NCC Tiruchi Group emerges overall winner

Colonel A. P. Singh, Station Commander, Station Headquarters, Tiruchi, (centre), handing over the trophy to the Tiruchi Group in Tiruchi on Wednesday.The NCC Tiruchi Group emerged as the overall winners in the 12-day State-level inter group competitions organised here to select the senior and junior division cadets to represent the Tamil Nadu Directorate for the Thal Sainik Camp to be held at New Delhi in the last week of September.

Colonel A.P. Singh, Station Commander, Station Headquarters, Tiruchi presented the trophy to the Tiruchi Group at the valedictory function of the combined annual training camp cum inter group competitions organised at Jamal Mohamed College here on Wednesday.As many as 50 cadets from Madras A, B, Pondicherry, Tiruchi, Madurai and Coimbatore Groups out of the total 90 cadets who took part in the competitions were chosen.They will represent the Tamil Nadu Directorate for the all-India level Thal Sainik Camp.Around 360 cadets from various schools and colleges in Tiruchi and Dindigul districts participated in the combined annual training camp, organised by the 2 (TN) Battalion NCC, Tiruchi.

Distributing the trophies, Colonel Singh said that the NCC develops character, a sense of responsibility and leadership qualities among the cadets.It also opens up avenues for the cadets to join the armed forces, which offers excellent opportunities to the young minds, he added.Presiding over the event, Colonel M.N. Nath, Officiating Commander, NCC Group Headquarters, Tiruchi said that the NCC helped the cadets in becoming good professionals besides making them good human beings.The Principal, Jamal Mohamed College, M. Sheikh Mohamed, Lieutenant N. Abdul Ali, Associate NCC Officer of the college and the Deputy Camp Commandant, spoke on the occasion.Prizes were distributed to the cadets who emerged winners in the various competitions conducted as part of the camp.

State police shooting championship started

Tuticorin:Inspector-General of Police (Operations) N. Tamil Selvan inaugurated the three-day State police shooting championship at the police shooting range at Valanad, near here, on Thursday.About 300 police personnel (both men and women) representing seven zones — North Zone, South Zone, Armed Police Zone, Greater Chennai City Police zone, Central Zone, West Zone and Headquarters Zone — are taking part.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Greater Chennai City) S.R. Jangid, Inspector-Generals of Police Tamil Selvan and C. Sylendra Babu and Superintendent of Police (Kancheepuram district) A. Amalraj are the four Indian Police Service (IPS) officers contesting the event.The competitions: rifle (100 yards standing, 200 yards kneeling, 300 yards prone and 300 yards snap), service rifle (300 metres prone, standing and kneeling), pistol/revolver (15 yards squatting, 50 yard attack, 25 yards application and 50 yards snap), centre firing (25 metres precision and duelling), and carbine machine gun (50 yards standing, 25 yards battle crouch and 20 yards battle crouch) categories, for men and women separately.

F. M. Hussain, Additional Superintendent of Police, Tamil Nadu Commando School, is the chief referee.According to official sources, medals will be distributed to overall champions in the men and women categories as well to the combined overall champion.Contestants with points as per the qualifying norms/criterion specified will be eligible to take part in the national police shooting competition to be held in Orissa later this year.Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Tirunelveli range) P. Kannapan, Commandant of Small Arms Johnson Antony Jeyapal and Superintendent of Police (Tuticorin) Deepak M. Damor were present at the inaugural function.

Painting competition for schoolchildren held

Vellore:About 230 children from various schools in the district participated in a painting competition here on Friday.It was organised by the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW)-Tamil Nadu, Vellore branch, at the Government Muslim Higher Secondary School to select students for their national-level competition.B. Munirathinam, president of the Vellore District Drawing and Painting Artists Association, inaugurated the competition. Thilagavathy Ramaiah, honorary secretary of the ICCW, Vellore district, said children were divided into five groups, including two groups for special children.

A committee, headed by Mr. Munirathinam, selected 15 prize-winning paintings — the first three best paintings in each of the five groups. Devika Rani, member of the project administrative committee of the ICCW, proposed the vote of thanks.

