Shivaji Shreya with Vaigai Puyal Vadivelu - Tamil cine

Shriya Saran who became the ‘numer uno’ Tamil actress after the stupendous success of Rajnikanth’s Sivaji, is now doing an item number in Vadivel’s Indiralaokathil Na Azhagappan, for a whopping amount!

For the last three days the shooting of an item number choreographed by Shobhi and a scene featuring Shriya and Vadivel is going on in and around Ambasamudram, near Tenkasi. The producer of the film Seventh Channel Manickam Narayanan has pulled off a coup by managing to get Shriya’s call sheet for the film.

Vadivel plays three different roles in this movie, directed by Thambi Ramaiah- "Indran", "Yaman" and a normal person. Art Director is Thotta Tharani, Gopinath is the cameraman. Sabesh - Murali has composed the songs and Yamini Sharma is the heroine.

At a time when a new breed of item number girls are cropping up in the likes of Mumaith Khan, Nanditha and Rahasiya, the leading ladies are up for it again. Hardly had these girls started seeing the light of day, the heroines have eclipsed them. We are talking about Shriya who has done just that for Indiralogathil Na. Azhagappan, which has Vadivelu playing lead.


She has put all rumors to rest by signing the dotted line and shooting for a song and a couple of scenes in the movie, this came as a surprise to many in the industry as this is something that has never been done by a leading lady, especially someone who is at the peak of their career.

She isn’t doing that without reason, this smart Haryanvi girl who is a graduate from LSR has her priorities in place. She has been paid a whopping sum of 50 Lacs for this movie which involves only a few days of shooting, less than a week to be precise. She demands a sum of 65 lacs for a full movie, which would demand about 100 days of shooting, vis-a –vis 50 lacs for just about a week long shoot, makes perfect business sense doesn’t it? She has decided to overlook the hero of the movie and her star status for probably this reason. This song is being shot in a rainy setting; surely Shriya knows how to make hay even while it rains.


Shreya's New Boy friend

Shivaji will surely hit the screens in May- AVM Saravanan

Shivaji will surely hit the screens in May- AVM Saravanan

Here is the first official news about the release of Shivaji, the magnum opus of the industry. Director Shankar has completed the graphics and other minor correction work for the film and is preparing himself to unleash the biggest extravaganza of the year.

The AVM campus has announced that the film will be released most probably on 26th of May. When the correspondent contacted A.V.M. Saravanan, the producer of the film, 'We have planned to release the film Shivaji around the last week of this month. Shankar and his team have been working on it and it is nearing completion...' he told.




Shivaji is not only special for the viewers but it is very special for the super star Rajinikanth too. This is his 100th straight film in his career spanning most of the Indian languages. He has so far acted in a total of 173 films including the remakes and dubbings. In Tamil only he has completed 99 films and Shivaji will be the 100 th in the row.

AVM has erected its first vinyl hoarding for the film at Gemini fly over junction at Anna Salai, Chennai from yesterday. The superstar looks stunning in blue jeans and brown blazer with stylish black glasses. It is needless to talk about the excitement and joy of the fans of the actor. Even passer-byes who have a look at this hoarding for few minutes are surprised by the looks of the 'Basha of Kollywood'. Similar hoardings are expected all over Chennai shortly.

Baby with Cobra snake - Amazing Video

Vijay's new film bombs at BO

A youth icon of sorts, he is a contender for the superstar title in Tamil cinema. The shy and reserved actor Vijay was his usual self at the launch of the Tamil edition of Filmfare magazine in Chennai on Wednesday evening.

"We talk a lot during the interviews and when we read the same stuff on the magazine, it's all the more interesting and thrilling,” says Vijay.

As of now Vijay has more reasons to smile than one. His latest film Pokkiri has completed 100 days and was declared a super-hit, and with Prabhu Deva on the director's seat, no doubt the dance sequences were the toughest part.

"I had no clue how Prabhu Deva was going to dance till the last moment. We didn't even have a rehearsal. It was a straight take so I was a bit nervous but it came out well,” says Vijay.

At a time when his rival Ajith is busy with Billa 2007, a remake of Rajnikanth's Billa, so what would be Vijay's choice for a remake?

