Massive arrangements in place for conference

Coimbatore: The official machinery has made massive arrangements in and around CODISSIA Trade Fair Complex for the World Classical Tamil Conference that begins here on June 23.

As far as the works relating to the conference are concerned, the first task was the formation of 21committees headed by the Ministers. Their tasks came under their respective portfolios.

The conference will witness academic research sessions on 55 topics in 23 special halls.

Totally, 123 small halls of 9 sq.m. have been created on two acres for various events/sessions.

The meet is expected to have 3,000 participants and the delegates will include those from 50 countries. The academic sessions will be held from June 24 to 27. During these days, the Tamil Internet Conference will also be held.

Food courts

The Coimbatore Corporation authorities have put up drinking water tanks with capacities ranging from 2,000 litres to two lakh litres. A 57,000-sq.ft. food court on four acres has also been established near the exhibition hall.

This apart, two food courts for private caterers, measuring more than 33,000 sq.ft., are also in place.

Food courts and drinking water facilities have also been provided at all the 10 parking lots.

The main conference pandal is a record of sorts measuring 4.4 lakh sq.ft. to accommodate 50,000 people. The conference dais measures 6,400 sq.ft.

Four LED television sets of 14 ft length and eight ft width and 100 plasma screens are being put up so that people sitting in areas away from the stage can view the happenings clearly.

Exhibition

To display the rich legacy, culture, tradition, history and literature of Tamils, the 1.5-lakh-sq.ft. exhibition hall will have 700 exhibits spread over three pavilions.

It will also have a special audio-visual auditorium.

The entry and exit of the hall have been designed in a very public-friendly manner. The compound for the exhibition hall is four ft high and has a Nandi idol every 10 feet.

A 12,000-sq.ft. media centre has come up at Rs. 60 lakh. It will have 160 computers with the required software for sending news, pictures and video clippings.

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has established a high-speed broadband facility with a control room besides photo copier and fax machines.

To ensure comfortable accommodation and transportation, the authorities have reserved 4,000 rooms and Volvo buses for the delegates.

Tamil conference; Hi-tech security, Surveillance cameras to be deployed

Coimbatore, 22nd June: Over 10,000 police personnel would be deployed for the World Classical Tamil Conference, said Director General of Police, Letika Saran on Monday. Ms. Letika Saran and Mr. Radhakrishnan said that for the first time, the police have go in for hi-tech security gadgets as part of the arrangements.

Ms. Letika Saran along with Additional DGP(Law and Order), K. Radhakrishnan along with City Police Commissioner, C. Sylendra Babu addressed the officers drafted from various places on the nature of work, individual responsibilities.

Later talking to reporters, Ms. Letika Saran said that police personnel have been drafted from other districts except from Tirupur, Erode, the Nilgiris and Coimbatore Rural considering the work load in these districts.

In addition to police personnel, 1,000 Home Guards, 1,000 NCC cadets, 4,000 NSS volunteers and a number of traffic wardens would be deployed. The city police have established “May I Help You” booths at bus stands, railway stations, airport and other public places.

The security measures has been drawn up in such a way that buses will ply as usual and there would be no disruption to normal life.

Traffic would be allowed on Avanashi Road on all days except on June 23 from afternoon to 10 p.m., the first day of the conference, when the floats procession commences from VOC Park Grounds to CODISSIA Trade fair complex.

Surveillance cameras

Surveillance cameras have been fitted on Avanashi Road, CODISSIA area and across the city.
These cameras are hooked to the police control room as well as the temporary arrangement functioning at CODISSIA from the planetarium building.

In addition, camera-fitted balloons to fly at 1,000 ft height would maintain vigil for a two to three km radius. Similarly, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), a glider type, battery and remote operated small aircraft fitted with cameras would be flying over Coimbatore maintaining vigil for 15 km to 20 km.

On threat perceptions for the meet, Ms. Letika Saran said that whatever intelligence inputs that come across are issued as alerts to the personnel and Intelligence sleuths are closely monitoring those who are opposing the conference.

About the announcement of the toddy movement planning to sell toddy at the conference venue, Ms. Letika Saran said that any action contrary to the law will be dealt with seriously.

When asked about the blasting of a track near Tindivanam recently and mischief on tracks at Vijayamangalam in Erode district and at Pattabhiram in Tiruvallur district, Ms. Letika Saran said that Erode and Tiruvallur incidents are mischief acts while Tindivanam incident was being investigated.

Source: c2clive desk.

A song on everyone's lips

If one song has been able to bring together some of the best playback singers, Carnatic musicians, folk artists, technicians, an Oscar-winning composer and one ace lyricist, it is the theme song of the World Classical Tamil Conference.