Following are the winners in the various groups:

Ordinary category:
The three groups are as follows: Green group: I prize — L. Lavanya (Ethiraj Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Sathuvachari); II prize — S. Yamini (Sri Narayani Vidyalaya, Thirumalaikkodi); III prize — R. Joel Vasanthu (Grace Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Ranipet).
White group: I prize — T. Dinesh Kumar (Government Boys High School, Poondi); II —Niranjan Kumar (Sri Narayani Vidyalaya); III — Sudhakar (GBHS, Poondi).
Blue group: I prize — N. Benazir Begum (St. Mary’s HSS, Vellore); II — R. Dilipanraj (GBHSS, Poondi); III — J. Mithra (Sri Narayani Vidyalaya).Special category
The two groups under the category are as follows:
Yellow group: I prize — Vennila (WORTH Trust School for the Hearing Impaired, Katpadi); II — K. Abhinaya (Vidya Niketan, Katpadi); III — P. Ashok (WORTH Trust School for Hearing Impaired).
Red group: I prize — D. Anand (GBHSS, K.V. Kuppam); II — Guruprasad (IELC School for the Hearing Impaired, Ambur); III — R.B. Veerabhadran (GBHSS, Gudiyatham).

Mini marathon at Tanjore

A section of the participants at the race in Thanjavur on Saturday.Over 650 persons participated in the mini-marathon, conducted to commemorate the 84th birthday of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and his 50 years as Legislator, here on Saturday.The president of the Thanjavur District Athletic Association, T. Krishnaswamy Vandayar flagged off the race from the Chozhan statue near Thilakar Thidal in the presence of S.S. Rajkumar, a lawyer.

The seven-km race passed through Melaveedhi, Vadaku vasal, Keezha raja veedhi, old bus stand, railway station, Collector’s bungalow road, Kundavai Nachiar Government Arts College for Women and ended at the Annai Sathya Stadium.P. Loganathan of Pudukottai secured the first place, while C. Sivakumar and P. Gopi, both from Tiruchi, finished second and third respectively.The Union Minister of State for Finance, S.S. Palanimanickam gave away the prizes. The District Sports Officer, S. Thamilselvan was present on the occasion.

Tennis tournament under lights soon

Tiruchi:The City Club tennis court in Tiruchi under floodlights.With the City Club here all set to host a national ranking tournament in July, the floodlights for its tennis courts could not have come at a better time.Founded in 1905, the club has been a place where one could unwind and find solace in the recreational facilities in the form of tennis, billiards, chess, and bridge.Located in a prime area, the club has two tennis courts, of which one has been floodlit. “Tennis is popular among members and a good number of them practice regularly.

The new facility will be a boon to those who wish to play late in the evening,” says K. Madhu, the secretary of the club’s floodlight organising committee.Mr. Madhu also feels that the facility would make sure the national ranking tourney is conducted as per schedule. “Tiruchi is hosting an event of such magnitude after quite a while and it is important to ensure that it goes according to plan. Floodlights will go a long way in helping our cause,” he adds.Industrialist K.N. Ramajeyam inaugurated the new facility on Wednesday in the presence of president of the club, A. Malarmannan, and the secretary, C. Somasundaram.

Badminton court opend

The Speaker R. Avudaiyappan (fourth from right) who declared open the badminton court in Tirunelveli on Friday.The Speaker, R. Avudaiyappan, inaugurated the badminton court and a copier machine at Nellai Press Club on Saturday.The Rs. 85,000-worth copier was donated by Tirunelveli MLA, N. Maalairaja, to mark the Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi's birthday.Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Avudaiyappan, while lauding the contribution of the Press to construct a civil society, promised that he would initiate immediate steps to distribute bus passes to the reporters of electronic media also.

"Efforts will also be made to provide house sites at nominal price to reporters of Tirunelveli, who are yet to get them from the Government," the Speaker said. The Mayor, Tirunelveli Corporation, A.L. Subramanian, who presided over the function, said he would donate a fax machine to the Press Club while Mr. Avudaiyappan promised to present a computer with printer as a mark of celebrating the Chief Minister's birthday.The District Public Relation Officer, U. Ravindran, the District Sports Officer, C.J. Dawson, and others participated.

