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The Hindu
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Vegetarian meals at just Rs 40: How Chennai's popular Sangeetha is celebrating its 40-year-anniversary
What connects MS Subbalakshmi, KJ Yesudas and a popular Chennai vegetarian eatery? The answer is Sangeetha, one of Chennai's iconic vegetarian brands that has completed 40 years in the food business. With 34 branches in Chennai and 23 abroad currently, Sangeetha has braved competition and inflation to enjoy continued patronage among Chennai's foodies. Known for its hot, crisp masala dosas and meals, Sangeetha's journey started at a small place in Armenian Street, Parry's, where P Suresh set shop. His father, Padmanabha Pothi, had had considerable experience in the restaurant business, having run hotels in Thiruvananthapuram and later in Chennai's West Mambalam (Hotel Suprabath) and Broadway (Hotel Swathi). Suresh's dream was to become a photographer but the hotel business that his father was passionate about kept drawing him. Their 1985 outing at Parry's was named Sangeetha (which means 'music'), as a hat-tip to legendary singers MS Subbulakshmi and KJ Yesudas. 'These singers gave so many people peace of mind with their voices. We wanted to do the same through our food offerings,' says Suresh, who subsequently became closely associated with the founder of Saravana Bhavan, P Rajagopal (known as Annachi), whom he considers one of his gurus. Suresh, whose day today is filled with meetings and inspections at various branches, is a foodie himself. 'I have travelled the length and breadth of Tamil Nadu and eaten in various places. Kathiravan's Hotel in Srivilliputhur is a personal favourite; it serves three types of sambar. I also fondly remember the times eating butter dosas late at night at a small hotel near a provisions market in Salem.' In Chennai, he is a regular visitor to Pondy Bazaar's Shri Balaajee Bhavan for its onion rava dosa and Rayar's Mess for its unique chutney. Fan for life For many Chennaiites, meals during lunchtime is most satisfying. At Chennai's Sangeetha, they are priced only at Rs 40, till July 24. This limited meals, which also includes a special vada and sweet apart from regular lunch offerings, will be on from 11am to 4pm at select outlets on select dates. This has seen a lot of patronage; the Parry's branch saw more than 2,000 walk-ins for this offer on the first day. While the meals might be sought-after this season, there are a few people — like TV personality and actor, Bosskey — for whom this hotel has been an everyday haunt for the past three years. Every day, at 10am and 6pm, you can find him at the RA Puram branch of Sangeetha – sharing a laugh with a group of friends, some of whom he would have made just that day. 'My breakfast is a combination of pongal, dosa, coffee and laughter,' says Bosskey, who is friends with everyone at the branch, from the manager to the support staff. He jokes, 'Thanks to my daily visits to the hotel, I may soon be entitled to an award for my association with Sangeetha, titled ' Nidhi'!.' For people like Bosskey and many other Chennaiites, Sangeetha is more than a hotel. It is an emotion. And that's exactly what the folks running the restaurant intend to be grateful for, as they turn 40. 'This (the Rs 40 offer) is not about making money. It is about celebration. It is about giving back to the people of Chennai who have given us so much love over the years,' says P Suresh, who runs Sangeetha along with his daughter Sanjana Suresh, P Rajagopal and Anirudh Rajagopal. The Rs 40 limited meals offer is on till July 24, at various branches in Chennai.
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Awareness raised on early detection of retinoblastoma to save lives and vision
Sankara Nethralaya hosted an awareness programme on retinoblastoma, a treatable childhood eye cancer, on World Retinoblastoma Awareness Day. The event aimed to spread the message of early detection and to celebrate survivors of this potentially life-threatening disease. As per a press release, retinoblastoma is a rare form of eye cancer that typically affects children under the age of three. It can be detected early through changes in the eye's red reflex when a photograph is taken. A white reflex or asymmetrical reflex in the centre of one or both eyes could indicate retinoblastoma, which requires immediate medical attention. If detected at an advanced stage, retinoblastoma can spread to the brain, often leading to loss of life, the release said. Suganeswari Ganesan, head of the Ocular Oncology division at Sankara Nethralaya, emphasised the growing trend of retinoblastoma cases not only in India but also in countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Oman. In 2024, Sankara Nethralaya identified and provided treatment to 176 children affected by the condition. The awareness programme also encouraged parents to have their children undergo routine eye evaluations, starting from birth and continuing at six months and one year of age. Early detection can save lives, preserve eyes, and in many cases, save vision. The programme was inaugurated by artist and comedian Bosskey, along with prominent figures such as T.S. Surendran, chairman, Girish Rao, medical director, and Dr. Suganeswari.