"Well, there are many films I would like to remake like Nallavanukku Nallavan and Murattukaalai.

But for now, Vijay is waiting to see the superstar sizzle on screen in Sivaji.

“I am waiting for the release too- 1st day 1st show. I am going to be there with the crowd to watch the movie,” says Vijay.

Villagers enjoy bullfight near Madurai in Spanish style

The sport of bullfighting is popularly associated with Spain, but a non-descript village in Tamil Nadu also enjoys this dangerous sport known as "Jallikattu".

Unarmed males of Keelapati Village near Madurai battle it out in the fields with enraged bulls, and in the process some of the participants suffer serious injuries and even die.

"They announce a prize of 'Kuttuvilakku' (a lamp) or a television set, to whoever succeeds in taming the bull. I won it this year. The bulls are fed very well throughout the year and they are given proper care," said Sunderpandi, the winner of the competition.

Bullfighting in Tamil Nadu is said to be a centuries-old sport. Young winners were richly rewarded and even marriages were fixed during the event.

Drunken bulls, with horns sharpened to make them more dangerous, are let loose from an enclosure into the crowd where thousands stand to participate or view the craving to showcase one's machismo motivates the young and not so young participate.

"I've been injured many times during the bullfight in the past few years. But I've always had great fun. I have been participating since the age of seventeen," said Mayandi, a participant.

A public interest petition was filed in the Madras High Court to ban the game, but the sport continues albeit with a few medical professionals present to attend to injuries.

Study says "Cocoa, not tea, calms blood pressure"

Some may see a cup of tea as soothing but chocolate is more likely to lower one's blood pressure, German researchers reported on Monday.

Foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure but drinking green and black tea may not, according to an analysis of previously published research in the Archives of Internal Medicine, published by the American Medical Association.

The drop in blood pressure among participants who consumed cocoa products for at least two weeks was in the same range as achieved by someone taking drugs commonly prescribed to control high blood pressure.

The fall in blood pressure credited to cocoa could be expected to reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks by 10-20 percent, the report said.

Both cocoa and tea contain polyphenols, a class of chemicals known to help prevent cardiovascular disease that are present in most fruits and vegetables. But cocoa has a different type than tea -- procyanids -- that appear to be more active.

Currently, patients with high blood pressure are urged to eat more fruits and vegetables, although cocoa and tea products account for the bulk of total polyphenol consumption in Western countries, the study said.

But don't start gobbling up chocolate bars just yet, wrote study author Dirk Taubert of the University Hospital of Cologne, Germany.

Treats such as dark chocolate might be substituted for other high-calorie desserts, based on the study's findings, but "we believe that any dietary advice must account for the high sugar, fat and calorie intake with most cocoa products.

"Rationally applied, cocoa products might be considered part of dietary approaches to lower hypertension risk," he wrote.

Ref: Yahoo news

lucky pair rules Tamil cinema - Harris and Vikram

Actor Vikram and music director Harris Jayaraj are known as Tamil cinema's lucky pair. This summer, their fifth film together will be on the silver screen.

Music director Harris Jayaraj is composing an item number for the forthcoming big-budget Tamil movie Bheemaa.

The song to be picturised on Vikram and to be shot in Tuticorin has been sung by Kailash Kher.

This, Harris says, will be the only hat ke number in the album, that otherwise has all melody tracks.

"It is a mix of all genres. Bheemaa has space for lot of melody with peppy numbers," says Harris.

This will be the fifth Vikram starrer that Harris Jayaraj is composing for. The actor and composer seem to be lucky for each other Saamy and Anniyan for example have been huge hits.

"Harris is usually very modern like Rahman, very yuppy. But here in this movie, director Lingusamy is from Kumbakonam and not too much into class so here there is a nice mix of folk tunes with melody," said Vikram.

Harris who has worked with A R Rahman, now has many offers from Mumbai.

Though it comes as a surprise that Harris has not been approached for scoring the music for the Hindi remake of Ghazini starring Aamir Khan. Ghazini's music was the biggest hit of 2005.

