The Birds of Nemeli: A Photo Journal 💚💚💚

A Morning in the Marsh: Birding at Nemeli

Well, if you are a birder in Chennai, you know that Nemeli is a treasure trove waiting to be explored. We spent the entire day today, scanning the skies and the scrublands, and guess what! Today’s bird activity was absolutely stunning!

And yes! we have returned with a full memory card 😊 and a lot of excitement. So for once, me thought of letting the pictures do the talking. Here’s presenting you a massive photo dump from our birding adventure today!

Enjoy the scroll and the birds as well! 😊

Walking into the Chennai Book Fair this year felt more like stepping into a cultural carnival of sorts!"

Inside the 49th Chennai Book Fair 2026

A Report

This year’s Chennai Book Fair saw seasoned bookworms of all hues unite at the YMCA Grounds, Nandanam, to celebrate the power of ink, ideas, and inclusivity!

With Dr. Benet, former Vice Principal of NC, and Dr. Lilian, Principal, WCC

Well, the CBF 2026 was inaugurated on 8th January 2026, and is expected to go on until 21st January 2026.

When Dr. Benet, (my best company for the past many years when it comes to visiting the Book Fair) called me up to check if I’m free this evening (Saturday evening) to visit the book fair, I impulsively gave a thumping ‘Yes’ for an answer! 😊

In fact, the very same morning, we had our MCC Institutions’ Annual Get-together at MCC School (my alma mater), where, the organisers had specifically asked the Deans from MCC to spearhead the fest!

MCC School Auditorium

The inspirational programme began at 9 am and ended at 1.30 pm. Felt so proud of the various schools and community colleges associated with MCC. It was also nice to see them all come together in brotherly love at the grand MCC School Auditorium, for our Annual Get-together.

The Very Same Place We Used to Study When We Were students Here 

The acoustics of the Auditorium was stunning!

Our Principal’s talk was the icing on the cake. He spoke on institutional resilience and institution-building.

“The first responsibility of any leader is to align people before thinking of streamlining processes. The next one is to streamline the processes, and the third one is to execute projects. If the order is changed, there will be a chaos. There will be a dissipation of heat, rather than converting them into energy, 

he noted.

This was followed by a very inspiring talk by Dr. Alfred Devaprasad, Member, Board of Directors, MCC. Dr. PCR Suresh, Advisor, MCC Board also spoke about the importance of Academic Excellence. The MCC Group Choir was super-awesome! During the tea-break, I felt so happy when Prof. Sridhar, our Vice-Principal said that he was also planning to visit the Book Fair today, along with his colleagues.

After the programme got over, by 1.30 pm I had to be part of the Comprehensive VIVA of Ms. Esther from SRM University. She did a very good presentation. Hats off to her Research Supervisor Dr. Shalini, for encouraging her ward to venture full-throttle into her field of research – to configure forms of experience that are epistemically inaccessible to phenomenological disclosure.

Then, by 6 pm, Dr. Benet arrived - on time as he had promised, - and we both went in his car to the YMCA Grounds for the Book Fair. After parking the car in the scheduled parking lot, we were walking our way into the sprawling grounds, discussing all things literature. 😊

Well, walking into the Chennai Book Fair this year felt more like stepping into a cultural carnival of sorts!

Even as we enter through the arches, (this year it’s been named the the Bharathiyar Gate), the distinct, aroma of paper - that only book lovers can understand - whiffs past you so gently, tugging at your heartstrings.

Dr. Benet in the company of books...

Interestingly, this year’s fair has introduced quite a few significant changes that really set it apart from previous editions of the Fair.

Firstly, the Free Entry, wherein, visitors just have to register via a QR code at the entrance, but the ticket itself is free. I guess this has visibly increased footfall to the Fair, going by any indications.

Secondly, a special Children’s Enclave has been created dedicated entirely to children. It’s quite colourful, interactive, and packed with storytelling sessions, making it easier for parents to keep kids engaged while they are busy browsing books nearby.

This year there’s a whopping 980 stalls, with a range of Tamil books, English & International Books, Used Books, etc donning the show in toto!

