Latest news with #Orkut
The Hindu
27-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Here's what Chennai's parkour community is up to
When you think of parkour, scenes of people scaling rooftops and leaping through walls might come to mind. But that is not all parkour is about, it is a way of life, says the parkour community in Chennai. At a park in Indira Nagar, members of the Parkour Circle begin their regular Sunday morning practice by tackling various obstacles. 'Parkour is all about being comfortable and efficient in your environment. It engages and develops all the senses in the body,' says Prabu M, who has been running the Parkour Circle, mostly outdoors. For him, the introduction to Parkour began with a video clip from a French film 'District B13' on Orkut in 2004. 'This community has grown but also waned, as parkour started to take a hyper-masculine image. But now, with conscious efforts to collaborate with other art forms like theatre and dance, it is more inclusive and bigger than before,' says Mr. Prabu, who also works with children with intellectual disabilities, helping them learn parkour. Meanwhile, at the indoor parkour sessions in Ekkattuthangal, early on a weekday morning, a young crowd gathered at Chennai Parkour practising Kong vault. 'People often think parkour is dangerous and only for the young, but what they don't see is the foundation of building strength, flexibility and mobility for the first six months,' says Vignesh Raghavan, professional parkour practitioner and senior coach at Chennai Parkour. 'Only then, we introduce the more intense techniques. When done right, parkour is safe and for people of all ages,' adds him. Seeing the crowd in their 20s and 30s who have largely been making use of the parkour facilities in Chennai, it is the children now joining the queue. Radhika Kannan, whose 8-year-old daughter Mahika says parkour is a lot of fun, and attends Chennai Parkour classes. 'My daughter was always jumping around the house, and we thought that parkour was something she would enjoy, and a dedicated parkour training centre was safer. Even though she was hesitant to try all the moves at first, she started enjoying the classes a lot, especially as more children have been joining in. The facilities are safe and the coaches take good care of the students,' she says. 'What I have noticed is that, along with her physical strength, her confidence has improved tremendously. Now, she is happy to do any adventure activity, without fear holding her back,' she adds. Ashwath, a 36-year-old management accountant and parkour practitioner for 15 years with the Parkour Circle, started this only to flex among his peers, but it has become his whole lifestyle today. He says the community in the city is livelier currently, because more people are seeking a break from their monotonous routine. 'Here, you don't compete against each other, it is about working on yourself, and parkour indeed makes me mentally strong, not just physically,' says Mr. Ashwath. Stereotypes still persist When it comes to outdoor parkour, the presence of practitioners in public parks often felt like an unwelcome guest, mistaking it for reckless play. Moreover, Mr. Prabu points out a cultural stigma when it comes to women training outdoors. 'When you search for parkour online, what shows up are intense stunts, but we teach parkour as a more grounded practise. It is a constant challenge we are trying to break,' he says . 'There are a lot of women who wish to join, but they are often held back by families who see parkour as something too risky, and they are nudged towards conventional gyms,' adds Mr. Raghavan. As this senior coach was training the members, he says parkour is never about rooftop jumps, which only a few adrenaline-seekers chase but always about using both your environment and your body to move efficiently!
Pink Villa
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
From Orkut to parenthood: Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane and Radhika's relationship timeline
Long before stadium lights and cheering crowds, Ajinkya Rahane and Radhika Dhopavkar were simply two youngsters growing up in the same Mumbai housing society. Their earliest interactions began when Radhika, a friend of Rahane's sister, and the future batsman crossed paths during school and local outings. They spent their college days exchanging messages on Orkut, and seven years of steady courtship later, the foundation for a relationship that would culminate in marriage, parenthood and shared joy was born. From childhood neighbors to soulmates Radhika first entered Rahane's world as his sister's friend, a connection that blossomed in school corridors and housing-society corridors alike. They began dating in 2007 after years of casual friendship, per News18. Both lived in the same apartment complex and often crossed paths en route to college. Radhika studied interior design at Vinayak Ganesh Vaze College, while Rahane trained for national selection. 'During those days, we chatted on Orkut but rarely mustered the courage to speak in person,' Rahane recalled in Curly Tales' Sunday Brunch. 'I have spent more time in her college than mine, waiting for her to come out and meet me.' A down-to-earth proposal Rather than a grand gesture, Rahane chose simple sincerity. After dating for seven years, he sat down with both families to share his intentions: 'I told my parents that we are very serious about each other and want to spend the rest of our lives together.' Their wedding, held on September 26, 2014, was a traditional Marathi ceremony in Mumbai attended by over 1,500 guests. The bride's amusement dipped, however, when Rahane arrived in a T-shirt and jeans as a jest. He later swapped into full wedding attire to complete the picture. Where are they now? Marriage brought the neighborhood sweethearts two children: daughter Aarya in October 2019 and son Raghav in October 2022. As the dutiful wife that she is, Dhopavkar is often seen cheering from the stands during his games, earning her the title of his biggest fan. When the cricketer suffered a finger injury during the 2023 World Test Championship final, she stayed by his side throughout recovery, praising his calm. Though he is not currently in Team India, Rahane continues to shine in the IPL, with his wife's presence a constant off-field pillar.