Realism triumphs in Tamil cinema with 'Paruthi Veeran'

Director Amir's 'Paruthi Veeran' has been declared a blockbuster, more successful than Vijay's 'Pokkiri'. This is a great achievement for debutant hero Karthi Shivakumar and the director

The top five Tamil films are:

1. 'Paruthi Veeran' - Director: Amir. This is one of the most realistic films to hit the Tamil screens in recent times.


2. 'Mozhi' - Director: Radhamohan. Mozhi continues to have full shows in all the city theatres.

3. 'Pachaikili Muthucharam' - Director: Gautham Menon. The film is not going to be another 'Vettaiyadu Vilaiyadu'. But Sarath Kumar's natural performance is worth watching.

4. 'Thirumagan' - Director: A.M. Ratnakumar. This is yet another lousy film from actor S.J. Suryah. Only Meera Jasmine is watchable.

5. 'Pokkiri' - Director: Prabhu Deva. Nothing can stop Vijay starrer 'Pokkiri', which is on its way to breaking records.

Software Jokes and bpo company jokes

The Leave Applications and other letters from outsourcing executives


Infosys, Bangalore: An employee applied for leave as follows:

"Since I have to go to my village to sell my land along with my wife, please sanction me one-week leave."


Joke: Leave applications & letter writing by executives
Krissy March 15, 2007
Know More: Outsourcing Joke Bangalore, IBM, Infosys, O&M, Sun Microsystem, Wipro

The Leave Applications and other letters from outsourcing executives


Infosys, Bangalore: An employee applied for leave as follows:

"Since I have to go to my village to sell my land along with my wife, please sanction me one-week leave."

joke-outsourcing


This is from Oracle Bangalore: >From an employee who was performing the "mundan" ceremony of his 10 year old son: as I want to shave my son's head, please leave me for two days.."


Another gem from O&M. Leave-letter from an employee who was performing his daughter's wedding:as I am marrying my daughter, please grant a week's leave.."


From Accenture Administration Department:
"As my mother-in-law has expired and I am only one responsible for it, please grant me 10 days leave."

Another employee from IBM Daksh applied for half day leave:
"Since I've to go to the cremation ground at 10 o-clock and I may not return, please grant me half day casual leave"

An incident of a leave letter: I am suffering from fever, please declare one-day holiday."

A leave letter to the headmaster: "As I am studying in this school I am suffering from headache. I request you to leave me today"

Another leave letter written to the principal of the school: "As my headache is paining, please grant me leave for the day."

Covering note: "I am enclosed herewith..."

Another one:"Dear Sir: with reference to the above, please refer to my below..."

Actual letter written for application of leave: "My wife is suffering from sickness and as I am her only husband at home I may be granted leave".

Letter writing:- "I am well here and hope you are also in the same well."

A candidate's job application: "This has reference to your advertisement calling for a ' Typist and an Accountant - Male or Female'... As I am both(!! )for the past several years and I can handle both with good experience, I am applying for the post. "

Technorati Profile

Technorati Profile

Chennai has Symantec Innovation Center

Minister of Communications and IT, Dayanidhi Maran inaugurated Symantec Corp.'s Center of Innovation in Chennai.

"Symantec's Center of Innovation at Chennai will play a key role in developing new solutions and enabling an environment of safe and secure computing for enterprises and consumers in India and globally," Maran said in a statement.

The firm already has an Innovation Center in Pune.

According to W Thompson, Chairman and CEO, Symantec, “The Chennai center would play a critical role in the development of the company's next generation of security products and solutions for enterprises and consumers the world over.”

The statement said that the new center would accommodate more than 1,000 employees. Its Pune center accommodates more than 2,100 employees and works on high-end product development in the security, storage and compliance domains.

“This center will further augment our already existing R&D and engineering strengths in India. Our focus is also to be the solution provider of choice in a rapidly 'Connected India,” Thompson said.

Anil Chakravarthy, VP, India Technical Operations, Symantec, said, "In the coming year the center will focus extensively on developing next-generation `Security 2.0' products including the distinguished Norton product line."