Yet another delightful surprise was meeting with Dr. Lilian Jasper, Principal of Women’s Christian College, Chennai, who is an incorrigible bookworm of the highest order, much akin to Dr. Benet! 😊

A View from MCC School Playground 

On the whole, a very rewarding day today, in every way!

"Don’t just learn how to ‘read’ a book; learn how to ‘architect’ a thought through your writing" ❤️

Workshop on “Mastering Document Architecture”

@ Ethiraj College for Women, (Autonomous), Chennai

A Report ❤️

I was glad to conduct a session on “Mastering Document Architecture” as part of a two-day workshop on “Research Methodology and Research Paper Writing”, today at Ethiraj College for Women.

The workshop was attended by 65 students whose proactive engagement throughout the session was truly impressive. I was particularly amazed and delighted to know that, four students have published research articles in reputable journals from the PG English class.

An interesting personal highlight occurred during the introductory part. The student tasked with introducing me gently came up to me and mentioned that, she was also a huge fan of the Before trilogy, specifically Before Sunrise. I felt so happy, and when I asked how she knew it was a personal favourite of mine, she replied, “Sir, I read your blogposts quite often.” Indeed, it is moments like these that remind bloggers like us of the quiet impact of digital outreach. Thank you kid. You made my day. 😊

My session focused on the structural integrity of academic writing. My core message to the students was this –

Don’t just learn how to ‘read’ a book; learn how to ‘architect’ a thought through your writing.

In fact, writing is the most expected but least cultivated skill that’s much-expected of a literature student. The world has enough people who can spot a metaphor and speak eloquently about it; it needs more people who can use that same analytical engine to build a strategy and translate it into impactful writing.

The students were exceptionally attentive, diving into the custom-designed worksheet (that I had distributed to them) with much enthusiasm.

The high calibre of the two-day workshop was further reflected in the distinguished line-up of Resource Persons, including Dr. C. Anupama (WCC), Dr. K. Ganesh (MCC, now with University of Madras), and Dr. Padma V. Mekertich (Stella Maris College).

It was a pleasure to reconnect with Dr. Ranjini G, a young and vibrant faculty member who had quite recently (27 Nov 2025) defended her PhD thesis on “Bionomical Life-Place Narratives.” Having witnessed her dedication since the inception of her research, I was proud to hear that her work was highly commended by the External Examiner, Dr. Anvar Sadhath Valiyaparambath, a very good friend.

The Ethiraj campus remains a sylvan, inspiring environment—a fitting alma mater for the many eminent leaders and artists it has produced. Some of their iconic alumnae include - Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (MP), Jayanthi Natarajan (Former Union Minister), Dhivya Suryadevara (former CFO of General Motors and Stripe), Actresses like Trisha Krishnan and Aishwarya Rajesh, and classical dancer Padma Subrahmanyam, Squash stars Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal, etc.

I wish to extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Nazeema Begum, Ethiraj College, for her exemplary hospitality and coordination since early December, Ms. K. Yeshoda (HoD) and Dr. Uma Viswanathan, Ethiraj College, for their warmth and professional support.

I concluded the session at 1.25 pm and had to rush back in full-throttle to MCC by 2.30 pm, 😊for the much-awaited International MoU Signing Ceremony. Thanks to our vibrant and proactive Associate Deans of International Programmes, Prof. Arun Kumar and Dr. Serena whose sincere efforts ensured that I could return to MCC in time for our International MoU Signing Ceremony today.

Additionally, today also marked the release of two insightful books, Kadaikkaalgal and Senneer, by Bharathi Mandram, St. Thomas’s Hall, MCC. Congratulations to the author, Bharathi Prabhu, and his editorial team – Dr. George, Dr. Prince Solomon and Dr. Sebulon.

Also, I’m so glad to share the news that, Dr. Jojan Job, my very good friend, (in association with the Miller Memorial Library, MCC) is hosting a Lecture to the Memory of the legendary TJS George, tomorrow, Thursday, 8th January 2026, at 2 pm in the Miller Memorial Library premises.

