A Tamil Nadu athlete, who was stripped of all her sporting medals including a silver medal won at the 2006 Doha Asian Games for track events after failing a gender test, got a government job last week.
Santhi Soundarajan, from Kathakudi village in Pudukottai district, has been appointed as a sports trainer in a permanent capacity by the Tamil Nadu Sports Development Authority with a monthly salary and other perks.
After the Asian Games, Santhi’s career took a downturn and she couldn’t get any decent job.
She reportedly sold her medals, worked in a brick kiln and even tried to commit suicide. Her struggles were highlighted by the media which started a campaign called Justice for Santhi, to restore her dignity.
Santhi is grateful to Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa and other supporters who managed to get her the current job. She also plans to sue and get back her medals.
Murder suspect dies in hospital of kidney failure
K Sivaguru, 58, accused of murdering six members of his family over a property dispute in 2010, died of kidney failure at the government hospital in Salem last week.
In 2010, Sivaguru and his teenage son reportedly killed his parents, two brothers and a 13-year old niece, enraged because his father had bequeathed his property to two other sons.
Later Sivaguru surrendered to police who also arrested his son, daughter, son-in-law, wife Mala and others. The case was then taken over by CB-CID who apprehended eight others including late DMK minister Veerapandi S Armugham’s nephew Parapatti Suresh.
Only Sivaguru was convicted, while the others were acquitted or got bail.
Fight over Jaya health lands two men in hospital
Two activists belonging to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam parties came to blows over ailing Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa’s health and were admitted to hospital at Pollachi in Coimbatore district last week.
Police said Lingadurai and James Raj were drunk.
Meanwhile the AIADMK’s 45th founding day on October 17 was a sober affair. The party members garlanded late chief minister M G Ramachandran’s photo and also prayed for Jayalalithaa’s recovery.
Jayalalithaa has been in hospital since September 22. Besides special public prayers, a team in Karnataka donated Rs10.6mn worth of gold and silver to temples in Mysuru for Jayalalithaa’s quick recovery.
Calligraphy institute
A 60-year-old institute teaching Urdu calligraphy in the crowded bylanes of Triplicane in central Chennai has been getting good response for the past few years.
Teachers at the Murthuzhaviya Educational and Cultural Foundation of South India say that demand for skilled calligraphers has grown as there is a demand for handwritten festival and function invitations.
Though there are hundreds of styles of calligraphy, this institute follows six versions at the foundation covering Na’stalik, Diwani and Thuluth. The two-year course trains students in pen positions, hand movement and inscriptions and graduates are given the title of Katib.
IT men raid textile retailer
Income Tax (IT) officials conducted raids at textile outlets of Pothy’s Private Limited in Chennai, Coimbatore and Puducherry for unaccounted cash last week.
Acting on a tip-off from police, IT officials found two of Pothy’s employees carrying cash of Rs10mn in Puducherry.
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