Former Asia Pacific Correspondent of The Hindu, P.S. Suryanarayana, passes away
His wife, Jayanthi Padmanabhan, said that the end came very suddenly. 'He was feeling a bit uneasy after lunch, and we got ready to go to the hospital. But he collapsed. He was under treatment for excess potassium and were to go for a review with the cardiologist,' she said. The funeral will be held on Monday at 11.30 a.m. at Besant Nagar.
Born to Pisupati Sadasiva and Venkatalakshmi at Salem on July 15, 1949, Suryanarayana did his MA in Politics and Public Administration at Presidency College. After his retirement, he worked in the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore and then at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The couple returned to Chennai in 2020. He has written several books, including The Elusive Tipping Point, Grey Zone Governance in Geo Politics, and Smart Diplomacy – Exploring China-India Synergy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
The State of Madras broke into unbounded joy a day before independence in 1947
Roll back 78 years to August 15, 1947, the day when India gained independence from the British. Madras awoke to the dawn in a sea of flags, music, and unrestrained joy as the capital city, much like the rest of the nation, celebrated the free India with patriotic fervour. From Mount Road (now Anna Salai) to the lanes of Mylapore, the air was filled with the sound of drums, conchs, and patriotic songs. Every street corner bore witness to the moment that generations had dreamt of. Reports published by The Hindu in August 1947 shed light on the gala celebrations in the capital. Preparations had begun well before the ceremonial transfer of power on August 15. Nearly two weeks earlier, the Corporation of Madras started making elaborate arrangements. Mayor T. Sundararao Naidu appealed to citizens to whitewash their houses and decorate them in the best manner possible. Plans were made for processions of children from Corporation schools along the main streets of each division. Lighting arrangements tested In the city's business areas, merchants competed to outshine one another in decorating their premises. The finishing touches were given on the evening of August 14 and the testing of lighting arrangements offered members of the public an early glimpse into how Madras would sparkle that night. The Hindu had deputed a correspondent to tour the city on the evening of August 14 and witness its transformation. 'While the National Flag will be hoisted over Government buildings only early in the morning [of August 15, 1947], the commercial houses in the city had the flag hoisted over their buildings by last evening,' a report said. Mount Road, Mambalam, Mylapore, and Triplicane glittered with lights and colour. In George Town, the press of sightseers brought the traffic to a crawl, and the police struggled to regulate the flow of pedestrians and vehicles. Such was the enthusiasm that it was hard to find a single person without a National Flag, the report said. As night fell on August 14, the excitement reached its peak. Thousands of residents sat by community radios, listening to the Constituent Assembly proceedings in New Delhi. The streets came alive with torchlight processions. Marchers, carrying the Tricolour, moved to the beat of drums, chanting 'Vande Mataram' and 'Mahatma Gandhi Ki Jai'. At street corners and on residential lanes, people stood in groups exchanging greetings. 'Vande Mataram' on AIR When the midnight chimes signalled the birth of Free India, the sound was echoed in temple bells and the deep notes of conchs and trumpets. The resonant strains of 'Vande Mataram', sung by Sucheta Kripalani in New Delhi, reached Madras through the All India Radio broadcast. The morning's first official function was the swearing-in of the Governor and the Ministers at Fort St. George. At 9 a.m., the Prime Minister (as the Chief Minister was then known), O.P. Ramaswami Reddiar, and his colleagues, except for P. Subbaroyan who was in Delhi, assembled in the Cabinet Room. Sir Archibald Nye, the Governor of Madras, arrived with Chief Justice of the Madras High Court Sir Frederick Gentle. The Chief Justice administered the Oath of Allegiance to the Governor, who in turn swore each Minister in. Outside the chamber, members of the public, who had free access to the Secretariat precincts, crowded in to catch a glimpse of the ceremony. Overnight, the Union Jack had been hauled down the flagstaff of the Fort, and at dawn, the Tricolour was hoisted. The flag that was hoisted on this day, measuring 3.5 metres in length and 2.4 metres in width, is preserved at Fort St. George Museum. The celebrations unfolded in a grand manner elsewhere in the city. At Banqueting Hall, Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy presided over a large gathering of women. Freedom fighter Rukmani Lakshmipathi hoisted the National Flag. The hall rang with national songs rendered by D.K. Pattammal, including her much-loved Aaduvome Pallu Paaduvome. Parade at Island Grounds At the Island Grounds that evening, one of the largest crowds ever seen in the city gathered for the Independence Day Parade. From a saluting base near the statue of Sir Thomas Munroe, the Governor of Madras hoisted the Tricolour and took the salute. At the Ripon Buildings, the headquarters of the Corporation of Madras, a decorated procession arrived from Fort St. George, led by caparisoned elephants and camels, followed by Boy Scouts. In the lead car were Minister for Local Administration K. Chandramouli and Deputy Mayor T.G. Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar, carrying a special flag gifted by Chandramouli to the Corporation. The Mayor received the flag and invited Prime Minister Ramaswami Reddiar to hoist it on the mast before the clock tower. Addressing the gathering, Ramaswami Reddiar said India's freedom had been won through the sacrifices of her people under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. He said independence had been secured through truth and non-violence and urged the citizens to safeguard the freedom without ill will or malice towards anyone.
