைஞர்களை ஒருங்கிணைத்து முதலில் ஒரு சங்கத்தை உருவாக்குவோம். அதன் மூலம் கூடுதல் பணிகளை செய்வோம்!’ என்று முடிவெடுத்திருக்கிறார்கள். அந்த முடிவை எடுத்தபோது அவர்கள் ஸ்ரீனிவாச பெருமாள் வீற்றிருக்கும் திருப்பதி மலையின் உச்சியை அடைந்திருக் கிறார்கள். அதனால் திருப்பதி ஏழுமலையான் பெயரிலே ‘ஸ்ரீனிவாஸ் இளைஞர்கள் நற்பணி சங்கம்’ (சைமா) என்று உருவாக்கிவிட்டார்கள்.

1977-ம் ஆண்டு முதல் திருவல்லிக்கேணியில் சமூக சேவையில் ஈடுபட்டிருக்கும் ‘சைமா’, தமிழக அரசு மழைநீர் சேமிப்பு திட்டத்தை நடைமுறைப்படுத்தும் முன்பே சென்னையில் அதனை நடைமுறைப் படுத்தி வெற்றிகண்டு முன்னுதாரணமாகி இருக்கிறது. இவர்களது சேவைக்கு அப்போதைய தமிழக முதல்-அமைச்சர் ஜெயலலிதாவிடம் இருந்து பாராட்டும் கிடைத்திருக்கிறது.

முதலில் கோவில் தெப்பக்குளத்தை சீர் செய்தல், சுற்றுப்புற சுகாதாரத்தை மேம்படுத்துதல், அத்தியாவசிய சேவைகளை அரசு மூலம் மக்களுக்கு நிறைவேற்றிக்கொடுத்தல் போன்ற பணிகளை செய்துகொண்டிருந்த ‘சைமா’ அமைப்பினர் பின்பு மக்களின் ஆரோக்கியத்தில் கவனம் செலுத்தத் தொடங்கியுள்ளனர். 1989 முதல் 30 வருடங்களாக டாக்டர்கள் மூலம் ரூ.2-க்கு தரமான மருத்துவ ஆலோசனைகளும், மருந்துகளும் வழங்கிக்கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள். அதனால் பலதரப்பில் இருந்தும் இந்த சங்கத்திற்கு பாராட்டுகள் குவிந்து கொண்டிருக்கின்றன. இந்த மருத்துவமையம் திருவல்லிக்கேணி தேரடி தெருவில் நிரந்தரமாக இயங்கி வருகிறது.

42 வருடங்களுக்கு முன்பு இளைஞர்களாக இருந்து இந்த சங்கத்தை தொடங்கிய பலர் தற்போது 70 வயதை கடந்துவிட்டார்கள். முன்பு பல்வேறு நிறுவனங்களில் வேலை பார்த்தபடியே சமூகசேவை செய்துகொண்டிருந்த அவர்கள் பணி ஓய்வு பெற்றுவிட்டாலும் இப்போதும் ஓய்வின்றி சமூக பணியாற்றிக்கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள். கல்விப் பணியிலும் ஈடுபட்டிருக்கிறார்கள். ஏராளமான இளைஞர்களையும் சங்கத்தில் இணைத்து சேவைப் பணியில் ஈடுபடுத்திக்கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள்.

சமூக சேவை மற்றும் 2 ரூபாய்க்கு மருத்துவ ஆலோசனையும்-மருந்துகளும் வழங்குவது பற்றி ‘சைமா’வின் தலைவர் டி.ஏ.சம்பத்குமார் கூறியதாவது:

“நாங்கள் இளைஞர்களாக இருந்த காலகட்டத்தில் முதன் முதலில் ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி பெருமாள் திருக்குளம் மற்றும் சுற்றுப்புறங்களை சுத்தம் செய்து சீரமைத்து வந்தோம். பின்பு வீதிகளில் துடைப்பங்களுடன் களம் இறங்கினோம். சுகாதார பிரச்சினைகளை தீர்த்துவைக்க அதிகாரிகளை எங்கள் பகுதிக்கு அழைத்து வந்து, மக்களை நேருக்கு நேர் சந்திக்க செய்தோம். ரத்ததானம் வழங்குதல், ஏழை மாணவர்களுக்கு உதவுதல், பேரிடர் காலங்களில் பொதுமக்களிடம் உதவி பெற்று பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்களுக்கு வழங்குதல் போன்ற பல்வேறு பணிகளை தொடர்ந்தோம்.