Ms. K. Jayanthi Krishnamachary, a well-known senior journalist and former Associate/Senior Deputy Editor at Frontline, known for her significant contributions to news analysis, culture, and editing, is the Resource Person.

Students are most welcome to participate in this Memorial Lecture, to get amazing glimpses into the life of this great legend, who has published a string of insightful books, including the definitive biography of M.S. Subbulakshmi, one of India’s greatest classical musicians.

Well, to sum it all up –

Research is more than just data; it is the architecture of ideas. Today’s workshop proved that the students of the Department of English (SS) at Ethiraj are well on their way to becoming master-architects.

Congratulations students!

"How do you become a diplomat? I think you can start with being a student of Madras Christian college" ❤️

The T. G. Narayanan Endowment Lecture

5th January 2026 | 10.30 am

A Report

The 14th Edition of the T. G. Narayanan Endowment Lecture was held today at 10.30 am in the Centre for Media Studies Auditorium.

The Chief Guest of the day was Shri T. P. Seetharam, IFS, former Ambassador of India to the UAE, and an illustrious alumnus of the Department of English, MCC.

Dr. Joshua, introduced the Chief Guest of the day.

Excerpts from his introduction –

It’s my wonderful privilege to introduce the chief guest - Ambassador TP Seetharam. He was the Chairman of Heber Hall in 1977-78. He did his BA in Loyola College in English Literature from 1974 to 76, then he came to MCC to do his Masters here in English language and literature from 1976 - 78.

I’m sure he would agree with me that he found true freedom after coming to MCC, where he could enjoy boundless freedom here - not only in the Hall, but in the department and in the college as well.  

That is one of the unique features of MCC. MCC has always encouraged the freedom of thought and they are also given the freedom to pursue those ideas, those desires which are close to their heart, and that really shapes our careers as well. We are also happy to have his classmate here with us – who is none other than Dr. Nirmal Selvamony.

Four of them in the class formed the Think Tank of the Class –

T.P. Seetharam

Nirmal Selvamony

Indu Menon

Sandhya

These four formed the quartet – the Think Tank.

Now while he was a student here, Seetharam had aspirations to get into civil services, and he is from a very distinguished family. His elder brother also got into IFS.  

While he was in MCC, he exhibited his talents of leadership – both as a thinker and a writer and he also contributed articles to the College Magazine. And this has always been a tradition.

In MCC, some of the best and the brightest minds in the college would be contributing articles, either in the Department Magazine or in the College Magazine.

The best example is Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the former President of India, on whom I did my research as well. When he was the student of this college from 1905 to 1909, he wrote two articles in the college magazine and they were well-appreciated, and this laid the future foundation for his intellectual thought.

So that’s how you students also must explore avenues and means of expressing your own thoughts through writing – it could be writing short poems or essays, or book reviews.

This will definitely contribute to your later career. So TPS had two of his articles published in the College Magazine. From this we know how innovative, creative and expressive he was, even when he was a student here. And then in 1980, he got into civil services. Let me also share that, MCC has contributed some of the best civil servants in the country, and that includes T. N. Seshan.

In fact, the very first Foreign Secretary of India, Shri KPS Menon was a student here. After his studies here, he got into Civil Services, and he became one of the well-respected diplomats. He was Foreign Secretary from 1948 to 52.

Coming back to TPS, he interacted with Rajiv Gandhi, Angela Merkel, Bill Clinton, K. R. Narayanan, Narendra Modi, etc. Finally, he was appointed Ambassador to UAE, from 2013 to 2016, when, he hosted our Prime Minister Narendra Modi (the first PM to visit the UAE after Indira Gandhi).

In the Global Alumni Meet of 2016, in MCC, Mr. Seetharam was our Chief Guest.

It’s my honour and pleasure to invite Ambassador Seetharam to our midst,

said Dr. Joshua in his introductory note.

The topic of today’s lecture by Mr. T.P. Seetharam was, ‘Service without Borders: The Role of Diplomats’.

Giving us all a few excerpts from his engaging speech -

Good morning, everybody here. Thank you, Dr. Franklin for this opportunity. Thank you, Dr. Joshua for introducing me generously, and also for having introduced me earlier to Dr. Franklin.