New Tamil Movie List

. Yaradi Nee Mohi...
. Niram
. Evano Oruvan
. Manjal Veyil
. Thoovaanam
. Pallikoodam
. Satham Podathae
. Pirappu
. Unnale Unnale
. Chennai - 600028
. Koodal Nagar
. Oram Po
. Ninaithalea
. Maduraiveeran
. Sivaji The Boss
. Agaram
. Thiru Ranga
. Surya
. Nee Naan Nila
. Meipporul
. Polladhavan
. Machakkaaran
. Naan Avan Illai...
. Veeraappu
. Sollathan Ninai...
. Bali
. Thirutham

Cost of India's failure

With cricket-crazy India now out of the first round of the World Cup, the financial fallout is starting to become apparent.

India's exit poses questions about the viability of heavy spending around a team that has not won a competition of note outside the subcontinent since 1985.

"The major stakeholders in the tournament - the television channels and major sponsors - risk losing millions, either in cash or kind, if India go out in the first round," wrote Sambit Bal, the editor of leading cricket website Cricinfo last week.

"It's a disaster waiting to happen."

The disaster has now happened

It is difficult to pin down exactly how much money the television channels, advertisers and travel agents who sold packaged cricket trips to the West Indies have lost, but unofficial estimates say corporates will take a hit of at least $35m.

'Big flop'

One of those hit by the debacle may be the World Cup's official broadcaster Sony Entertainment Television.

"The cup will be a big flop in India and advertisers will lose value of their investments. We may lose money even after selling all slots," the company's chief Kunal Dasgupta was quoted as saying by Outlook magazine.

Industry sources say advertising rates had dropped by a third from the 150,000 rupees ($3,260) for 10 seconds during the match telecasts.

For an expected India vs Pakistan game in the second round on 15 April, Sony had reportedly sold 10 second advertising slots for 450,000 rupees ($9,785).

Now advertisers are going to want this money back because the match isn't going to happen.

Mindshare, a media buying agency, reckons viewership for the rest of the matches in the World Cup will now halve in India, which has the biggest TV audience for the game.

So advertisers will now try to cut back on their spends and renegotiate television ad rates and contracts.

'Lost relevance'

PepsiCo, one of the tournaments' four global sponsors, has already decided to scrap a much hyped upbeat campaign around the Indian team with the punch line - 'If you fight, you win'.

"The campaign has lost its relevance. We are taking it off and will replace it with some other Pepsi campaign," a senior official of JWT, the cola major's advertising official told The Economic Times.

A number of companies like Pepsi, Visa and Reebok may now be forced to reconsider their cricket-centric advertising campaigns.

Booksellers have begun withdrawing books on cricket released around the tournament because they are not finding any buyers.

"Buyers don't even want to look at a book on cricket now. So we are hiding them," said Delhi bookseller MK Baig.

Also hit are companies who had planned expensive product launches during the tournament - a leading cell phone maker is reportedly planning to put off the launch of a new model featuring a Bollywood star with a cricket theme.

'Flawed format'

The absence of India in the second round will also mean that less than half of the 4,000 Indians who were expected to travel to the Caribbean for the tournament will finally make the journey, say industry experts.

But Sotc, one India-based travel agency which has booked over 500 packages -60% of them sponsored by companies - priced between $7600 and $ 13,000 say it does not expect many cancellations.

"The customers who have booked with us were not looking at the cricket match being held in the Caribbean but also viewed it as a good summer gateway. It is a mixture of leisure, golf and cricket for them," a Sotc official told the Business Standard newspaper.

Sony's Kunal Dasgupta now says the format of the tournament is flawed.

"In a 48-day tournament, if teams like India and Pakistan are out for playing bad cricket in two matches, there is something really wrong. We were against this format and even told the International Cricket Council to reconsider it," he said.

Ref:http://news.bbc.co.uk/

IAF monitor skies after LTTE air strike

Indian Air force has set up eight radars as a precautionary measure to monitor the skies in the aftermath of Tamil tiger rebels launching their first aerial strike in Sri Lanka two days ago.

The radars were fixed at Seeniappa Darga Casurina jungle near Sundaramudaiyan village in Ramanathapuram district and trials were being held, a senior IAF official told PTI on Wednesday.