திருவல்லிக்கேணியில், கோவில் பிரகாரங்களில் விழும் மழை நீர் ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி பெருமாள் குளத்திற்கு செல்லும்படி மழைநீர் வடிகால்கள் பல ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பாகவே அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. எப்போதும் குளத்தில் நீர் நிரம்பி இருக்க இந்த ஏற்பாடுகளை செய்திருக்கிறார்கள். 1987-ல் இந்த குளத்தை சீரமைக்க அன்றைய முதல்-அமைச்சர் எம்.ஜி.ஆர். உத்தரவிட்டார். அதில் எங்கள் பங்களிப்பும் பாராட்டத்தக்க விதத்தில் இருந்தது.

அதை தொடர்ந்து சுற்றுவட்டாரப் பகுதி முழுவதும் நிலத்தடி நீர் மட்டத்தை மேம்படுத்தும் பணியில் நாங்கள் ஈடுபட்டோம். அன்றைய முதல்- அமைச்சர் ஜெயலலிதா மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பு திட்டத்தை கொண்டு வரும் முன்பே நாங்கள் திருவல்லிக்கேணி பகுதியில் வீடுவீடாக மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பு பிரசாரம் செய்து, பெரும்பாலான வீடுகளில் அந்த கட்டமைப்பை நவீனமுறையில் ஏற்படுத்தி, தெருக்களில் வழியும் நீரை குளத்தில் கொண்டு சேர்த்தோம். இதன் மூலம் குளம் நிரம்பியதோடு, சுற்றுவட்டாரப்பகுதியில் நிலத்தடி நீர் மட்டமும் உயர்ந்தது.

அப்போது சென்னை மாநகராட்சி அதிகாரிகள் எங்களை சந்தித்து பாராட்டியதோடு, பல்வேறு பகுதிகளில் வடிகால் அமைப்பது குறித்து எங்களிடம் ஆலோசனை கேட்டார்கள். நாங்கள் எங்கள் அனுபவங்களை சொன்னோம். அதோடு சென்னை மாநகராட்சியுடன் இணைந்து ‘நம்மால் முடியும்’ என்ற மழைநீர் சேகரிப்பு விழிப்புணர்வு குறும்படம் ஒன்றையும் தயாரித்தோம். அதனை அன்றைய முதல்-அமைச்சர் ஜெயலலிதா வெளியிட்டார். அவரது ஆணைப்படி தமிழகம் முழுவதும் அது திரை யிடப்பட்டது. பின்பு ஒருமுறை அவர் நேரடியாக வந்து மழைநீர் வடிகால் முறையில் ஸ்ரீபார்த்தசாரதி கோவில் குளம் நிரம்பி வழிவதையும் பார்த்து மகிழ்ந்தார்” என்றார்.

இந்த இளைஞர் மன்றத்தினர் வருடந்தோறும் 1500 ஏழை மாணவர்களுக்கு இலவச சீருடை வழங்கி வருகிறார்கள். மேலும் ‘குரோத்’ என்ற அமைப்பை நிறுவி படிப்பில் பின்தங்கும் 10 மற்றும் 12-ம் வகுப்பு படிக்கும் ஏழை மாணவர்களுக்கு சிறந்த ஆசிரியர்கள் மூலம் இலவசமாக கல்வி கற்பிப்பதோடு அவர்களுக்கு தேவையான அனைத்து உதவிகளையும் செய்து வருகிறார்கள். அதிக மதிப்பெண் பெறும் மாணவர்களுக்கு ஊக்கத்தொகையும், மேற்படிப்புக்கு தேவையான உதவிகளையும் செய்து வருகிறார்கள். இவர்களிடம் கல்வி உதவிபெற்ற பலர் படித்து முன்னேறி இப்போது உயர் பதவிகள் வகித்துவருகிறார்கள்.

