Latest news with #Thrissur-based
New Indian Express
17 hours ago
- Health
- New Indian Express
Spellbinding stripes
Surgeon with tiger tattoos It was the call of the tigers that made Dr Krishnakumar Mechoor, an orthopaedic surgeon, fall in love with the wild. His fascination with the enigmatic cat began after watching Nat Geo documentaries. 'And I bought my first camera just to photograph tigers,' he says. It was after completing his studies and starting work that Krishnakumar first ventured into Bandipur to see a tiger for real. 'They are really shy, solitary beings. That's why spotting a tiger in the wild — even from a distance — gives such a high,' says Dr Krishnakumar. 'Tiger is the apex predator. The entire forest comes alive when a tiger is on the prowl. Birds and monkeys start warning calls, other animals flee as soon as possible. Even the trees and wind seem to react.' Photographs are secondary to him, says the Thrissur-based doctor. 'It's that moment of seeing a tiger with bare eyes that gives me a kick,' he adds. Dr Krishnakumar recalls seeing a tigress, Maya, the dominant female from Tadoba Tiger Reserve. 'She was training her cubs. I got to just sit and watch her cubs hunt a piglet. I will never forget that moment,' he says. Jim Corbett remains his favourite wildlife sanctuary. 'You can see tigers crossing the Ram Ganga River. In winter, they grow a fur coat, which makes them appear even larger. It's where Parwali and Pedwali rule,' he smiles. Interestingly, the surgeon has tattoos of Parwali and her paw print on his arm. Their lives are very difficult, he says. 'Territorial wars and attacks from other tigers make it hard for them to nurture their cubs,' he says. According to him, Parwali has had four litters, but only one cub, Pedwali, has made it to adulthood. 'Only by watching them can you understand the challenges they face. Tourism both helps and harms. While it promotes tiger conservation, it also disturbs their natural habitat, especially during hunting,' says Dr Krishnakumar. That's one reason why Kerala isn't ideal for tiger sightings. 'Only 15 percent of our forests are open to the public. Tigers rarely appear there. Otherwise, you must travel with researchers,' he says Dr Krishnakumar says Wayanad, like Bandipur and Kabini, should have been a tiger reserve. 'The lack of it is why we see so many conflicts. A good chunk of forest has been encroached upon by humans,' he laments.
The Hindu
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
For Kerala musician Alex Immatty his songs are a means of protest
Rock musician Alex J Immatty takes his music very seriously. It is more than entertainment or a hobby; he uses it as a tool for a change or at least to create awareness about the need for change. The Thrissur-based musician's latest song, 'Karuppaanu njangal' (meaning we are black), recently released on YouTube, questions colourism, the bias against dark skin, and metaphorically asks why black is problematic. 'That is the beauty of democracy — you can protest. And I am exercising that right through my songs,' Alex says. The song, which has a distinct blues feel, showcases his individualistic style. This is not his first song of protest. One of his first such songs was 'Ente roadum…', which was a critique of the condition of the roads in Kerala. 'I was inspired by something I saw — a mother and son walking down a potholed road, and a bus whizzing past. I could not help thinking about how precarious the plight of pedestrians like them is. One wrong step, they would fall on the road and in all probability would have gotten run over by the bus.' Although written and rendered more than a decade ago, he says, it is still relevant especially since it is raining and the roads are in a bad condition. 'My songs are politically-driven. It is not directed at a political party or ideology. I have no malice towards anyone nor do I stand for a political party. I just want to show the mirror to the powers that be. I am doing it for society. The pathetic condition of the roads in Kerala and social conditions led me to compose the 'Ente roadum' song and the other songs. It is not just society and infrastructure, I criticise myself as well and the chauvinist in me in my songs like 'Aval paranju panchasara' and 'Ari venthodi'.' He counts musicians such as John Lennon, Chris Rea, the two Bobs — Marley and Dylan, and John Fogerty among his inspirations. 'Their songs of love and peace, and against social inequalities, the establishment and wars had a deep impact on me.' He has experimented with genres such as reggae, rock, blues, swing rock, and tribal folk. It is not just politics in his songs. Alex is part of Thrissur-based rock band, Anjuvilakku. Before that he was part of the late 1990s band Rockwag, has been an associate of Jassie Gift and a rookie drummer for the band Avial. He works as a music trainer for the band of Sahrdaya College, Thrissur.