I don't have a prepared speech. Even if I had one, I would have to tear it up, because what Trump has done in the last couple of days.

It’s about diplomacy.

How do you become a diplomat? I think you can start with being a student of Madras Christian college. It's even better like I did.

I also had the privilege of teaching English Literature in MCC for a year, against a leave vacancy.

They say that there’s no way to learn a subject better than to teach it. That’s because when you have to teach something you have to understand what it’s all about.

So a lot of my learning happened when I was teaching here for a year. And at that time, of course there were some very good teachers and one of them I should mention here, is Prof. Rajani, from the English department who is, sadly, no more.

He was a friend, philosopher and advisor to all of us. And most importantly, he gave me a key to the English department library.

I had access to that English department library while I was teaching here for a year. And after having stayed in Heber as a student, I was staying in St Thomas’s Hall, while being the assistant professor of English. So after dinner I would walk with the key to the main building.

There was nobody in the main building at that time, and I would lock myself into that tiny library and stay there, read and take my notes and sleep there. The library was very helpful for me.

I did choose English as one of my subjects for the Civil Services, apart from Sociology – of which I knew nothing about.

But a friend offered to lend me his notes. I only studied his notes.

I passed the exam. He didn’t.

His father was at that time the Foreign Secretary of India.

His girlfriend also was taking the exam after studying from his notes.

She also passed and joined the IAS.

However, he went on to become a very distinguished person in the NGO sector. So MCC is a good place to begin your preparations for the Civil Services.

It is a highly competitive exam. I will not go into the details now, since this afternoon at the MCC-IAS Academy I will be talking about the mechanics of getting into the services.

So what is diplomacy all about?

It's supposed to be everything that Trump does not stand for.

It’s about making friends.

It is civilised behaviour.

It’s not being selfish. It’s not about Make my Country Great Again, but about, making OUR countries great again. It about engagement, it’s about networking.

And we have a very strict selection process. In 1980, when I joined the service, in my batch there were 20 young probationers. This 20 is from the 1,15,000 people who took the exam.

So that is the intense competition. And once you are in, there is a very extensive training programme in India for about two years. You are sent to Jawaharlal Nehru University, you are attached with the Indian Army in the border areas. You learn how to fire a pistol on a semi-automatic and you are attached in the office of a district collector in a district for a period of time.

What you should never forget is that, as a diplomat, living abroad, you are representing India. India, with all its glorious history and past, India, with all its achievements.

So you need to understand India very well if you wish to represent India outside. My first assignment was in Hong Kong.

My job was to go there to study Chinese language. I had opted for it. They asked me, which language I would you like to study?

Most others chose French Russian or Arabic. And the languages are spoken by many countries.

I chose Chinese because I thought that it was a difficult language.

As for French, you can pick up in three months, but Chinese are Japanese are languages which require dedicated study over a period of time.

And the government was sending me to Hong Kong to study Chinese at the university there for two years.

Before going to Hong Kong, I was a probationer, attending the first India-China border talks in Beijing.

I was a note-taker in the backbench in 1983. What has that happened to the border issues since then?

I serve the government for 36 years. Retired 10 years ago, India-China border issue still remains unresolved. I hope some of you will join the foreign service, and resolve our border issue. If you can help, you'll be a great service - to both India and China and the world. Some issues take a long time.

The Chinese say that they will solve this problem, when the time is right!

To be continued…

Dr. Franklin Daniel, our Head of the Department gave the welcome address. Our Principal Dr. Paul Wilson gave the Inaugural address, while Dr. Aruna gave the Vote of Thanks, followed by the closing prayer done by Dr. Ann Thomas. Prof. DC was amazing as MC. Indeed she made Dr. David’s day end on a very happy note, today! 😊

On the whole, a very rewarding day in every way!