மருத்துவ சேவைகள் வழங்கி வருவது பற்றி துணை தலைவர்கள் கஸ்தூரிரங்கன், சஞ்சீவி ரகுநாதன் ஆகியோர் கூறியதாவது:  “முதலில் நாங்கள் மருத்துவ முகாம்களை மட்டுமே நடத்தி வந்தோம். டாக்டர் ஸ்ரீதர் என்பவரும், அவரது நண்பர்களும் பெசன்ட்நகர் பகுதியில் ரூ.2 மட்டும் பெற்றுக்கொண்டு ஏழைகளுக்கு மருத்துவ ஆலோசனைகளும் மருந்துகளும் வழங்கி வந்தார்கள். அதற்கு ‘ஸ்ரீகாஞ்சி காமகோடி சங்கர மெடிக்கல் டிரஸ்ட்’ உறுதுணையாக இருந்தது. அவர்களது இரண்டாவது மருத்துவ மையத்தை திருவல்லிக்கேணியில் எங்கள் சங்கத்தில் ஏற்படுத்தினார்கள். முதலில் அந்த மருத்துவ மையம் 250 சதுர அடி கொண்ட சிறிய கட்டிடத்தில் இயங்கியது. பின்பு விரிவாக்கம் செய்தோம். குறைந்த கட்டணத்தில் ரத்த பரிசோதனை செய்வதற்கான அமைப்பையும் ஏற்படுத்தினோம். புதன் கிழமை தோறும் ரூ.10 மட்டும் பெற்றுக்கொண்டு சிறப்பு மருத்துவர்கள் மூலம் ஆலோசனை வழங்குகிறோம். 15 ஆண்டுகளாக பம்மல் சங்கரா கண் மருத்துவமனை மூலம் இலவச கண்புரை நீக்கும் மருத்துவ முகாம்களும் நடத்துகிறோம்.

தற்போது 2500 சதுர அடி பரப்பளவு கொண்ட மையத்தில் எங்கள் மருத்துவ சேவை தொடர்கிறது. குறைந்த கட்டணத்தில் கண்பரிசோதனை, பிசியோதெரபி, பல் சிகிச்சை போன்றவைகளையும் வழங்குகிறோம். ரூ.2-க்கு மருத்துவ ஆலோசனையும், மருந்துகளும் கொடுத்து வருகிறோம். இந்த மருத்துவ சேவைகளுக்கு டாக்டர் ஸ்ரீதர் உறு துணையாக இருக்கிறார். இந்த சேவை தினமும் ஏராளமான மக்களுக்கு கிடைத்துக்கொண்டிருக்கிறது. எங்கள் ‘சைமா’ அமைப்பிற்கு பிரபல நிறு வனங்கள் பணஉதவியும், வைப்பு நிதியும் வழங்குகின்றன. இதன் மூலமே இத்தகைய சேவைகளை தொடர முடிகிறது. கட்டுக்கோப்பான எங்கள் செயல்பாட்டையும், சேவை முறைகளையும் அறிந்து, பலர் எங்களிடம் ஆலோசனை பெற்று புதிய சேவை அமைப்புகளை தொடங்கி வருகிறார்கள். இத்தகைய சேவை மூலம் எங்களுக்கு ஆத்ம திருப்தி கிடைக்கிறது. தொண்டுள்ளம் கொண்ட ஏராளமானவர்கள் எங்களுடன் இணைந்து செயல்பட்டுக்கொண்டிருக்கிறார்கள். ஏழை எளிய மக்களுக்கு எல்லாவிதத்திலும் உதவவேண்டும் என்பதே எங்கள் நோக்கம்..” என்றார்கள்.

இவர்களது சேவை.. மக்களுக்கு என்றென்றும் தேவை..!

Click here to read the link of Dinathanthi news..:  Daily Thanthi on SYMA

24^th Nov 2019.

mental conditioning ! ~ players opting rest for mental health reasons !!

1.    Can you identify this person speaking with Rahul Dravid  ?

2.    How did Indian cricket react after the abrupt resignation of Greg Chappell, the elegant Aussie batsman and the famously opinionated coach with a king-sized ego who failed?

3.    Do you know or remember that Pongal Test in 1973  [Test no. 708] against England at Chennai when India won by 4 wickets – who were the fast bowlers who opened the bowling for India ?