A team of 50 Air force personnel, under a commander, would be posted there to monitor the skies, he said. There was also a plan to set up a permanent Air-base near Seeniappa Dargah, the official, who wished not to be named, said.

The decision to set up radars comes two days after LTTE carried out an aerial attack at a military airbase in Colombo, killing three persons and injuring 16. Sri Lankan president Mahindra Rajapakse had warned that LTTE's air strike capability was a threat to the entire South Asian region, particularly India and Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the Indian navy has begun round-the-clock patrolling of the seas from the Forward Observation Point (FOP) near Dhanushkodi since Tuesday. Twelve marine commandos have been posted at FOP, to which communication links have been established.

The coast guard would also patrol the international maritime border in the Palk Straits, official sources said. Besides these measures, policemen manning the check-posts had been asked to inspect every vehicle passing through coastal roads, they said.

Murdering female infanticide going to be end

A special committee comprising women police and NGOs will be formed to keep a check on female infanticide and sex selective abortion cases in the district, said City Police Commissioner A Subramanian.

Inaugurating a trainers’ training programme on ‘Declining Child Sex Ratio: Perspectives, Interventions, Strategies’, which commenced here on Tuesday, Subramanian said apart from taking preventive measures, including raids, the committee would conduct extensive awareness programmes for the prevention of such inhuman acts.

Besides women police and NGOs, the committee would have representatives from Women Self Help Groups, other government department staff, village nurses, tahsildars and ‘thalayaris’.

Steps would be taken for the establishment of the committee, which would prevent infanticide and foeticide cases in the villages concerned, he added.

Analysing the background for the deplorable situation, he said that families, who viewed the girl child as a burden, are indulging in such inhuman acts.

Referring to a survey conducted in the district some years ago, the Commissioner said that about 188 villages in Madurai were identified having high number of foeticide and infanticide cases. Police are on high alert in curbing the functioning of pre-natal diagnostic centres and also doctors performing sex determination tests.

District Social Welfare Officer M Jayalakshmi, in her address, said the protection of women could be taken care of by women themselves.

She also added that affected women would be provided asylum in care homes (sevai illams), functioning under the Social Welfare department. SIRD director M Jeeva presided over the meeting.

Raj TV - provide content for Singapore channel

Raj Television Network Limited has signed an agreement to provide content for Singapore's Vasantham Central channel, catering to the Tamil community in the city-state.

The agreement with the state owned TV12 is for a period of two years. Raj TV expects revenues of over Rs.3 million every year from this arrangement, the company said here.

Raj TV will share its popular bouquet of programmes, which includes Tamil films, serials, soaps, game shows, reality shows and news.

'Vasantham Central is a part of the Mediacorp Group and is a highly popular channel in Singapore,' M. Raveendran, director operations of Raj Television Network, told reporters here.

'We will offer Vasantham Central some of our past, present and future content and based on the response we plan to launch our entire bouquet of channels in Singapore soon,' he added.

Raj TV will look at understanding the demands and tastes of the Indian population in Singapore and eventually conceptualise its own independent programmes.

The strategy would be to use the experience gained through this association to launch an exclusive channel in Southeast Asia, he said.

'We are looking at overseas markets aggressively for content export, especially countries like Malaysia, Europe, Africa and the US which have high potential for growth,' said Raveendran, adding that the company would also look into launching their own channels in these markets.

Raj TV already has content syndication arrangements with the Sri Lankan channel Roopavahini as well as Britain based Tamil channels Deepam TV and CIEE Television.

Raj TV has the largest movie database in Tamil Nadu and also holds the rights for around 1,384 Tamil films comprising old classics and recent blockbusters.

Tamil People awaits for Shivaji - Chennai

whatever be the date of release, no one wants to compete with the biggest names in the Tamil film industry.

Movies that waited for the World Cup and the exams to finish could now settle for a safer bet - to release their films well before or after Shivaji.

Director Pushkar has planned to released his movie Oram Po only much after Shivaji hits the theatres.

"The guys who are distributing Shivaji will get the best theatres, so for a small film to come in at this point of time, business-wise it becomes a little difficult to get good theatres or even good hoardings," says he.

