Latest news with #TamilNadu-based
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Sport
- New Indian Express
FC Madras' sub-junior team gets candid after bagging silver in AIFF finals
On May 26, defeat hung heavy in the air, at the Scamper Park football facility in Mahabalipuram. The scoreboard read 2-1. Eleven boys in their sweat-stained white jerseys, walked up to receive their silver medals. Some managed to fight their tears. Some left teary-eyed. Some others welled and weeped. The team's defeat however, didn't erase the record that they had already set. The lads, representing FC Madras, became the first to lead a Tamil Nadu-based football club into the finals of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) nationals in the sub-junior category. Despite the feat, the team stood low. Afterall, the boys spent eight months training for this tournament, played 230 games against 64 different teams, put up a nail-biting fight in the semi-finals — a game they won after it stretched into a penalty shootout — and reached the final. On the D-day, they saw their opposition, Minerva FC from Punjab, bag two goals early in the game. The team's striker Areez Alam's goal in the 70+5' minute, restored faith in the game, but in vain.
The Print
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Kamal Haasan, Pinarayi Vijayan's growing camaraderie on display ahead of crucial Kerala polls
In another sign of Haasan's growing camaraderie with Vijayan, he also appeared in a documentary, Pinarayi: The Legend , produced by the CPI(M)-backed Kerala Secretariat Employees Association (KSEA), which was launched at the Wednesday event. Speaking at an event in Thiruvananthapuram to mark the Kerala government's fourth anniversary, Haasan Wednesday said that despite ideological differences, both he and Pinarayi are 'comrades' in serving the people. 'Whatever the ideologies may be, if he is a communist and I a centrist, we are comrades in serving people. The time has come when differences in ideologies are fading, as people are the ideology,' Haasan said. Thiruvananthapuram: Actor-politician Kamal Haasan and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan might stand on different sides of the ideological aisle, but that hasn't stopped Haasan from offering high praise for the veteran Marxist leader. The 30-minute documentary, directed by Althaf Rahman, advocates a third term for Pinarayi's government in Kerala. Haasan said people should not be afraid to appreciate leaders like Vijayan, who are not afraid of criticism. 'I wish, out of my own selfishness, that he remains happy and healthy, more so for the welfare of the state. He must agree to it and keep himself healthy. Kerala must grow to keep him elated.' 'I have all the confidence and evidence that Kerala will grow to become a leader state, and there is a healthy rivalry, almost a jealousy, from Tamil Nadu toward Kerala. We will reach there soon,' he added. Haasan, founder of the Tamil Nadu-based Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), is a member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led alliance in Tamil Nadu, which includes the Congress and Left parties. However, in Kerala, the Congress and the Left are rivals. The DMK has allocated one Rajya Sabha seat to Haasan's MNM, which he founded in 2018. With this support from the DMK, Kamal Haasan is set to enter the Rajya Sabha for the first time. Haasan shares a cordial relationship with both the film and political fraternities in Kerala. In November 2023, during the inauguration of Kerala government's Keraleeyam event, Haasan had said he sought advice from Pinarayi in 2017 before taking the political plunge. He also noted the Kerala model of development and its strong local bodies, championed by the 1996 People's Plan Movement, were his inspiration for 'people-centric politics'. Pinarayi: The Legend begins by describing Pinarayi as a politician without parallel in Kerala's political history. It also underscores that Vijayan was able to achieve a historic second term in the state, something not achieved by communist veterans like E.M.S. Namboodiripad, V.S. Achuthanandan and E.K. Nayanar. It goes on to chronicle his political and personal journey from his early days as a student leader to his tenure as Kerala's Electricity Minister during the 1996 E.K. Nayanar government. The documentary highlights Vijayan's role in maintaining peace during the 1971 Thalassery riots and revisits his speech in the Kerala Assembly in 1975, where he held up the blood-stained shirt he wore while in police custody after his arrest during the Emergency. The documentary ends with a statement, 'Pinaryi should continue.' Pinarayi Vijayan said at the anniversary event that events like these and the massive public participation underlined the public's support for the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. 'It's not my abilities alone that resulted in any of this. I am the product of my party. The party has evolved over the years. I am grateful that I worked for the party and did whatever it needed,' he said, adding that the love shown by the Association through the documentary was for the party and the government. (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also Read: Labeled part of 'Communist royal dynasty' & dogged by controversy, who is Kerala minister Mohamed Riyas
Indian Express
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Reproductive rights, population control, and more: What Supreme Court said on maternity leaves in recent ruling
Written by Rishu Jaiswal The Supreme Court passed a significant ruling on May 23 allowing 'maternity benefit' to a Tamil Nadu-based teacher for her third child under Fundamental Rule 101 (a). The woman — an English teacher at a government higher secondary school — sought relief after her plea was rejected by the Madras High Court. Fundamental Rule 101(a), pertaining to the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 1961, addresses the eligibility criteria for maternity leave of state government servants in India. Here's what the Supreme Court said: # The apex court set aside the judgment declining maternity leave to the school teacher, and said she was entitled to receive maternity benefits despite having two children. # Maternity leave is integral to maternity benefits and reproductive rights are now recognised as part of international human rights law like right to health, privacy, equality and non-discrimination and dignity, remarked the Supreme Court. While hearing the matter, a division bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan disagreed with the findings of the Madras HC and said, 'Thus, as can be seen…, through various international conventions, the world community has recognized the broad spectrum of reproductive rights which includes maternity benefits.' # Emphasising on the Article 21 of the Constitution, the top court bench said, 'By judicial interpretation, it has been held that life under Article 21 means life in its fullest sense; all that which makes life more meaningful, worth living like a human being. Right to life includes all the finer graces of human civilization, thus rendering this fundamental right a repository of various human rights. Right to life also includes the right to health. Right to live with human dignity and the right to privacy