Start with answer to Q 3 above.  That was a time when Indian spin trio / quartet was dominating … [Bedi, Chandra, Prasanna & Venkat] .. in that famous test at Chepauk, India opened with Eknath Solkar and Sunil Gavaskar, if you are wondering – I am speaking about the bowling attack .. Solkar bowled 2 in the 1^st and 2 in the 2^nd.  Sunil Gavaskar  bowled 2 in the 1^st – none in the 2^nd as Bishan Bedi opened the bowling in the second innings.  India bowling has come a long long way since the emergence of Kapil Dev who bowled fast and made opponents scurry for helmet cover.

In the Pink ball test Kolkatta, India completed yet another innings-win.  India's home season in Tests this year has been short - five matches, all done in under two months or so. They have delivered on the dominance that was expected of them, but some new methods and some new faces were introduced.   It's phenomenal that  todays victory was given by pace bowlers  - Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Umesh Yadav.   This home season, India's three spinners took 37 wickets between them. The three fast bowlers took 59, that too in the absence of strike bowler Jasprit Bumrah. They also managed to win a Test without a wicket from their spinners, which is also a first at home.  19 - Wickets taken by India's fast bowlers in this Test, which is the most by them in a home Test. The previous highest was 17 wickets, also at Eden Gardens, against Sri Lanka in 2017. This was the third time India's seamers have taken 19 or more wickets in a Test, and all have come in the last two years.  .. .. and to think that Umesh Yadav was always in and out of the team, might get selected in a home test, but would end up bowling 8 or 10 overs .. .. ! – what a transformation by Indian pacers !

Away, Glenn Maxwell has been praised for his "courage" after opting to step away from the game due to mental health reasons. He confided in Australia men's head coach Justin Langer before the opening game of the ongoing T20I series against Sri Lanka, in Adelaide, that he was struggling, with Langer saying there were times over the last 12 months when he thought things might not be quite right for him.

Back home, Ambati Rayudu has opted out of representing Hyderabad in the upcoming Ranji Trophy season. Rayudu had come out of retirement only in August, a few months after he had 'retired from all formats' following his non-selection in India's squad at the 2019 World Cup. According to an interview with Telangana Today, Rayudu said "a lot of politics" in the team made it "uncomfortable" for him to represent Hyderabad. Rayudu, who was Hyderabad captain in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, said: "In all honesty, I was looking forward to play for Hyderabad in Ranji Trophy this season. But unfortunately, the script did not go on the expected lines. There is a lot of politics in the team and the atmosphere was not conducive for good cricket. I felt very uncomfortable." Rayudu even tweeted to Telangana's Municipal Administration and Urban Development minister KT Rama Rao, asking him to look into the "rampant corruption prevailing at HCA." Rayudu was also displeased at the choice of Arjun Yadav, the former Hyderabad allrounder, as coach. Rayudu claimed Arjun became coach due to the influence of his father, the former BCCI interim president Shivlal Yadav.  A decade and half ago, Arjun was the Hyderabad captain and was involved   in a physical altercation during a Ranji Trophy match.

If you ever thought that men only are folding .. ..  Australia and Melbourne Renegades women's allrounder Sophie Molineux became  the latest cricketer to step away from the game for mental health issues. Molineux has played all 10 of the Renegades WBBL games so far this season, as she was pushing to return to the national side ahead of the T20 World Cup. But she has withdrawn from Saturday's Melbourne derby against the Stars at Eastern Oval in Ballarat in order to focus on her mental health and wellbeing. This follows on from Victorian male trio Glenn Maxwell, Nic Maddinson and Will Pucovski all withdrawing from Australia and Australia A commitments for mental health reasons, although it is understood all three men were suffering from different mental health challenges.

Pip Inge, Australia Women's Team Doctor, said that Cricket Australia will monitor Molineux closely. "Sophie has made the decision to take a break from cricket and we are providing her with the support she needs," Inge said. "The welfare of our players is a priority and we are proud of the brave decision by Sophie to step away from the game."