Distributor's say that Shivaji's producers may go for 12 to 15 prints in A-grade theatres, literally leaving over a dozen others waiting to release their movies with not much choice but to release it before or after the release of the Rajnikanth starrer.

While the producers of Mayakannadi hope to release the film in mid-April to give it a fortnight's run before Shivaji releases, producers of other films such as Oram po and Solli Adippein have decided to play it safe releasing their films a little after Shivaji's hits the theatres.

And a Rajnikanth starrer would also mean that it's time for most movies released in the last two months such as Vijay's Pokkiri to shift to B-grade theatres.

Said to be made at a budget of Rs 60 crore, Shivaji would quite easily qualify as the most expensive film ever made in Tamil cinema, but a delay in its release is proving to be expensive for many other small budget movies.

Madurai New Flight Timings

Timing - Indian Air Lines
Flight No.	Departure	Departure Time (IST)	Arrival	Arrival Time (IST)	Fares
IC 672	Madurai	13.20	Chennai	14.15	RS.2625/-
IC 672	Chennai	14.55	Madurai	16.40	Rs.4825/-
IC 671	Mumbai	9.20	Chennai	11.05	Rs.4825/-
IC 671	Chennai	11.45	Madurai	12.40	Rs.2625/-

Jet Airways
Flight No.	Departure	Departure Time (IST)	Arrival	Arrival Time (IST)	Fares
9W 417	Mumbai	9.35	Madurai	11.30	Rs. 5600/-
9W 418	Madurai	12.00	Mumbai	01.55	Rs. 5600/-

Air Deccan
Flight No.	Origin	Destination	Departure	Arrival
DA-106	Madurai	Bangalore	12.10	12.25
DN-145	Madurai	Tuticorin	10.50	11.15
DN-145	Chennai	Madurai	09.15	10.30
DN-111	Chennai	Madurai	17.15	18.30

Air Lines	Phone Numbers
Airport Enquiry	2671333,2670433
Indian Airlines Booking Enquiry	2741234
International Booking	2741236
Indian Airlines, Airport Enquiry	2671333, 2670433
Indian Airlines Cargo	2742707
East West Airlines	2742695
NEPC Airlines, Enquiry	2740520
Jet Airways	2522077,2526969, 2677771

Kamal Encourage them all

Young heroes in Tamil cinema go the Kamal Hassan way. Kamal Hassan has been donning different makeup for Dasavatharam. It takes over four hours for Kamal to get himself ready for each role.

Following Kamal Hassan, up and coming actors like Bharath and Jeeva too have evinced keen interest in going in for a different makeup’s.

Bharath is playing the title role in a movie titled Nepali. Directed by V Z Durai, the movie features Bharath in the role of a Nepali Gurkha. In order to suit the role, the actor is donning a different makeup and it takes over a couple of hours for him to get ready with the makeup. Similarly Jeeva for his Thamizh MA has opted for a new makeup.

Priyamani gets going

The long wait for success for Priyamani ended with Paruthi Veeran. Though she had acted in several Tamil films before, it was Paruthi Veeran which propelled her career in Tamil. Her role was widely acclaimed and she had more offers coming her way. Meanwhile, the actress has also established herself successfully in Tollywood.

She is part of a couple of big projects which includes a movie opposite Junior NTR.

In Yamadonga, Priyamani plays Junior NTR's heroine. Malluwood girl Mamta Mohandas is also in the cast.

She is acting in Toss opposite Raja. The movie features Kamna Jethmalani too.

Says Priyamani, “I am delighted to have won a place in both Tamil and Telugu film industry. I would concentrate on doing movies in both Tamil and Telugu.”

Though she is getting enough offers now to play a part of commercial cinema, Priyamani hopes to do at least one off-beat film a year.

Ref:indiaglitz.com

Fake ration cards seized

Four persons, including a ration shop salesman, have been arrested on charges of circulating more than 500 bogus ration cards at Vikramangalam, near Usilampatti, in Madurai District, officials said today.

They were rounded up following raids conducted by top Civil Supplies Department officials after receiving complaints about circulation of bogus cards, they said.

