Good morning, Chennai!
☀️ Today’s weather: Sunny weather with high temperatures.
🧐 Did you know? The first phase of the MRTS opened in 1995 from the beach to Chepauk. It was considered the first elevated railway line in India.
🧵 Keeping the handloom traditions alive
City studios aim to keep India’s rich legacy and tradition of handloom weaving alive.
What’s it about? Since August 7 is celebrated as National Handloom Day, it’s a day to celebrate and pay homage to the historical art form and those who’ve dedicated their lives to it. Some city establishments are looking to keep that legacy alive with new patrons.
- Avishya, the online platform known for its sarees and fabrics, opened its first physical store in the city. There has been an increase in demand and appreciation for handloom textiles.
- Contemporary weaving studio, Shuttles & Needles, has been organising weaving workshops for the past 6 years. Among its patrons are doctors and lawyers taking up weaving as a hobby.
Spreading the message: Shuttles & Needles also takes their mission to schools since hand-weaving isn’t just a craft. It can be a medium of holistic learning. It can help develop logical thinking and analytical abilities. The studio wants it to become accessible to people from different backgrounds.
🚆 Passengers want better services
As the redevelopment of eight suburban stations begins, passengers want better and more frequent services.
What’s it about? The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone to redevelop eight suburban stations, which include Perambur, Arakkonam, and Chengalpet. However, commuters want better, more punctual, more frequent services and cleaner stations.
- Despite repeated long-standing demands for more trains on the Chennai to Tiruvallur and Gummidipoondi lines, the railways haven’t been able to deliver due to a shortage of rakes.
- Passengers feel sprucing up the stations is well and good, but the train services also need improvement. Delays and fewer trains have led to overcrowding, and some choose the metro instead to reach schools and offices.
Danger to passengers: Recently, due to a wrong announcement at the Ponneri station, commuters, including senior citizens, had to cross tracks to the opposite platform.
❔ Socio-economic survey
A socio-economic wellness survey will be done to gauge residents’ mental and physical health.
What’s it about? The survey will be conducted under the ‘Vada Chennai Valarcchi Thittam’ plan with questions on physical and mental health. The survey will be jointly done by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board, Chennai Corporation and the Directorate of Town & Country Planning.
- The sample size will be about 4,000 across several areas, including Aanna Nagar, Royapuram, Tondiarpet, and Thiruvottiyur. The survey will have 96 questions to collect information on school dropouts, health and education accessibility and women’s safety.
- The survey will also attempt to see how citizens are faring physically and mentally. It’ll attempt to gauge their stress levels, aspirations and obstacles in their lives. Among the participants will be persons with disabilities and women’s self-help groups.
Process: The survey will be conducted with the help of 500 volunteers each from Madras Christian College and Women’s Christian College. They’ll be divided into 100 groups.
📖 Book on India @100
Faculty and alumnus of IIT Madras authored a book on India @100.
What’s it about? The book explores ideas on what research and educational institutions should do to commemorate 100 years of independence. The book was published by the Indian Academy of Sciences as a part of the IIT Madras Alumni Association’s (IITMAA) thought leadership activities.
- The book is titled ‘Empowering India – Ideas for Action by Scientists and Engineers’. It’s written by Professor T Pradeep from the Department of Chemistry, and Krishnan Narayanan, the President of IITMAA.
- It contains inputs from over 100 scientists, including 40 IIT Madras alumni. Proceeds from the book sales will be contributed to scientific activities through the Indian Academy of Sciences.
Mann Ki Baat book: Another book titled ‘Mann ki Baat – Inspiring transformational capacity of a nation and its people’ was written by IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti, Venkatraghavan KS, Krishnan Narayanan and Professor VR Muraleedharan. The book explores how Mann Ki Baat has helped inspire the country.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Have you been to an art show in the city?
- I have been to an art show in the city.
- I haven’t been to an art show in the city.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
Which sport did you play the most in your childhood?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Tunnel boring under Adyar will begin next month as part of Metro Phase 2.
- Stray animal menace continues on several roads with minimal monitoring by the Corporation.
- Thirteen pedestrian plazas are slated to come up across the city under a World Bank-funded project.
- LG Electronics unveiled its new TV and microwave products hoping to cater to Chennai’s tech-savvy residents.
- IIT Madras and MeitY organised a symposium on the future of Digital India.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- Officials do a good job of keeping the city’s beaches clean: 60.0% 🏆
- Officials don’t do a good job of keeping the city’s beaches clean: 40.0%
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What style of painting/art would you like to get good at?
Chitra: “Oil painting”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!