Getting back to those Qs at the start – after Greg Chappel fiasco, came Gary Kirsten, the reticent South African with an ugly batting style and no coaching experience. After Chappell’s restless radicalism — in the late Peter Roebuck’s words — Indian cricket wanted peace, a gush of cold water on their burnt fingers. Sachin Tendulkar, in his first meeting with the new coach,  reportedly  made a very humane request: “Gary, I want you to be my friend.” Still recovering from the insecurity epidemic of the Chappell era, the Indian dressing room longed for a warm hug.

Kirsten knew that, he was prepared. He brought along with him his affable friend Paddy Upton, a fitness trainer with a PhD in sports science, a lifelong student of philosophy and spirituality, leadership coach, mind guru, passionate surfer; while a social worker, Upton was almost stabbed while reforming Cape Town’s street kids and backpacked without shoes for six months while discovering Southeast Asia by himself. By the time he left India, after almost three years, he would also be a World Cup winner. He would find mention in the credits that rolled after that magical April 2, 2011 at Wankhede.  ‘the barefoot coach’ is a book written by Paddy Upton, Team India’s mental conditioning coach.  Mental coaching is a broad term used to describe consultants who use a psycho-educational model to develop the mental/psychological aspects of performance achievement.

Sounds interesting !

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

24^th Nov. 2019.

pink ball test at Eden Gardens ... .. Concussion substitutes !!

How often would you see a Test that in 30 overs – Ravichandran Ashwin does not get to bowl one ? ~ there was no need for one, as Bangladesh folded to seamers at Eden Garden today in the first Pink ball – day night test. 

Could remember still -  that early morning on 12^th  Jan 1978 as we anxiously listened to the radio – Aussies were reeling under – but whether they could avoid the follow-on ?  -  Peter Toohey 82 pulled Karsan Ghavri and a sprinting Madan lal took a good catch to make it 2-2; Aussies defeated by an innings and 2 runs at Sydney.  Those were the days when substitutes cannot stand in close-in and in Specialist positions and a commentator remarked that way, Madan Lal should not be allowed anywhere in the field as substitute !!

It was 1975 – Prudential world Cup – the first ever limited Over tournament for men.. Sri Lanka and East Africa were the new entrants.   Put into bat,  Australians piled on 328 for 5. In reply, Sri Lanka had a flying start,  reached 150 for 2 in the 32^nd  over.  They could survive the opening fire of Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee but – the second spell was of a different game plan. Then … that bloodbath occurred.. .. Sunil Wettimuny would certainly love forgetting that fear created by Jeff Thomson, arguably the fastest bowler to draw breath.   In his opening spell Thomson hit Wettimuny twice in the inner thigh, and also delivered a cracking blow to the hip bone and a crunching hit to the ribcage.  Mendis  played a couple of Thommo's deliveries, after which the fast man let fly.  One flyer  hit him squarely on the forehead. He staggered and fell heavily to the crease and had to be carried off the  ground on a stretcher. Thommo was booed by the crowd as the Sri Lankan captain, Anura Tennekoon, slowly ambled to the crease.  In one instance after hitting Wettimuny and with bastman hopping about in pain, Thommo tried to run him out too.

.. .. .. .. there have been many injuries on the field and some imposed with fear ! ~ and there was that blood spill at Sabina Park in 1976

A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). It can occur after an impact to one’s head or after a whiplash-type injury that causes one’s  head and brain to shake quickly back and forth. A concussion results in an altered mental state that may include becoming unconscious.  Anyone can become injured during a fall, car accident, or any other daily activity. Concussions, generally  are  not life-threatening, but they can cause serious symptoms that require medical treatment.   Leading neurologists have called for more research into women and concussion in an effort to aid the recovery of sportswomen who have sustained a mild traumatic brain injury.  The differences in post-concussive recoveries between men and women were laid bare in a special report by Telegraph Sport, which underlined how female brain cells were at greater risk of degeneration from a head injury trauma than male brain cells.It also shed light on how women are more susceptible to prolonged post-concussive recovery lengths, highlighting the case of Britain's Olympic hockey gold medallist Nicola White, who has been unable to return to the pitch 20 months after suffering a concussion

ICC Playing Conditions

1.2.8.1 In assessing whether the nominated Concussion Replacement should be considered a like-for-like player, the ICC Match Referee should consider the likely role the concussed player would have played during the remainder of the match, and the normal role that would be performed by the nominated Concussion Replacement.