Express Tribune
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Osman Khalid Butt rants about the rain
Actor Osman Khalid Butt took to X (formerly Twitter) on Friday to share his signature blend of wit and weather commentary, this time on the rainy season in Islamabad. "The thunder, the cool breeze, petrichor, rain in Islamabad makes me believe in love," he wrote, before taking a sharp, humorous turn. "Traffic during rain makes me believe in natural selection." The post quickly resonated with Islamabadis and beyond, capturing the emotional and logistical duality of the city's monsoon season, beloved for its moody skies and fragrant earth, cursed for its traffic jams and waterlogged roads. While many fans replied with memes and their own rainy day photos, others echoed OKB's observation, pointing out the lack of city preparedness for even moderate rainfall. On Friday, intermittent rainfall swept across Islamabad and Rawalpindi, offering brief spells of relief from the heat. The Pakistan Meteorological Department had forecast more showers and thunderstorms over the weekend, particularly in upper Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad. The rain cooled temperatures but also caused localised flooding and traffic snarls in major areas such as Blue Area, F-6, and Faizabad. Commuters reported extended delays due to water accumulation and malfunctioning traffic signals, a seasonal frustration that has come to define urban rain. Osman's online presence continues to strike a chord with fans, blending humour, and relatable observations. In April, the star sparked a wave of early-internet nostalgia with a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter), writing: "I miss Orkut and waking up one random day to find someone's written you a beautiful testimonial." The post resonated deeply with millennials who came of age during Orkut's heyday, prompting an outpouring of memories. Fans reminisced about the platform's simplicity, sincerity, and lost sense of community. "Good old days," many commented, while others noted how their generation uniquely experienced the shift from Orkut to Facebook and Instagram.
New Indian Express
01-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Being Human in the Age of AI
At 73, my mother is more tech-savvy than many half her age. A regular user of Instagram, her purpose is not to chase likes, but to preserve memories. With her account kept private and limited to close family, she uses it as a digital diary. When we introduced her to it, what appealed most was the permanence of it. 'Even if I change my phone, it'll all still be there,' she said. She represents a rare subset of people who have embraced technology not for social capital but for meaningful utility. Her instinct to adopt technology with clear purpose is something we could all learn from, especially now, as we stand on the precipice of the AI revolution. The pace of change is staggering. We've moved from no internet to Orkut, Facebook, Instagram, and now, AI that mimics human thought with uncanny precision. My own feed is filled with creators teaching people how to prompt AI for everything from resume-writing and productivity hacks to personal coaching. I've used AI to play the role of a running coach. In preparing for a half-marathon, it generated detailed training schedules, offered motivational support when I was nervous, and even cheered me on.
