Good morning, Chennai!
🌦️ Today’s weather: There will be some cloud cover with the possibility of rain.
🧐 Did you know? Last year, Chennai was voted number 1 as the least expensive city for a five-star stay in India. The survey by LuxuryHotel.com also showed it ranked 32, the highest-ranked Indian city for the best five-star luxury.
🎭 Senior citizens flex their acting muscles
The Dignity Foundation staged a play to raise awareness about Dementia.
What’s it about? The Dignity Foundation presented a play titled “Thala, Thalaiku Yenna Aachu?” to raise awareness of Dementia and raise funds for dementia care. It was attended by an audience of around 250 at the Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan Auditorium, with senior citizens taking the stage.
- To help them train for the stage, Sumit Lai Roy, co-founder of The Red Curtain International, helped them hone their craft in acting, writing, and directing.
The Dignity Foundation has been for the betterment of senior citizens since 1995. It helps them tackle social challenges and insecurities to educate the public about the roadblocks they face in living a dignified life.
The Red Curtain International began as an English theatre group in Kolkata in 1969. As one of its founder members, Roy is an advocate for theatre and the good it can do for people and society.
🧠 Brain tumour awareness week
The Cancer Institute observed International Brain Tumour Awareness Week.
What’s it about? The Cancer Institute in Adyar announced it had completed more than 300 spine and brain tumour surgeries to mark International Brain Tumour Awareness Week. An event was organised with participants who underwent treatment for brain tumours to raise awareness.
- Early diagnosis can make a difference by looking out for symptoms like prolonged headaches, seizures, and weakness of arms. The institute stressed the need to reduce the fear associated with treatment.
More cases in Chennai: The Tamil Nadu cancer registry reported 1,200 new brain tumour cases annually, with Chennai having the most. The institute’s Department of Surgical Oncology has treated more than 2,000 patients.
Raising awareness: International Brain Tumour Awareness Week is observed by the International Brain Tumour Alliance between October 29 and November 5. The goal is to educate people on the myths about the disease and its treatments.
🏙️ Architect who saved Madras
Here’s the story of Laxman Chitale, who helped authorities when the city was being threatened.
Who is he? Laxman Chitale came from humble beginnings in Ratnagiri. At Kala Bhavan, an institute that trained students to draw, dye, and train them in mechanical engineering, he caught the eye of English architect Henry V Lanchester. He took him under his wing, and they designed several buildings in India, including the Jodhpur Palace. A job with the Madras government didn’t work out, so he started his own firm.
- As the world war peaked, the British were determined to protect their base at Avadi from the threat of Japanese bombs. The government looked to Laxman for guidance.
- He advised them on how to hide the city from aerial attacks. It worked, except for one incident. His interest in a city’s defences led to him writing a book on responding to air raids.
His work: His architectural company was the first to be established in South India. The mercantile Chettiars hired him to design two buildings at Annamalai University. He designed the monument for Poet Subramania Bharati in Ettayapuram. He also designed the Oriental Insurance Building, the first skyscraper in Madras.
👁️ Conjunctivitis cases increasing
Cases of conjunctivitis, or Madras Eye, have increased over the past week.
What’s it about? With rising cases of conjunctivitis, healthcare officials have set up a dedicated outpatient ward at the Regional Ophthalmic Institute in Egmore. Since last Monday, the hospital has been receiving at least 10 patients. Many private clinics and eye hospitals have also seen an increase in new cases over the past week.
- Patients come with classic symptoms like redness in the eyes, itching, and a discharge from the eyes. These are signs of infection.
- The small blood vessels in the conjunctiva, the transparent membrane, causes the white in the eye to appear red. Infections are common when transitioning from summer to monsoon.
Covid effect: During the pandemic, hand hygiene and social distancing norms helped prevent the spread of conjunctivitis. With restrictions eased, the infection spreads since it’s contagious. Its spread can be prevented by isolating people who have it.
📊 Today’s Poll
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Have you given up drinking sugary drinks?
- Yes, I’ve stopped drinking sugary drinks.
- No, I still have sugary drinks.
❓ Today’s Question
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What’s the last music album you purchased?
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🗞️ In other news…
- The Corporation has outlined a new strategy to deal with the next spell of rain.
- Seethammal Colony residents were sparred from their area being inundated with only moderate rains.
- IIT-Madras to crowdsource data to map waterlogging throughout the city.
- Residents compare rain data from North and South Chennai to obtain rainfall patterns.
- Several residents have spoken about the quick assistance they received from ward councillors during the rains.
That’s it for today. Have a great day!