Latest news with #Kandan
IOL News
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Embracing Tamil heritage: Sadie Kandan's cultural mission
Sadie Kandan. Image: Supplied WHEN Sadie Kandan returns from a two week sponsored cultural tour of Tamil Nadu in India, she intends to impart her knowledge to youth to "foster a sense of belonging to Tamil culture". Kandan, 25, from Tongaat, is a marketing manager, and the secretary of the Shree Veeraboga Emperumal Temple. She is also an executive member of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha. Kandan was recently selected by the Tamil Nadu Government to participate in a cultural programme across the state. It is aimed at showcasing the rich tapestry of Tamil civilisation. She will travel to India at the end of the month. At the end of the tour, Kandan said she would be formally conferred with the title, Cultural Ambassador of Tamil Nadu. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Kandan said her family had attended the Shree Veeraboga Emperumal Temple since she was a baby, and that her faith was unwavering. 'As a baby, my grandmother used to take me to the temple for prayers and various festivals. This is when my love for religion and culture began. Later, my guru actively involved me in prayer. This included preparing and performing prayers," said Kandan. She said she was also part of the temple's Sunday school and this was where her love for music and dance started. "Tradition and culture are essential because they provide a sense of identity, belonging, and continuity. While growing up in a South Indian family, I have been influenced by our rich cultural heritage. Our traditions, such as celebrating Pongal and Tamil New Year, have taught me the importance of community, respect for elders, and gratitude for nature's bounty. "The Tamil culture's emphasis on language, literature, and art has also shaped my perspective and appreciation for the world. The works of great Tamil poets and philosophers, like Thiruvalluvar and Bharathi, have inspired me to embrace values like compassion, justice, and self-discipline. 'For me, tradition and culture are not just about rituals or customs. They are about the values, stories, and experiences that have been passed down through generations. They remind me of my roots and help me stay connected to my community. By embracing and honouring my Tamil heritage, I feel a sense of pride, purpose, and responsibility to carry forward these traditions in a way that respects the past while embracing the present.' Kandan said it was an honour to be part of the cultural programme, which entailed visiting temples and ancestral villages and attending music and dance festivals. "I hope to gain as much knowledge as possible to impart to others when I return. There is a lot one can gain from such a program such as understanding the history and traditions from the villages and developing a further sense of understanding of Tamil culture. 'By learning about their cultural and religious heritage, younger generations can gain a deeper understanding of their roots, traditions, and community. This knowledge helps them develop a sense of pride, self-awareness, and appreciation for the diversity that makes our world richer. 'Moreover, these values often emphasise the importance of community, family, and social harmony, which are vital for creating a more compassionate and inclusive society. By teaching these values to the younger generation, we can empower them to become thoughtful, engaged, and active citizens who are equipped to make a positive impact in the world.' She said by taking small steps to learn about and celebrate one's heritage, one could unlock a more authentic and fulfilling life. The POST
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Not swordsmanship, these businesses thrive on penmanship
Ever wondered what Tolstoy, Hemingway, and Orwell have in common? They were authors who penned manuscripts of their acclaimed works using a fountain pen. For a generation weaned on keyboards, the romance of writing with a fountain pen might seem like a vestige of history. But, for a small group of artisans in Tamil Nadu, who specialise in handcrafting fountain pens while battling the headwinds of digitisation, the journey involved in creating these writing instruments is well worth the price of admission. Back in the day, Chennai was home to 15-20 manufacturers of artisanal pens. But the onslaught of ballpoints sounded a requiem for many companies. Among the few that survived is the Tiruvallur-based Ranga Pens, founded by M S Pandurangan. Today, his son, M P Kandan, is the second-generation artisan who keeps the tradition alive. "We might be the oldest fountain pen maker in TN, having been in the business for 50 years. As a teenager, my father started making artisanal pens using a Japanese technique, and we progressed to materials like celluloid, ebonite (hard rubber), acrylic (shatter resistant transparent plastic), and Ultem, a heat-resistant, strong thermoplastic," Kandan tells us. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If you have a mouse, this game will keep you up all night. No Install. Play for free. Navy Quest Undo They also make premium brass and aluminium fountain pens. At their spartan workshop, the two retain complete creative and manufacturing control. Their focus is the B2C clientele spread across more than 100 nations. On average, the two artisans manufacture 400 pens per month. "We have around 50 models in 250 colours (with a choice of 100+ varieties of nibs). Our starting price is 3,500, and pens retail for up to 30,000. Our top-selling pens are priced around 5,500, while those retailing for $100 You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai (8,500) see traction in the global market," says Kandan. Nostalgia aside, there are sustainable reasons for the use of fountain pens, critical to the circular economy. Unlike ball pens, ink used in fountain pens are often made from natural dyes. Ask Pratap Kumar, third-generation custodian of Gem & Co (Gama Pens), the fountain pen-making and distribution business, started by his grandfather, MP Cunnan, and his friend. "A student uses 50-100 ballpoint pens/refills in a year, and they end up in a landfill. But, a bottle of ink could last you between 3-6 months. Students make up a significant part of our customer base, and pocket-friendly fountain pens, priced at 100 onwards are most popular with them. Many youngsters prefer them as they reduce writing fatigue, especially during examinations or back-to-back lectures." One of Gama's famed customers included former CM, late M Karunanidhi, who used a Wality 69T model, a fountain pen (made in Mumbai) whose popularity surged in the aftermath of the Dravidian doyen's passing. Pratap tells us, "Our clientele is decades-old and it includes public administrators, judges, and creative professionals. We have 30-40 designs for old-school, barrel-based fountain pens, that are made using traditional dies. We also take up fountain pen restorations." There are fresh entrants too, who see new opportunities in the writing instruments space. Like L Subramaniam, founder and owner of ASA Pens, who quit his tech job in 2010 and started the penmaking business in 2012. "The two major gaps I hoped to fill were online penetration and contemporary ink transfer systems (cartridge/converter-based) for artisanal pens. The budget pens are priced between 2,500 and 4,000, and they come in ebonite and acrylic materials. We initially sold 50-60 pens a month. Now, we sell 250-300 pens a month, along with 2-3 premium lacquered pens. Our premium range - the ASA Kala series has pens ranging between 28,000 and 2 lakh." Thanks to the resurgence of demand for fountain pens, players like Ambitious India and Kanpur Writers, the latter of which is the biggest manufacturer of nibs in India, have seen their sales improve. Subramaniam will soon open a store in Park Street in Kolkata, one of his biggest markets after Chennai and Bengaluru. To spread the gospel, fountain pen makers have actively participated in pen shows held in Chennai in 2024 and 2025. Aamod Shirali, a lecturer of law, and a long-hand enthusiast, remarks, "I use my fountain pen to take notes as the subject registers quickly and recapitulation becomes easy. Handwritten notes are more reflective of an individual's thought process at a given point in time. Recently, a friend shared with me a few letters that I had snail-mailed him over 25 years ago. And a flood of memories came rushing in, and it became a reason to reconnect. "