PS: You may want to look up the first edition of the T.G. Narayanan Endowment Lecture on 21 December 2012, on our past blogpost HERE

You may also want to look up the 13th edition of the T.G. Narayanan Endowment Lecture, on 5th December 2024, on our past blogpost HERE

"With Gowda, that was not the case. He had to literally cycle his way up"

When S.M. Krishna, (a former CM of Karnataka, and former Union External Affairs Minister of India) spearheaded J. F. Kennedy’s Presidential Campaign in Texas, US, as a Fulbright Scholar

The Veerappan Crisis | Cauvery Water Dispute

#memoriesfromdiaries

#newspaperinlearning

4th January 1994

[This day, 32 years ago, from my personal diary entry]

This particular day’s newsworthy events that went on to create history, are as follows. 

In fact, a slew of books were also written on the sagas that happened this particular day, and a few movies and documentaries as well!

Firstly, the stunning episode of a Deputy Chief Minister (S. M. Krishna) openly revolting against the Chief Minister (Veerappa Moily) in Karnataka, on 3rd January 1994, giving alarming signals to their Congress PM Rao, at the centre, that the Moily government had lost the support of its own cabinet members and legislators.

This internal rift severely weakened the Congress party, as the state had three Chief Minister in a span of five years (Veerendra Patil, Bangarappa, Moily) contributing significantly to their crushing defeat in the December 1994 Assembly elections, where the Janata Dal led by H.D. Deve Gowda swept to power. (Gowda later went on to become the Prime Minister of the Nation)

From a whopping 178 seats in the 1989 elections, the Congress could muster only 34 seats in the 1994 Assembly elections, because of the internal power struggles within the party.

As for Deve Gowda, it was a landslide victory, from 24 (in 1989) to 115 seats (in 1994). The BJP had also increased their numbers tenfold, from 4 to 40, thus becoming the main opposition party for the first time.

Wait! So what was the impact of S.M. Krishna’s revolt in the Congress party?

Well, five years later, at the end of Gowda’s rule, in the 1999 Assembly Elections, Krishna swept to power and emerged as the Chief Minister with 132 seats.

S.M. Krishna’s tenure as Chief Minister of Karnataka (1999–2004) is widely regarded as a period of significant modernisation and urban transformation!

He was instrumental in building “Brand Bengaluru” and is hence called the “Architect of Modern Bengaluru.”

His higher studies abroad, in the U.S. as a Fulbright Scholar, brought a global perspective to governance. He capitalised on the digital boom, and positioned Bengaluru as India’s Silicon Valley, attracting tech giants like Infosys and Wipro. He was instrumental in developing Electronic City as a premier IT destination.

However, two important crises marked his tenure.

The Veerappan Crisis in the year 2000, when the forest brigand Veerappan kidnapped the legendary Kannada actor Dr. Rajkumar, and kept him hostage for a record 108-day hostage.

The Cauvery Water Dispute, and its fallout that had severe repercussions in Tamil Nadu as well. For that incident, you may want to read our past post HERE.

Interestingly, all three Chief Ministers of Karnataka (mentioned above) have written about their experiences in their respective memoirs / autobiographies / biographies.

S.M. Krishna’s autobiography titled, Smriti Vahini, details on the Karnataka Political life, and National politics as well.

Giving three interesting titbits –

“The 1994 result was not a victory for the Janata Dal as much as it was a punishment for the Congress. We had tested the patience of the Kannadiga voter for too long with our musical chairs of Chief Ministers,” writes Krishna.

When, as a Fulbright scholar, he had the opportunity to study law in Texas. While in Texas, in September 1960, Krishna had written a note to John F. Kennedy, who was running for presidency, expressing his desire to run his poll campaign in localities that had sizeable population of Indians. Kennedy obliged.

“Kennedy, like Nehru, liked to mingle with the common man. He gave priority to development and social justice. After he won, Kennedy sent me a letter to thank me,” recalls Krishna, who considered Kennedy his political guru.

In yet another instance, he talks about the caustic infighting in Congress –

“In the Congress of those days, one did not need enemies from the outside; there were enough within to ensure a downfall.”

Veerappa Moily, who was the bete noire of S.M. Krishna also wrote a book titled, The Flaming Tresses of Draupadi in which he reimagines the Mahabharata through the eyes of Draupadi, presenting her not as a victim, but as a revolutionary force of “Dharma.”

