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The Hindu
11-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Inside Ranade Library, a 120-year-old legacy in Mylapore
The world is quite literally at your fingertips, a cornucopia of information at your beck and call. But while you are out there keeping up with the hurried world, there is something unparalleled about slowing down and sitting in a dark academia-coded library, immersing yourself in the time-worn pre-Independence books. At Ranade Library in Mylapore, you are surrounded by hard-cover books laden with history. Their pages are delicate as gossamer. It demands all your attention on a scorching hot day in May. Once you step in, the coolness of the place takes over. Airy windows 'It is because this research library is about 120 years old, with long, airy windows, thick walls, and a high roof which has been the same since the beginning,' says K.S. Hemanth Kumar, honorary secretary of the South Indian National Association (SINA), which manages the library that has more than 8,000 books. SINA president V. Shanmugasundaram, 98, has been an active part of the library for decades. And the essence of a library is nothing short of incomplete if it does not host elderly members and other visitors pouring over newspapers. One such member is Saravanan, a leather designer, who was thumbing through the national dailies, having come all the way from Perambur. 'I only discovered Ranade Library a decade ago, but now I am a regular here. I cannot help but feel a pull to come back because so many eminent leaders have walked these floors,' says Mr. Saravanan. While Mr. Hemanth Kumar points out that not many young people visit the library these days, Ranade Library still sees a fair share of Ph.D. students and those preparing for competitive exams. 'The main problem we face is the preservation of the framed portraits of the legendary figures that line the walls — the foundation stone laid by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Sir Subrahmania Aiyar, who opened the library in 1905, and many icons who delivered lectures here. Keeping these portraits in good condition has been easier said than done, despite all attempts,' he says. Lease rent going up Ranade Library hosts Srinivasa Sastri Hall upstairs, and the income from the hall has always sustained the library. However, the income has dwindled owing to fewer programmes after the COVID-19 pandemic. 'With less income from the hall and not many hands reaching out to support the library and the lease rent for the building going up, we are finding ourselves in a bind,' Mr. Hemanth Kumar says. The association also manages K.N. Shanmugasundaram Hall at Karpagambal Nagar. The library is home to books like Essays on the Gita by Sri Aurobindo published in 1922, History of the Freedom Movement in India by Tara Chand, A Short History of International Affairs of India, The Historians' History of the World by Henry Smith Williams, books on dynasty by Pattabhi Sitaramayya, and a wealth of other research-oriented books, alongside Agatha Christie, Sidney Sheldon, and Tom Clancy novels. While many of these books cannot be borrowed, visitors are welcome to lose themselves in their pages by the library halls. 'Anyone can come and make the most of the library. They can sit by the long windowsills surrounded by book treasures or get their own study work done. We just hope more young people will catch wind of how ancient and significant Ranade Library is,' says Mr. Hemanth Kumar.
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Accidental' Pak citizen in AP seeks Indian citizenship
Tirupati: A 26-year-old woman with an 'accidental' Pakistani citizenship has been staying with her parents at Dharmavaram, in Sri Sathya Sai district of Andhra Pradesh, on a long-term visa for nearly 19 years. This came to light during an enquiry by local police, following a directive from the Centre to revoke the visas of all Pakistani citizens except those on long-term visas. The woman is the daughter of a physician. The physician's maternal uncle, who used to live in Bellary, relocated and settled down at Karachi in Pakistan at the time of partition in 1947. In 1989, he married the daughter of his maternal uncle and the couple settled down at Dharmavaram and gave birth to a boy. In 1998, when the physician's wife got pregnant for a second time and went to visit her unwell father in Karachi, she gave birth to a girl child in 1999. But the duo was forced to stay back in Karachi for close to six years as the Kargil war broke out. By the time the daughter and mother returned to Dharmavaram in 2005, the girl got Pakistani citizenship as she was born there and lived there for six long years. Since then the girl, a Pakistani citizen by accident, has been staying with her parents on a long-term visa for nearly two decades. While staying with her parents at Dharmavaram, she completed her school and intermediate education and is now in her B Pharm final year. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads View Deals Undo The woman's father told reporters they tried to apply for an Indian citizenship for her in 2023. "But our plea was turned down. We have again applied for Indian citizenship for our daughter and our plea is pending before the Union govt. She is staying with us on a long-term visa and we have communicated the same to district police authorities," he said. Dharmavaram DSP Hemanth Kumar said though she is a Pakistani citizen, she has a valid long-term visa till 2029 and is legally permitted to stay with her parents as per central govt guidelines.
Hans India
27-04-2025
- Hans India
Five cyber fraudsters held
Nellore: In a major break-through, police on Saturday arrested a five-member fraudsters gang and recovered Rs 2 lakh cash, 29 mobile phones, 21 phones, 57 ATM cards, one WiFi router, one printer, one laptop, 1 card cutting machine, one lamination machine and SIM cards from them. The accused were identified as Gangaram (32), Hemanth Kumar (30), Kailash (28), Nagaram (25), and Ramaram (30) of Rajasthan. Police sent letters to the bankers asking them to freeze the accounts of accused in various banks. Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, SP G Krishnakanth has said the accused has looted Rs 2.46 crore from the account of a woman, wooing her to pay double amount if invest as they said. According to the SP, the accused showed Rs 5.5 crore balance in the Victim's account, but she couldn't withdraw amount. She suspected something wrong and lodged a complaint with Chinna Bazar police station. The accused had 236 fake current accounts in banks in IDFC, Karnataka, YES, Indian Overseas, Bank of Baroda, IDBI banks by producing fake Aadhar cards and PAN cards for the purpose. Later, they will recruit a few agents by offering a salary of Rs 20,000 to trap bank account holders in the name of giving double the amount of their investments. The SP said that there are 436 complaints regarding 36 fake bank accounts against the accused, registered with National Crime Report Portal. Police headed by Chinna Bazar police station CI Chittem Koteswara Rao formed teams and arrested the accused, who were moving suspiciously in Nellore South Railway Station on Friday. The accused confessed to the crime during interrogation, he informed. The SP urged people not to allow strangers to operate their bank and advised not to invest money, if anyone offers double amount, and not to respond fake messages received from unidentified persons. Additional SP CH Soujanya nellore city DSP Sindhu Priya and others were present.