Buzz Feed
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Remember These? 25+ Throwback Memories That Defined Us
If you remember a time when the internet made that sound, phones flipped instead of scrolled, and your biggest flex was customising your Bluetooth name, congratulations, you're officially part of the 25+ club. This is your gentle (and slightly chaotic) reminder that you're now the person who says, 'Back in my day…' unironically. So buckle up and prepare for a wild ride through memory lane, because these core memories are about to hit harder than a breakup status on Facebook in 2009. 1. Blowing into a video game cartridge like you were performing CPR Because somehow, aggressively exhaling into a plastic rectangle magically fixed it. It didn't matter if it was Mario, Contra, or Duck Hunt; that puff of air was your miracle cure. Doctors could never. Scientists were baffled. You? A certified tech genius at age 9. 2. When your phone had actual buttons and you could text with your eyes closed T9 predictive text was an art form. You could type 'Where r u?' without looking, while hiding your phone under the desk during math class. Now you have a full keyboard and still can't text without autocorrect changing 'bro' to 'bronchitis.' 3. Burning CDs and naming them something like 'MIXXX VIBES VOL. 2 🔥💔' You'd spend hours carefully curating a playlist that went from Enrique Iglesias to Evanescence, because emotional whiplash was your brand. Then you'd decorate the CD with a Sharpie like it was a Grammy-worthy album. Peak creativity. 4. The trauma of accidentally hitting 'Back' after typing a long Orkut testimonial You just poured your heart out telling Priya what a 'sweet n caring soul' she is, and one wrong click took you straight back to square one. No autosave. Just heartbreak and the decision to never love again. 5. Snake on the Nokia 3310 Nothing hit quite like getting the snake to take a full lap around the screen. That little pixelated serpent taught us more about patience, strategy, and commitment than most adult relationships. Also, the 3310? Indestructible. If you threw it, the wall broke. 6. Passing notes in class like a black-market transaction A piece of paper folded 12 times, slipped like contraband from desk to desk. The message? Something critical like 'I hate maths' or 'He's looking at you again 😳.' If a teacher caught you, you acted like it was a national secret. 7. Carrying around a USB drive like it was a crown jewel Everything lived in that one pen drive—school projects, pirated movies, a folder suspiciously called 'New Folder (2)', and at least one PowerPoint with 15 transitions. Losing it was like losing your identity. 8. The iPod click wheel sound living rent-free in your brain Just the tik-tik-tik of scrolling through 173 songs you downloaded from questionable sources. That wheel had no business being that satisfying. You'd scroll for 10 minutes just to play the same Linkin Park song again. 9. Recording your favourite song from the radio and praying the RJ wouldn't speak over it You had your finger on the record button, heart racing, praying they wouldn't yell '93.5 REDDDD FM!' right as the chorus hit. They always did. And yet, you never gave up. That's called grit. 10. Bluetooth file transfers taking longer than most modern relationships Sending one 3MB song via Bluetooth meant you were now bound to that person for the next 17 minutes. If they walked away mid-transfer? That was betrayal. You never spoke again. 11. Changing your Facebook status every 4 minutes to something emotional 'Feeling lost.' 'Trust no one.' 'You'll miss me when I'm gone.' If heartbreak had a currency, we were billionaires. And don't forget the cryptic updates like 'You know what you did.' No context. Just vibes. 12. When your phone had a torch and that made you the MVP of every power cut No inverter? No problem. You pulled out your Nokia with that single, blinding LED light and instantly became the hero your family didn't deserve. Bonus points if you used it to look for the remote. 13. Saving your crush's number as something completely unrelated Because if someone saw your phone and noticed 'Airtel Recharge Bhaiya' had 87 would be asked. And you weren't ready. 14. Using MS Paint like it was Photoshop Making masterpieces out of the spray paint tool, the curved line, and that one colour gradient. You'd spend hours drawing stick figures fighting dragons, only to accidentally close the file without saving. Tragedy. 15. The original YouTube buffering wheel becoming your nemesis You waited 12 minutes for a 3-minute video of Charlie bit my finger to load, and still felt fulfilled. Today, if Netflix buffers for 5 seconds, you threaten to cancel your subscription. 16. When you had to delete songs from your phone to take a new picture 'Phone storage full' meant tough decisions. Are you willing to delete or will this blurry photo of your best friend be sacrificed instead? Priorities. 17. Getting excited about Caller Tunes You paid actual money so that people calling you could hear Hips Don't Lie instead of a regular ring. And you judged your friends based on theirs. 'He still has Dard-e-Disco? Red flag.' 18. Playing Roadrash and Midtown Madness like your life depended on it Who needed a driver's license when you were already crashing into virtual trees and pedestrians with zero consequences? These games raised a generation of chaotic drivers. 19. Waiting all week for Sunday morning cartoons No OTT, no binge. Just Popeye, Dexter's Lab, and the cruel fate of missing an episode because your mom made you go for tuition. Made it to the end? Thought so. There's something about being 25+, you've lived through tech that didn't always work, feelings that spilled into Facebook statuses, and romances powered by Bluetooth transfers. Quietly weird, oddly formative, and now, strangely comforting.