New software to hone chess skills

Madurai: N. John Rajesh (right) working with a visually challenged person in Madurai on Sunday.In an attempt to facilitate visually challenged persons learn, practise and play chess without any external assistance, Tamil Nadu Chess Association for the Blind has come out with an innovative software that will help the persons learn the game from a computer.According to S.S. Pandiarajan, general secretary of the association, the software is usable after installing

The existing software used by the visually challenged speaks text aloud in a variety of natural-sounding voices that can be modified according to individual preference.The association's yet-to-be-named software reads the printed chess literature, converts it to audio output and makes use of Kurzweil to read it aloud.This helps the visually challenged to hear the uploaded chess moves.

"This software will be a boon to any aspiring visually challenged chess player. At present, the players have to rely on external help to read the available literature to hone their skills."Besides, they have to work manually on the chessboard to master the game.

"But once the software is installed, access becomes easy as the player can use the productivity tools to communicate with the computer, which ultimately enhances the individual's skills," said N. John Rajesh, deputy general secretary, who has developed the software.The reading software also includes a list of visually challenged chess players all over the State."Compared to other countries, chess for the visually challenged is yet to pick up in the country."Hence, we want to help our players improve their game," said Mr. Pandiarajan.

"Though the software can be used as of now, it needs certain changes to bring it to commercial use," said Mr. Rajesh.History is also on their side as in the game of chess, both the normal and the visually challenged stand equal chance of winning.

Chennai slum boy played International Football tournament

Chennai: M. Dhillipan, a resident of a slum in north Chennai, is just back from a football tournament in Bangladesh where he represented India as part of the under-13 team.The eleven-year-old was thrilled to play against teams from 11 countries including Iran, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan.

His daily practice sessions in a public playground near his home in Kalyanapuram, Vyasarpadi, stood him in good stead when he battled international teams in the tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation.The opportunity came as a great honour to Dhillipan who works hard at both football and academic lessons.He lives with his mother, who runs a small shop in the Kalyanapuram slum, and his younger brother.He is trained by volunteers of a small group called Slum Children Sports Talent and Education Development Society (SCSTEDS).

The young footballer was chosen to represent Tamil Nadu at a national training camp in Goa in April, thanks to his defence and tackling skills. "I was a bit afraid at first as I could only speak little of English, but I soon made many friends," he said.After Goa, came the two-week tournament in Bangladesh. Every player was allowed two matches every day. "The match against Pakistan was rough. A lot of people were delighted when I scored the first goal," he said.A coach rewarded him with a foreign currency note and only when he returned to India, did Dhillipan know that the gift of US $ 100 was worth about Rs.4,200."I will help the youngsters in my locality do better at games and school. I also hope to represent India in a World Cup tournament in the future," he said.

Catamaran competition @ Ramanathapuram

The contest in progress off Thondi coast on Tuesday.Catamaran competition, the ancient sport of the fishermen, has all characteristics to attract a huge crowd. Though a section of sports-loving fishermen continue to conduct the spectacular catamaran competitions here and there, it has been slowly facing the danger of near extinction due to modernisation of boats.

The competition conducted on Tuesday by the organisers of `Kadal Sool Mariamman' Temple festival at Thondi has once again proved that the competition could be used for attracting tourists. Unlike other boats such as mechanised, motorised and fibreglass boats, catamarans sail based on wind direction. The boatmen need acumen to sail the catamaran both against and the same direction of the wind. The sail (mat), fixed on the boat, has to be operated based on wind direction.

According to the rules fixed by the organisers, the participants should travel to a distance of 5 km and return to the shore after touching a boat anchored in the sea.In the competition, 23 boats were participated in two groups. They took nearly three hours to cover the distance. The spectators, mostly fishermen and local people, enjoyed the show thoroughly, to see the impressive row of catamarans."It is great to watch the line of catamarans on sea," said S. Ilavenil, sub-inspector, Thondi.

The local fishermen feel that the competition has been losing its sheen after the advent of mechanised boats. "It was the rule of catamaran till a decade ago, as the fishermen had to depend on it for fishing. Now, almost all fishermen have switched over to motorboats. Only a handful of fishermen use catamaran. Hence, the number of competitions and participants have come down to a great extent," said M. Kalidass of Nambuthalai.

The fishermen said that the Fisheries Department should organise catamaran competitions in all parts of the district. Enough publicity should be given to the competitions so that outsiders could participate. If needed, fisheries officials could frame new rules and regulations so as to make the competition lively. It would surely attract tourists.