Written by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, it begins with the lines Pirappokkum yella uyirkum…. This is also the conference theme. It is already popular, with various television channels screening the video in the run-up to the event in Coimbatore. As filmed by director Gautham Vasudev Menon and his team, the song consciously retains the focus on the lyrical character and feel of the song, even as it pleasantly captures the spirit of being Tamil.

“There is one part where children clad in white uniforms come running towards us. It was such a beautiful feeling,” says Carnatic vocalist Aruna Sairam, recalling the portion shot by the sea in Chennai. As the song unfolds in the majestic voice of T.M. Sounderarajan, listeners know that a treat is in store. The lyrics, and change in voice and tone for every subsequent line, bring an unusual level of varietyto the piece. Whether it is Hariharan, Karthik, Harini or Chinmayi, the unique timbre of each of the playback singers comes through very well.

In P. Susheela's voice, the lines Orarivu mudal aararivu uyirinam varayile unarndhidum udal amaipai pagirthu koorum quickly transport listeners to the era of melodies that the veteran playback singer was part of. The classical flashes in the voices of Aruna Sairam, Bombay Jayashri, S. Sowmya, Nithyasree Mahadevan and T.M. Krishna bring in another musical flavour. Soon, the energy in folk artist Chinnaponnu's voice gives an altogether different appeal to the lyrics. At this point, the song is set for an interesting transition — one that reiterates the genius of A.R. Rahman. Who would imagine the transition from a classical, folksy feel to a drastically different genre featuring Blaze, to be so seamless!

The pitch variation that Shruti Haasan brings in soon afterwards, helps sustain the energy in the composition till the very last line. The song is also a journey of sorts showcasing voices of all kinds — from the ultra-trained to the earthy, straight-from-the-heart variety. All the while, the visuals complement the poetry and music in an unobtrusive way.

The theme song is likely to appeal to the scholarly connoisseur of language and the arts, as well as they lay, entertainment-loving common person. In that sense, it has something for everyone.

All set for World Classical Tamil Conference

Coimbatore: More than 5,000 people from India and abroad, including a large number of scholars, will take part in the first five-day World Classical Tamil Conference starting here on Wednesday.

President Pratibha Patil will inaugurate the conference that has dramatically improved the infrastructure of Coimbatore, a throbbing Tamil Nadu city.

Pratibha Patil to open Tamil conference

Thousands of delegates from India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Singapore, Canada, the US, Greece and other countries have confirmed their participation.

These include around 1,000 scholars who will submit research papers. About 200 of the papers will come from 50 countries.

'The conference is expected to raise the awareness level for cooperative and collaborative research on the classical side of Tamil language,' said Gregory James from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and author of 'A History of Tamil Dictionaries'.

Tamil language has a recorded history dating back two millennia. It is estimated that 75 million people in the world speak Tamil, an overwhelming majority in Tamil Nadu in India.

Evidence of earliest Tamil civilization is the megalithic urn burials found in Tamil Nadu dating back to around 1,500 BC. The ancient Tamil land was dominated by three dynasties - Chera, Chola and Pandya.

Originally from Tamil Nadu, Tamils now live in large numbers in many countries including Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Canada, Fiji, Maruitius and Britain.

According to K Umaraj, research scholar in the Central Research Institute on Classical Tamil, a parallel conference to be held on the sidelines is expected to decide on standardization of Tamil internet fonts.

Said V Jayadevan, Prof Emeritus in the University of Madras: 'After this conference, more students are expected to study Tamil and do research.'

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi has said that the conference was significant as it was the first gathering of its kind after Tamil won classical status in India.

The conference theme song has been penned by Karunanidhi, who is also a recognized script writer. Music has been scored by Oscar winner A R Rahman.

Schools and colleges across Tamil Nadu have been ordered shut during the conference period so that students and teachers can attend it.

Special trains will ply to Coimbatore to meet the expected rush. Special counters have come up at the Chennai and Coimbatore airports to assist the delegates.

Karunanidhi earlier indicated he would retire from active politics after the meet, paving the way for his second son and Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to lead the party and the government. But the decision was put off after eldest son and central minister M.K. Alagiri opposed it.

AIADMK leader and former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa has come out against the conference, saying it should not be held when Tamils in nearby Sri Lanka find themselves distressed after the end of the war.

As for Coimbatore, there is a festive atmosphere.

'All major roads and pavements have been redone, making it pleasurable to drive and walk around,' resident R. Sandhya told IANS. 'There is no garbage and traffic is better regulated now.'

C.R. Srinivasan agreed: 'It is a pleasure to see compound walls around the major roads being painted with Tamil cultural symbols.'

First World Classical Tamil meet begins today

COIMBATORE: The city, which is hosting the World’s first Classical Tamil Meet, wears a festive look with traffic islands and parks spruced up with artwork depicting culture, tradition and bravery of Tamils adorning the walls. The city also got a facelift.The CODISSIA trade fair complex on Avinashi Road, the main venue of the meet, is bustling with activity.