According to officials, they were inquiring into the role of some officials of the Civil Supplies Department in the circulation the bogus ration cards, for which supplies had been made leading to the loss of several lakhs of rupees.

"We strongly suspect that the officials have connived in the offence. There could be more arrests at the official level," said a top official on condition of anonymity.

The raid also revealed that many genuine persons did not receive their ration cards.

The Joint Commissioner of Civil Supplies Chandramohan had visited some of the shops early last week and intense audit was conducted in some ration shops suspected to have been allotted bogus ration cards.

Police arrested Singam, assistant secretary of the Vikramangalam Primary Cooperative Society, Ravi, salesman, and two others. All of them were remanded to judicial custody.

Meanwhile, in Sivaganga district, police seized 190 bags of ration rice and arrested three persons on charges of smuggling it.

Police, on a tip-off that ration rice was being smuggled from a shop at Maravamangalam, patrolled the area and intercepted a lorry transporting rice bags.

Three loadmen identified as Selvam, Saravanan and Periyasamy, who were travelling on the lorry, have been arrested.

They confessed that the PDS rice was being taken from a shop at Maravamangalam to Karaikudi.

The lorry driver managed to escape. A case has been registered

TMB to introduce internet banking facilities

Madurai, Feb. 3 (PTI): The Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Ltd today said it plans to double its current turnover from 10,500 crores to Rs 21,000 crores in three years and introduce internet banking facilities by the beginning of next fiscal.

TMB Managing Director G Narayana Moorthy told reporters here that negotiations were in the final stages for buying software for the Internet banking facility. The bank was also ready to introduce the cheque truncation facility, with the necessary hardware and software, he said.

'Cheque Truncation, introduced as a pilot scheme in all bank branches in Delhi, will help in instant clearing of cheques and will be introduced from April after a trial run,' he said.

Under the scheme, an image of the cheque would be sent to Delhi, where the computer would recognise and clear it.

He claimed that TMB was the only private bank to enter into Bilateral Key Arrangements (BKA) with 650 banks. This would help exporters in LC opening and advising and confirming transfer of money at a faster pace, Naryaana Moorthy said.

TMB was negotiating with General Insurance companies to provide mediclaim facility to depositors and creditors. If the premium was low, TMB would absorb it and if high, collect the amounts from customers. They also planned to provide insurance facilitie"

Tech World

The tier-two cities in Tamil Nadu are fast emerging as new IT destinations, with a number of projects aimed at attracting IT investment nearing completion in cities like Madurai, Coimbatore and Trichy.

Initiatives have already been taken up to set up an information technology park in Coimbatore on the lines of Chennai's Tidal Park. Similarly, the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (Elcot) is setting up two IT parks in Madurai and Trichy, which are expected to get the status of special economic zones.

In Trichy, about 135 acres of government land had been transferred to Elcot for the purpose of establishing IT parks. Sources in Elcot told Business Standard that the corporation had acquired 135.04 acres at Navalpattu on the outskirts of the city, where it would set up an IT park soon. The corporation has submitted a proposal to the government to declare the park as a special economic zone for IT and IT-enabled services. Elcot plans to construct a built-up area of about one million square feet.

Navalpattu, situated on the Trichy-Pudukkottai highway, was chosen for the project considering its proximity to the Trichy International Airport. Elcot is looking at the possibility of acquiring more land near the site for future"

Paramount to enter western Indian skies

Madurai (TN), Feb 28. (PTI): Private carrier Paramount Airways, which has a strong presence in south India, would enter the western Indian skies by the end of this year and add 15 more aircrafts to its kitty in the next three years.

Talking to reporters here after the launch of Paramount's fourth flight in the Chennai-Madurai sector on Monday evening, the company's Managing Director M Thiagarajan said the airline would try to provide maximum number of services across the cities in the western region.

However, he did not divulge the names of the cities the airline would serve in the region.

"By early 2010, we will have a national presence," he added.

Paramount will induct 15 more Brazilian made 70-seater Embraer 170/175 and 110-seater Embraer 195 aircrafts in phases within the next 36 months, he said.

The carrier already owns five Embraer 170/175 aircrafts and connects eight destinations in South India through 50 daily flights.