are now acknowledged facets of Article 21.' # The Supreme Court also noted that the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017, does not bar maternity leave for women with more than two children, and only limits the duration of leave — 26 weeks for those with up to two children, and 12 weeks for those with more. It said that maternity leave itself is not denied based on the number of children. # The court also acknowledged the importance of population control measures, and said, 'Population control and reproductive rights are not mutually exclusive goals. They must be reconciled in a rational, humane manner.' A timeline of the case in SC The woman started working as an English teacher at a government higher secondary school in Tamil Nadu's Dharmapuri district in 2012. She had two children from her first marriage, which ended in a divorce in 2017. The kids are in the custody of her former husband. After marrying again in 2018, she became pregnant in 2021 and applied for maternity leave from August 17, 2021, to May 13, 2022, covering both pre- and post-natal periods. Her application for leave was rejected, and she subsequently filed a case in the high court. Initially, the case went to a single-judge bench who ruled in her favour and ordered the government organisation to grant her maternity leave. However, the state government challenged the decision, and a division bench of the HC reversed the decision, prompting the woman to approach the apex court. — with inputs from PTI Rishu Jaiswal is an intern with
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Defence Services Staff College appoints Amitabh Mattoo as Chair of Excellence on India's Strategic Culture
Tamil Nadu-based Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), a training institution under the Ministry of Defence announced on Wednesday (May 28, 2025) the appointment of Professor Amitabh Mattoo, Dean of the School of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), to the first-ever Chair of Excellence on India's Strategic Culture. In a press statement, DSSC stated that this appointment will take effect from June 1 for a duration of one year, with the possibility of extension for an additional year, and will be in addition to his continuing role as Dean at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). In his new role, Professor Mattoo will engage with faculty and officers undergoing training at DSSC, contribute to curriculum development, and mentor research that deepens our understanding of India's rich and complex strategic culture. 'His scholarship—rooted in both classical Indian thought and contemporary global theory—offers an invaluable perspective at a time of profound geopolitical change,' the press statement said. Professor Mattoo stated, 'It is a privilege to be entrusted with this Chair. India's strategic thought has long drawn from its civilizational wisdom as well as contemporary realpolitik. I look forward to working with the outstanding faculty and officers at DSSC to deepen our understanding of India's strategic culture and contribute to India's preparedness in an increasingly complex world.' A Padma Shri awardee, Professor Mattoo is an academic, policy advisor, and institution-builder, widely recognized for his contributions to strategic studies, diplomacy, and international relations. Currently serving as the Dean of the School of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), he has previously served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jammu and as Honorary Professor of International Relations at the University of Melbourne. He has been a member of the National Security Council's Advisory Board. 'Professor Mattoo's appointment to the Distinguished Chair marks a significant milestone in DSSC's continuing commitment to fostering advanced research and strategic thinking within the Indian defence and academic establishments,' the statement said. The statement also said, 'DSSC looks forward to Professor Mattoo's contributions in enriching the intellectual ecosystem of the College and advancing India's strategic discourse on the global stage.' 'The DSSC, which trains officers of the Indian Armed Forces, paramilitary forces, civil services, and foreign militaries for senior leadership roles, views this initiative as essential to enriching professional military education in India with deeper indigenous knowledge systems and strategic perspectives,' the statement further said. 'This appointment represents a timely confluence of academic scholarship and national service, strengthening the bridges between India's universities and its defence institutions,' the statement added.
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Business Standard
25-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Karur Vysya Bank expects 2% more credit growth than industry in FY26
Private sector Karur Vysya Bank expects its credit growth to be more than 2 per cent over the industry's overall growth during the current financial year, a top official said. The Tamil Nadu-based bank has lined up plans to open 28 new branches before the first half of the current financial year, particularly in Southern and Western parts of the country, the Bank's Managing Director and CEO, Ramesh Babu, said. The financial landscape is witnessing a dramatic transformation globally as well as in India, driven by technological innovations, changing consumer preferences and the emergence of alternative business models, he said. "The Reserve Bank of India is expected to adopt a more accommodative monetary policy stance. This could involve further rate cuts to stimulate domestic demand and support economic growth. The sudden escalation at the border has also added more uncertainties for the coming year," Babu told analysts recently, during the Q4 FY2025 Earnings Conference Call. "Considering the above, the outlook for the Financial Year 2025-26 remains cautiously optimistic; we need to navigate margin pressures too and monitor asset quality closely. We expect our credit growth to be more than 2 per cent over the industry growth," he said. On maintaining the Net Interest Margin in the current financial year, Babu said, it is expected to be in the range of 3.7 to 3.75 per cent for the full year. Considering the branch expansion and additional manpower plan, he said the cost-to-income ratio would continue to be around 50 per cent in FY 2025-26. "Our efforts on recoveries should continue, and we expect the momentum gained in the last year will be retained in the financial year 2025-26 too," he said. On Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) and Net NPA, he said, GNPA is expected to be less than 150 basis points and net NPA to be less than 1 per cent for the financial year. "Slippages would be expected to be below 1 per cent of our asset book," he said. The bank reported a 13 per cent growth in net profit to Rs 513 crore during the January-March 2025 quarter, from Rs 456 crore registered in the corresponding quarter of the last financial year. The Board, which met on May 19 recommended a dividend of Rs 2.60 per equity share (130 per cent) for the financial year ending March 31, 2025. Total income during the quarter under review grew to Rs 3,025 crore from Rs 2,813 crore registered in the corresponding quarter of last financial year, he said.