1.2.8.2 If the ICC Match Referee believes that the inclusion of the nominated Concussion Replacement, when performing their normal role, would excessively advantage their team, the Match Referee may impose such conditions upon the identity and involvement of the Concussion Replacement as he/she sees fit, in line with the overriding objective of facilitating a like-for-like replacement for the concussed player.

~ wonder what .. in Aug 2019,   –  a top order batsman who can bowl some handy legspin, South African-born Marnus Labuschagne became part of history -  No one in the 142-year history of Test match cricket had done what Marnus Labuschagne managed on day five at Lord's in 2019.  Steve Smith was injured.  The official notification by the Australian team to the ICC match referee Ranjan Madugalle, Smith's symptoms were described as "headache, dizziness, feeling slowed down, feeling in a fog, don't feel right, drowsiness". "As part of the Cricket Australia concussion protocol, repeat concussion testing of Steve Smith was also performed this morning and demonstrated some deterioration from his testing which is consistent.  "On that basis Steve was  withdrawn from the match by team doctor Richard Saw and the first concussion substitute came on to the field and batted.

A player is no longer under pressure to take the field when he or she displays symptoms of concussion and a side is not disadvantaged having lost a player to a blow to the head or neck. Each of the ICC, CA and the ECB have their own concussion policies, but all stress the need for caution in dealing with potential or actual concussion cases.  Steven Smith was replaced by Marnus Labuschagne after being hit on the head by Jofra Archer. A few days later, in the Caribbean, Darren Bravo took a blow from Jasprit Bumrah and Jermaine Blackwood took his place. In October, Dean Elgar found himself in need of this rule after being struck by Umesh Yadav, which brought Theunis de Bruyn into the game. Now  New Zealand's Tom Blundell is on standby for Henry Nicholls, currently playing a Test against England.

At Eden Gardens, Kolkatta, in the first pink ball daty – night test – India was 174 for 3 (Kohli 59*, Rahane 23*) lead Bangladesh 106 (Shadman 29, Ishant 5-22) by 68 runs. The visitors were troubled and blown off by Indian pacers, more specifically Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.    Two men went down with concussions. Ishant Sharma took his first home five-for in 12 years. Only the fourth time that fast bowlers took all ten for India in India.  Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli then scored fifties to entertain the night-time crowd. Close to 50, 000 spectators turned up at Eden Gardens.

Bangladesh had to use two concussion substitutes after Liton Das and Nayeem Hasan were hit on the helmet by Mohammed Shami. The visitors' choice of replacements though put their planning for this series in bad light because they had no specialist batsmen in reserve despite two players in the original squad going unavailable well before the start of this match.  While there was one bowler for bowler swap with Taijul Islam taking Nayeem's place, Mehidy Hasan, a specialist spinner, took over from Liton, a wicketkeeper batsman, meaning he cannot bowl for the entire duration of the game. As per the ICC Playing Conditions, a concussion substitute has to be a like-for-like replacement and perform the same role as that of the concussed player. Both Liton and Nayeem have gone to the hospital for scans. It is unclear why the BCB didn't call in replacements considering both Saif Hassan and Mosaddek Hossain were ruled out long before day one of the Eden Gardens Test.

Contractor led India to a series win against England in 1961–62 and captained the side to Caribbean the same season. There, in a tour match against Barbados at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, in March 1962, he was on 2 not out while opening the batting with Dilip Sardesai during his side's first innings,  he was badly injured by the delivery of  Charlie Griffith.  Contractor was hit  at the back of his skull fracturing it. A blood clot had developed inside his skull and pressing against the brain paralyzing him from the waist down. Two surgeries were performed to remove the clot. Requiring blood transfusion for the purpose, the West Indies captain Frank Worrell donated blood, alongside Contractor's teammates Chandu Borde, Bapu Nadkarni and Polly Umrigar.  Contractor's life was saved but his international career was abruptly ended as a result.  Nariman Jamshedji "Nari" Contractor  as a left-handed opening batsman, was born in Godhra, Gujarat.