Business Upturn
07-07-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
Dhanlaxmi Bank shares jump over 3% today as Q1 business grows nearly 16% YoY
By Aditya Bhagchandani Published on July 7, 2025, 09:17 IST On Monday, 7th July, shares of Dhanlaxmi Bank rose 3.14% to ₹30.87 on the NSE during the session, following the release of its provisional business update for the quarter ended June 2025. The Thrissur-based private sector lender reported a 15.8% year-on-year (YoY) increase in total business to ₹29,054 crore, driven by strong growth in both advances and deposits. Gross advances jumped 17.3% YoY to ₹12,484 crore, compared to ₹10,643 crore in the year-ago period. A significant driver of growth was the bank's gold loan portfolio, which surged 28.1% YoY to ₹4,039 crore, reflecting continued demand in rural and retail segments. Deposits also grew steadily, up 14.7% YoY to ₹16,570 crore. Current and savings account (CASA) deposits rose modestly by 3.8% YoY to ₹4,675 crore, indicating stability in the low-cost deposit base. The bank noted that these figures are provisional and subject to audit. Dhanlaxmi Bank has maintained its focus on secured lending and asset quality, with gold loans remaining a key contributor to its business growth. Disclaimer: The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. Stock market investments are subject to market risks. Always conduct your own research or consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions. Author or Business Upturn is not liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Aditya Bhagchandani serves as the Senior Editor and Writer at Business Upturn, where he leads coverage across the Business, Finance, Corporate, and Stock Market segments. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to journalistic integrity, he not only contributes insightful articles but also oversees editorial direction for the reporting team.
The Hindu
30-06-2025
- The Hindu
Two from Kerala arrested for highway robbery near Coimbatore
The Coimbatore District Police have arrested two persons from Kerala for alleged involvement in a recent highway robbery near K.G. Chavadi, wherein a Thrissur-based jewellery and his aide were carjacked and robbed of 1.25 kg of gold. R. Vishnu, 26, and J. Anshad, 35, from Alappuzha district in Kerala were arrested on Sunday. The police said that a truck that was used for the highway robbery that took place at K.G. Chavadi on Salem – Kochi Highway (NH 544) on June 14 belonged to Vishnu and Anshad was at the wheel. According to the police, the truck blocked the car travelled by Thrissur-based jeweller Jaison Jacob and his employee S. Vishnu near a fuel station at K.G. Chavadi, when they were driving back to Kerala after purchasing 1.25 kg of gold from Tamil Nadu. A few men, who tailed them, struck at the car and abducted them along with the vehicle. The robbers left Mr. Jacob and his aide on the side of another road, after robbing them of the jewellery and ₹60,000. While the truck was found at Ettimadai on June 15, the jeweller's car was found abandoned on an interior road at Vazhukkal near Velanthavalam the next day. Vishnu and J. Anshad were arrested from Ettimadai on Sunday, the police said. They added that special teams were on the lookout for other accused involved in the robbery.
Time of India
29-06-2025
- Time of India
Farmfed deposit fraud complainants allege pressure not to file cases
Thiruvananthapuram: Complainants in the Farmfed deposit fraud alleged that certain people close to those accused in the case have urged depositors through WhatsApp groups not to register cases with police. In audio messages sent to depositors on several WhatsApp groups, they were told that registering more cases would delay obtaining bail for the accused and it would affect the repayment of depositors' money and the measures being taken to overcome the crisis. Meanwhile, the fifth additional sessions court granted bail to Farmfed chairman Rajesh Chandrasekharan Pillai, 47, and managing director Akhil Francis, 42, who were in jail for the past couple of weeks. The bail was granted in the first case registered by Museum police on May 16 on the complaint of a Kuravankonam-based woman. Depositors were also told that Rajesh and Akhil must come out of jail to plan and implement the revival measures, as a Thrissur-based cooperative society was willing to take over the firm by giving back depositors their money. The audio messages mentioned that first rounds of talks with the society ended on promising notes. For the remaining talks, Rajesh and Akhil need to come out, and depositors must cooperate by not registering more cases, the message stated. "A team has been actively working to convince depositors in this regard and they exclude those who are not willing to cooperate from the groups. Even police are supporting the accused by not registering FIRs. Even though more than 30 people approached police with complaints, only less than 10 FIRs were registered," said a depositor. Hundreds of depositors in the district were cheated by the firm by offering 12.5% interest. Police are yet to arrest the other accused in the case, including firm's Sasthamangalam branch manager Remya Krishnan, marketing head Shamsudeen, territory manager Sooraj and agents Teena, Dhanya, Shiny, Princy Francis and Mahavishnu.