Though a newcomer in the aviation sector, the airliner carries an average 100 tonnes of cargo daily, he said.

Paramount will also launch its services to Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu and Kozhikode in Kerala soon.

"Our efforts to provide cost-effective excellence will continue in the forthcoming services also," Thiagarajan said.

The Embraer aircraft with "lower maintenance costs, greater speed and lesser fuel consumption," contribute in cutting flying costs, he claimed.

On the high Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices in India, he said the taxes on the fuel should be rationalised.

The sales tax varied from one State to the other from 23-30 per cent. The customs and excise duties were also higher, he said.

"Despite India being an ATF surplus country, the prices are much higher compared to international prices and the fuel expenses account to over 30 per cent of the total flying costs," he said.

The Federation of Indian Airlines, an association of domestic carriers, has asked the Civil Aviation Ministry to lower the taxes on ATF.

"If the tax rates come down, we will be able to lower our ticket charges from 15 to 20 per cent," he added.

Apart from rationalisation of tax, he also wanted the coming Union Budget to provide continuation of withholding taxes on lease payments of aircraft.

Paramount Airways is promoted by the Paramount Group, leading textile manufacturer based in Madurai.

Sun TV ignores Karunanidhi's son birthday

Chennai, March 1 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's son M.K. Stalin turned 55 Thursday amid total blackout of his birthday celebrations by a popular Tamil channel even as national channels went head over heels showing hundreds queuing up to greet him.

Huge cut-outs of Stalin and Karunanidhi lined roads in the city Thursday and in the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) headquarters.

Stalin is seen as the automatic choice for the DMK's next chief ministerial candidate.

However, since 2004, there have been other DMK aspirants for the post, including union minister Dayanidhi Maran and Karunanidhi's another son, M.K. Azhagiri.

Azhagiri has now become the king of the state's southern districts following the death of P.T.R. Palanivel Rajan, a DMK stalwart from Madurai.

Two months ago, his birthday was celebrated as colourfully and with as much fanfare as Stalin's by the DMK. The party patriarch went all the way to Madurai to be with his son, who until 2001, was seen as an estranged son.

Another interesting development in Chennai has been the emergence of M.K Kanimozhi, Karunanidhi's daughter, on public platform. Last week, she was not only declared Karunanidhi's literary heir but was also seen splashed across local newspapers, in elder brother Stalin's company during a weeklong cultural bonanza she organised.

So, while the Karunanidhi family has been consolidating itself, noticeable is the blacking out of Stalin, Alzhagiri and Kanimozhi by Sun Television, a major cable network group, run by Kalanidhi Maran, elder son of late Murasoli Maran, a former union minister from the state.

The Sun group with 14 language channels did not even carry a scroll saying Stalin, a former Mayor of Chennai, had turned 55. Instead, they showed a newly-elected mayor of the city taking oath.

Establishing IT Park in Madurai

Rs 4,500 cr IT township in Madurai

Ancient city Madurai(Cultural Capital of Tamilnadu) would become an one of the part for Software revolution in India.

RR Industry Plans:

RR Industries a Chennai Based Company, which is in the business of creating infrastructure facilities and offering them on long-term lease to IT companies, is setting up a completely integrated township in Madurai centered on an IT Park Complex.

The facility, to be created over four to seven years (depending on the pace of absorption of the space) will include:

• 7 million square feet of IT Park space;

• 25,000 apartments (some for service apartments)

• 4 shopping malls

• 2 multiplexes

• 2 hospitals

• 2 hotels

• 2 recreation clubs

• Restaurants & cafes

• Treatment of water supply

• Complete treatment of waste water and garbage disposal to the highest standards

• Special clinics for the needs of IT employee

The facility would be developed over a period of four to seven years.

The township would include seven million sq ft of IT park space, 25,000 apartments, four shopping malls, two multiplexes, two hospitals, two hotels, two recreation clubs, restaurants and cafes.

RR Industries has developed four facilities of six-lakh sq ft and is in the process of developing 2.2 milion sq feet of space in Ambattur at a project cost of Rs 510 crore.

Earlier this month, the company announced its plans to set up a flight-training academy in Chennai investing Rs 770 crore.