Moily gives Draupadi a voice that challenges the entire court of elders, I quote –

“Sri Krishna, I am being put through an ordeal; the foolish acts of your cousins are burning me up. Save me from these wicked ones who are stripping me of the cloth I am clad in! You alone can save me, the savior of the helpless; If I lose my honour, can I stay alive?”

While this is a work of literature (an epic based on the Mahabharata), Moily has often stated in interviews that his writings on power, betrayal, and justice have been influenced by his own political experiences, blaming “vested interests” and internal sabotage for the shocking 1994 defeat.

Deve Gowda’s autobiography is titled, Agni Divya which literally translates to Trial by Fire.

Note: I couldn’t find any references or e-resources or e-retailers selling the book, except for The Hindu newspaper’s news report on the release of the book in December 2018.  When I further probed into the matter, I got some surprising information.

While this book was personally recorded and compiled by his daughter, Shylaja Chandrashekar, and his close associate Y.S.V. Datta, its wide commercial release was overshadowed by a more comprehensive project (done with the full cooperation of Deve Gowda himself), titled, Furrows in a Field: The Unexplored Life of H.D. Deve Gowda in November 2021, by Penguin Random House.

Giving one inspiring snippet from the book –

Gowda was the ultimate outsider to every pattern and structure that existed in politics in India till he became prime minister.

Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi who came later had similar backgrounds, but Singh, who was self-made, had received the finest education and was a technocrat. He was not a political man. 

In fact, he (Singh) was defeated in the only election he contested. In the case of Modi, he was made by one of the world’s largest non-governmental organizations with committed cadres and fellow travellers - the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the BJP.

With Gowda, that was not the case. He had to literally cycle his way up. Before he became a legislator in 1962, he was known as a ‘bicycle man’ in Holenarasipur. After he was denied a ticket by the Congress, he had contested as an independent with the bicycle as his election symbol and had to wait for 21 long years to become a minister for the first time.

Gowda always thought he was a work in progress.

Gowda was not privileged like Nehru or Indira. He did not have the academic learning of Singh. He perhaps had the cunningness of P.V. Narasimha Rao, but certainly not his network, experience and cultural capital.

He was not from within the Congress system or had a privileged caste background like Lal Bahadur Shastri. He was not a maharaja like V.P. Singh. He was not Chandra Shekhar with wide exposure to national politics. He was not entrenched in Lutyens’ Delhi like Gujral.

He did not have the verbal sophistication of a Vajpayee. He, however, absorbed the elements of Morarji to speak one’s mind with brutal nakedness,

observes his biographer.

Now, for the second most important news of the day –

The uproar in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on 3rd January 1994, was a defining moment in the historic stand-off between then-Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and Governor Dr. M. Channa Reddy.

The chaos erupted when the Governor arrived to deliver his customary address to the House. Jayalalithaa viewed Governor Channa Reddy as an agent of the Centre who was actively trying to destabilise her government.

As an immediate fall-out of this epic clash between the governor and the Chief Minister, the Tamil Nadu government passed a bill in 1994 to strip the Governor of the power to appoint Vice-Chancellors and to replace the Governor with the Chief Minister as the Chancellor of state universities.

Although the Jayalalithaa government passed the Bill, the path to implementation was blocked by the Governor.

Since, under the Indian Constitution, for a Bill to become an Act, it requires the assent of the Governor, Channa Reddy naturally refused to sign it. He argued that, having a political head as the Chancellor would lead to political interference and risk the loss of University Grants Commission (UGC) funding.

And because the Governor did not send it to the President for approval, the Bill eventually lapsed!

It is quite interesting to note that history repeated itself nearly 30 years later.

In 2022, the DMK government under Mr. MK Stalin passed the same Bill to transfer the power of appointing Vice-Chancellors from the Governor to the State Government.

And much akin to 1994, these recent Bills faced significant delays at the Raj Bhavan. In late December 2025, President Droupadi Murmu returned the University of Madras (Amendment) Bill to the Tamil Nadu Assembly without granting assent, following concerns about its consistency with UGC regulations.

Source: The Week, The Hindu, The Times of India and Deve Gowda’s Official Biography titled, Furrows in a Field.