Now getting back to ‘substitutes’ in Cricket – there was a time when there was a rule that substitute fielders would not be allowed in specialist positions and substitution for Wicket keeper was not allowed !   Way back in 1986 in the second Test at Leeds, Raman Lamba was in  as a substitute fielder to Krishnamachari Srikkanth.  A few overs later -  Srikkanth arrived on the field. None alerted .. and the commentator was heard screaming – ‘5 men on the On and 5 on the Off’ – what sounds strange ! – hey there are 12 of them on the field ! – that was for an entire over of Ravi Shastri.  

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

22^nd Nov. 2019

woman achiever of British Columbia, Vancity !

Most likely that her photo would attract viewer into reading more details of this post – not much is known about British Columbia and the person in picture – Ms Tamara Vrooman .. .. it is stated that in 1991 she attempted to earn a position with the BC Ministry of Finance but was rejected because her interviewers assumed that she had poor mathematical skills.  She went on to enrol Finance courses and 12 years later, became British Columbia’s first and youngest female Deputy Minister of finance.  While in office, she won Knowledge & Leadership award .. she was also to become the first Dy min in BC to take maternity leave !

Vancouver City Savings Credit Union, commonly referred to as Vancity, is a member-owned financial co-operative headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. By asset size, Vancity is the largest community credit union in Canada as of 2018, with CA$27.4 billion in assets plus assets under administration, 59 branches and more than 534,000 members.

Interestingly, when the men returned from the First World War, they discovered the recently enfranchised women of the province had helped vote in the prohibition of liquor in an effort to end the social problems associated with the hard-core drinking Vancouver and the rest of the province was famous for until the war. Because of pressure from veterans, prohibition was quickly relaxed so the "soldier and the working man" could enjoy a drink, but widespread unemployment among veterans was hardened by many of the available jobs being taken by European immigrants and disgruntled veterans organized a range of "soldier parties" to represent their interests .. .. curious to know where ?

Victoria is the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia, located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast.  Victoria is the southernmost major city in Western Canada, and is about 100 km (60 mi) from British Columbia's largest city of Vancouver on the mainland. The city is about 100 km (60 mi) from Seattle.  Named after Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and, at the time, British North America, Victoria is one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest, with British settlement beginning in 1843. The city has retained a large number of its historic buildings, in particular its two most famous landmarks, Parliament Buildings (finished in 1897 and home of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia) and the Empress hotel (opened in 1908).

British Columbia - is the westernmost province of Canada, located between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains.   The first British settlement in the area was Fort Victoria, established in 1843, which gave rise to the City of Victoria, at first the capital of the separate Colony of Vancouver Island. Subsequently, on the mainland, the Colony of British Columbia (1858–1866) was founded by Richard Clement Moody  and the Royal Engineers, Columbia Detachment, in response to the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush.  In 1866, Vancouver Island became part of the colony of British Columbia, and Victoria became the united colony's capital.  First Nations, the original inhabitants of the land, have a history of at least 10,000 years in the area.

The Order of British Columbia, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour current or former British Columbia residents for conspicuous achievements in any field, being thus described as the highest honour amongst all others conferred by the British Columbia Crown.

Tamara Vrooman, is one of its notable recipients.  The woman born in 1968 is the CEO of Vancity Credit Union. Previously, she served as British Columbia's first and youngest female deputy minister of finance.  You read the description of her education and career progress in para 1.

Vrooman stayed in her role as deputy minister of finance for three years before leaving in 2007 to become CEO of Vancity Credit Union.  The next year, Vancity became the first carbon-neutral credit union in North America. During the 2010 fiscal year, Vancity hit a financial high and Vrooman was named Canada's most powerful woman in the corporate executives category by the Women's Executive Network. By 2011, Vancity became the largest Canadian organization to adopt a living wage policy  and she was appointed to sit on the Board of Vancouver Airport Authority.

As CEO and president of Vancity, Vrooman helped develop and chair Canada's first Schedule 1 bank focused on impact in the Greater Toronto Area, called the Vancity Community Investment Bank.  She was honoured with honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.  She went on to become the  recipient of the Order of British Columbia for "contributing to a better quality of life in B.C. and beyond." She was also awarded the 2019 PEAK Award from the Association of Women in Finance.

Interesting !

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

20^th Nov 2019.