The mega ‘pandal’ on 4.40 lakh sq.ft. area can accommodate 50,000 people during the five-day event. About 4,000 observers and research paper presenters are taking part in the meet while 85 delegates from different countries are attending as special invitees.Tamil scholars from across the state, including former vice-chancellors and deans, are also attending the meet. Significantly, Sri Lankan Tamil scholar Karthikesu Sivathamby, whose visit was uncertain, made it to the meet in advance.The meet will be inaugurated at 10.30 a.m. followed by a welcome address by Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin. Governor Surjit Singh Barnala will release a special souvenir. After Finance Minister K Anbazhagan’s speech, President Pratiba Patil will present the Kalaignar Karunanidhi Semmozhi Tamil Award to Finland scholar Prof Asko Parbola.

President arrives in Coimbatore for Tamil conferenceCOIMBATORE: (PTI) President Pratibha Patil arrived here on Tuesday night by a special aircraft to inaugurate the five-day World Classical Tamil Conference, beginning today.Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin received the President at the airport.Senior district and police officials were present.After inaugurating the conference in the morning, Patil will witness a two-hour long procession of 40 floats, portraying the tradition, arts and culture and history of Tamil Nadu, beginning at 4 PM.

She is expected to leave for Delhi late in the evening, official sources said.A report from Rameswaram said security has been tightened in the coastal areas of Ramanathapuram District and the Palk Straits and Gulf of Mannar off Rameswaram in view of the President's visit to the state.Coastal Security Group Additional Director General of Police Lallam Sanga and SP Mohammed Ali Jinnah today visited Dhanushkodi coast and reviewed the security arrangements."We will keep a tight vigil on the coastal areas to prevent any infiltration (from sea)," he said.

Sound and light treat that blends old and new

The pageantry of floats to be taken out here on Wednesday as part of the World Classical Tamil Conference will feature a sound and light treat that will have a combination of the ancient and the modern.

A float with LED screens, lights and replicas of Pallava-era sculptures has been created by film director Rajeev Menon.

Menon and his team have created a 40-foot-long and 19-foot-high float on which six LED screens totally weighing six tonnes will display shots of ancient structures of the State captured by veteran film director Shyam Benegal and also A.R. Rahman's theme song for the conference shot by director Gautam Menon.

As the theme songs play out on the big screen in the middle, the other scenes appear on the smaller ones on either side. “We felt thrilled doing this,” Menon said here on Tuesday. “It was like going back to school and learning afresh, because it was a new concept we were working on,” he said. “There is a mandapam of a temple and Pallava architecture. Apart from the theme song, the other images are of landscapes of the State, sites of archaeological importance and also of those showing farmers at work,” he said. “And there is also a shot of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi at a literary work.”

Narinder Singh of Men at Work, who teamed up with Menon, said 25 persons were involved in getting this float ready in 10 days. The fabrication alone took five days. It had digitalised lighting. “The lights are in sync with the audio-video content,” he said.

“The significant part is the total use of LED lights. They use very little power but provide powerful lighting.”

Menon said: “This float encapsulates the social and cultural history of Tamil Nadu. It is classical and young too. Though we wanted an element of modernity, it was also to ensure that the float was not flashy like a rock show.”

Karunanidhi's 380-crore dream Tamil conference

Coimbatore: As the first world Tamil conference, after the language was granted a classical status, commences in Coimbatore on Wednesday, the venue has turned into a spectacle.

A whopping three hundred and eighty crore rupees have been pumped in and the event brings together around four thousand Tamil scholars and over a lakh visitors from the Tamil diaspora around the world.

"As a Tamil I'm very proud," said one of them. "It's nice, fantastic, and very good for the people of Coimbatore," added another one.
It is Chief Minister Karunanidhi's dream project and to make sure the historic event draws enough audiences, schools and colleges in Tamil Nadu have been shut. There is a special casual leave for government employees and the entire state machinery is camping in the textile city.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/karunanidhi-s-380-crore-dream-tamil-conference-33329?cp

Prisoners in the state might get lucky as five hundred of them are likely to be released. But lawyers are keeping their fingers crossed they are demanding the right to argue in Tamil in the Madras High Court.

Expressing his doubts, political commentator Cho Ramaswamy said," Are they going to contribute to the growth of Tamil? Are they going to speak sense? They want a big crowd. CM wants a big crowd, that's all."

While Coimbatore will be in the grip of the world Tamil conference fever over the next few days, political commentators will watch every word of Karunanidhi whether he speaks about his retirement plans as announced last year.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/karunanidhi-s-380-crore-dream-tamil-conference-33329?cp

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/karunanidhi-s-380-crore-dream-tamil-conference-33329?cp