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
U.S. has no alternative to India in diamonds, say industry leaders
Already grappling with job losses and a slowdown in orders, Gujarat's diamond sector has been dealt another setback as the United States, its largest export destination, raised import duties to 25% with an additional tariff of 25% coming into effect from August 27, taking the total to 50%. The hike, announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, has raised concerns among exporters who warn the rates are 'unsustainable' for long-term trade, and are optimistic about the business. It comes at a time when industry is still struggling with the fallout of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the growing presence of cheaper lab-grown diamonds in global markets. Despite the grim statistics, some leaders are urging calm. 'This is a temporary phase. The U.S. has no best viable alternative to India for loose and jewellery diamonds,' said Jagdish Khunt, president of the Surat Diamond Association. 'Yes, tariffs are a blow, but it will eventually push prices up in the U.S., and buyers there will have to absorb the difference because sourcing from India remains unavoidable,' he told The Hindu. Industry estimates show that the U.S. alone accounts for more than 30% of India's gem and jewellery exports, making it the single-largest overseas buyer. In Gujarat, where nearly 90% of natural diamonds imported to India are cut and polished, trade bodies say more than one lakh workers have lost jobs since April this year. In May, the Gujarat government rolled out a relief scheme aimed at helping diamond artisans and small units hit by a global slowdown. More than one lakh former workers from the sector have sought assistance under the programme, which offers ₹13,500 per child to support affected families. 'Nearly 90% of India's supply is processed here. What other alternatives do they have? We have the best 'ratnakalakars' (diamond artisans) in the world, and a customer buying diamonds will never compromise on quality,' asks Mr. Khunt. He compared the American affinity for diamonds to the Indian love for gold, noting that just as Indians continue to purchase gold despite soaring prices, U.S. consumers remain steadfast in their preference for diamonds. 'No matter the circumstances, they pick diamonds over gold. We expect the market to steady ahead of Christmas and New Year, with fresh orders starting to flow in,' he said, adding that over 7.5 lakh artisans are working in 3,500 small and large units. Data from the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), India's apex body for the industry, shows that in the 2024–25 fiscal year, India shipped cut and polished diamonds worth $4.8 billion to the United States. The U.S. market thus accounted for over one-third of the country's total diamond exports, which amounted to $13.2 billion for the year. According to GJEPC, India's rough diamond imports fell sharply in 2024–25 to $9.52 billion, down from $14.26 billion in the previous fiscal. Babu Vaghani, president of the Lab-Grown Diamonds Association, shared Mr. Khunt's optimism, describing the current situation as a 'short-term crisis.' 'Whatever the challenges, we must keep going until Diwali. Even if it means trading on smaller margins, the work has to continue for the sake of the lakhs of people who depend on it for their livelihood,' he said. Mr. Vaghani pointed out that more than half of the artisans outside Surat, particularly in Bhavnagar, Botad, Mehsana, and other districts, are women. 'In rural areas, women play a major role in diamond polishing,' he added.
The Hindu
12 hours ago
- The Hindu
Keep alive ideals for which countless lives were given
As we gather once more under the fluttering Tricolour, my heart is filled with both pride and humility. Seventy-eight years ago, our beloved nation broke free from the shackles of colonial subjugation and feudal exploitation. That victory was not merely the transfer of power, it was the awakening of a people, long suppressed, who dared to dream of dignity, equality, and self-governance. Independence did not come to us as a gift, it was wrested through generations of sacrifice by the fearless revolutionaries who challenged imperial might, by the progressive thinkers who dismantled the walls of ignorance and superstition, and by the rationalists who lit the torch of reason and modernity. They imagined an India where justice would not be a privilege but a birthright, where opportunity would not be reserved for the few but extended to every citizen. This day is not only a commemoration of our political liberation, it is a reminder of the unfinished journey towards deeper, truer Independence. True freedom is realised when no child is denied education, when no family sleeps hungry, when the farmer's toil is honoured with fair reward, when women walk without fear, and when every Indian, regardless of caste, creed, gender, or region, has the ability to dream and the means to achieve. It was with this vision that the architects of modern India gave us a Constitution rooted in liberty, equality, fraternity, and justice. These values are not mere words on parchment, they are the living promises we must uphold, protect, and renew with every generation. In an age of rapid technological transformation, we must also nurture the scientific temper our freedom fighters cherished, ensuring that progress serves humanity and strengthens the bonds of our unity. In Karnataka, we have sought to carry forward that mission of true independence through our transformative Guarantee Schemes. By ensuring food security, financial support for women, free bus travel for our sisters, uninterrupted electricity for homes, and direct assistance for youth, we are removing the everyday barriers that prevent people from realising their aspirations. Economic hardship, social discrimination, and identity-based exclusion must never be chains that bind our people. Our goal is to create a society where every citizen, irrespective of their birth, background, or beliefs, can walk forward with confidence, dignity, and equal opportunity. Independence Day must inspire in us not complacency, but commitment and a resolve to confront inequality, to heal divisions, and to build an India where prosperity is shared, the environment is cherished, and every voice is heard. The task before us is immense, but so is the strength of our people. On this sacred day, I extend my warmest greetings to the people of Karnataka and to the team at The Hindu, whose service in upholding democratic discourse and the spirit of inquiry honours the legacy of our freedom struggle. We should pledge to keep alive the ideals for which countless lives were given, and to pass on to future generations a nation more just, more compassionate, and more vibrant than the one we inherited. Jai Hind. Siddaramaiah is the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
