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Ms. Kanimozhi
 

 Ms. Kanimozhi was born in 1968, when the world Tamil conference was held in Chennai, and her parents- Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru Karunanidhi and Rajathi Ammal - decided to name her as Kanimozhi, meaning sweet language.

She had her school education in the famous Presentation Convent and Church Park convent, where few other prominent women political leaders of today also had their education.

After her post graduation in Economics from the Ethiraj College in Chennai, she started her career in the editorial division of Young World, the weekly supplement in The Hindu and went on to become the Features Editor of the Tamil publication, Murosu, in Singapore.

Penning poems being her favourite past time, she is essentially recognised as a poetess with fire and ire against social injustice and a champion of women issues, and her works like Karuvarai Vasanai, Agathinai, Paarvaigal and Karukum Marudani came under many a critics scrutiny and appreciation as well. She also continues to air her views as a columnist in The Week.

Ms. Kanimozhi is greatly remembered for having organized, Namma Theru Vizha (Our Street Festival) showcasing Chennai’s long-lost traditional art forms. The concept was by Ms. Kanimozhi, which was taken forward by the Tamil Maiyam and the TN Department of Tourism and Culture. Chief Minister Karunanidhi flagged off the ceremony with a dance show, Sange Muzhangu, running through the evolution of the 2000-year old Tamil arts, literature and culture with 200 folk artistes sharing the space with classical performers in the six days of undiluted cultural display.

Ms. Kanimozhi says, I have always had a fascination for folk art forms. We wanted to have a cultural festival during Pongal (the harvest festival). In Tamil Maiyam, when we were discussing about celebrating the city of Chennai , which is an inclusive culture, we came up with this idea but did not expect it to make such a big impact. It was a surprise to have a first-hand experience about how so many forces, which can never come together for anything else, got together to work against something that they wanted to.”

Ms. Kanimozhi is also known for being the driving force behind the online forum Karuthu along with Finance Minister P Chidambaram's son Karthi Chidambaram. The web site says its 'foremost task is to voice its opinion against repression and to safeguard the fundamental rights of freedom of speech and expression.'

In spite of her hundred per cent contribution and participation in any activity which she takes on, Ms. Kanimozhi has always kept a low profile and has kept her distance from controversies and therefore has a positive public image. She comes across as one who believes in maintaining courtesies with all including those who are from different sides of the political spectrum. She is watchful about the manner in which she airs her opinions and her live-and-let-live attitude has always  gone in her favour.

Kanimozhi is credited with organizing Rural Job camps in Kanyakumari, Virudunagar and Vellore districts. These camps provided a remarkable meeting point for unemployed rural youth and corporates. Through these camps more than 30000 youth got jobs.

 
Fr. Jegath Gaspar Raj
   
Academic        :  

B.A. (History)
B. Ph. (Philosophy)
B. Th. (Theology)
M.A. (Political Science)
M.A (Strategic Studies)

 

   
Professional    :

International Broadcast Journalist Radio at Veritas Asia, Manila Philippines (1996-2002).

Managing Director, Goodwill Communications Ltd. Has core competencies in Media research, Social research, Policy and development strategies (Since 2003).

Part time HR consultancy with MaFoi Management Consultants Ltd (2004-2007).

   
Social Leadership :
  • Parish Priest, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Sahayanagar, Kanyakumari Dt. (1992-1995).
  • Founder & Managing Trustee of Tamil Maiyam, the pre-eminent socio-cultural organization of Chennai.
  • Co-created Chennai Sangamam along with Kanimozhi, managing its planning, logistics and execution.
  • Co-Founder of GiveLife project and the organization with Mrs. Akhila Srinivasan. GiveLife currently provides scholarship, nutritional breakfast and holistic personality development to around 14000 underprivileged children, arresting child labour and trafficking in children.
  • Held complete planning and implementing leadership of the GiveLife Chennai Marathon in August 2008 sponsored by the MARG group. More than 170000 people ran the Marathon to make it historic and the biggest so far in India.
  • Instrumental in establishing a model care school for the children of migrant construction workers at the  Lumbini Square, Purasaiwalkam, Chennai.
  • Played key role in scaling up and expanding the Rural Job camps conducted by the Vazhikatti organization run by the Salesians of Don Bosco.
 
Concept Creator  :

Fr. Jegath Gaspar Raj conceptualized and executed the following remarkable projects:

- Thiruvasagam in Symphony-Oratorio by Maestro Ilaiyaraja. The musical magnum opus of Maestro Ilaiyaraja, orchestrated in the Oratorio style, the enthralling symphonic background played by the 146 strength Hungarian Budapest Symphony Orchestra. Recorded in Budapest, New York, Bombay and Chennai, the sound mixing was done by Richard King, a Grammy Award winner at the Sony Studios, New York.

Dr. Manmohansingh, the Prime Minister of India received the first copy; Former President Dr Abdul Kalam listened to it in the Rashtrapathi Bhavan, and the then Union Minister For Culture Mr. Jaipal Reddy launched it in Chennai on June 30, 2005.

- Mozart Meets India.

The carnatic ragas Kaapi, Banduvarali, Bilahari, Sankarabaranam, Sinthu Bhairavi and Hamsananthi are explored in the Western Symphony system giving harmonic versatility to the ragas. That both systems were brought to blend without losing their distinctive grammar  and character is the success of this challenging effort. An unknown genius from Tirunelveli, Jesuraj worked the musical wonder with conceptual backing from Rev. Fr. Jegath Gaspar Raj. Kanimozhi patronized the project. The creation had a philosophy to experiment. That integration need not necessarily mean dissolution of individual identities. Harmonious integration is possible among cultures and civilizations which retain their unique characters and identities.

- Indian Christmas.

Not many could imagine that the eternally reverberating carol ‘Silent Night’ could be quietly brought to ‘Neelambari’ raagam. And the ‘Jingle Bells’ to Kathana Kuthu Koolam. Indeed an extraordinary effort which took the essence and feel of Indian music to Europe and North America. Tamil Maiyam passionately believes in the beauty and purposefulness of enriching conversations and dialogue through arts and culture. Dogmatism and exclusivity are the antithesis of art, music and culture which actually reveal the ultimate essence of the human quest for freedom and meaning. Diversity is part of our spirituality.

- Vazhum Valluvam.

Among the books in Tamil, Thirukural by far has the largest number of translations. It’s neither a scripture nor an epic, but an extraordinary treatise on the Art of Living. It also bears evidence to the level of civilization and culture as well as intellectual attainments the Tamils reached nearly 2000 years ago. ‘Vazhum Valluvam’ puts to music 50 couplets from Thirukural. The relevance of Thirukural has become the focus of intense discussions in the context of the violence and politics of hatred perpetrated in the name of religions. Thirukural could be the most eminent Book which can give foundations for a system of ethics and spirituality beyond the boundaries of religions.

- Insha Allah.

‘Someone is listening! A Guru, a wise one!’ sang Kabir, 600 years ago. Mukhtiar Ali who hail from the Pugal village of Rajasthan bordering Pakistan brought the ethereal spirit of Sufi music to Chennai. In the Egmore Museum Theatre it was an experience of immersion, provocation, reflection and revelation. The superb blend of mysticism, classicism and folk idioms made Mukhtiar Ali’s music splendid and extraordinary. Sufism is the mystical and ancient branch of Islam that emphasizes the seeker’s path toward ecstatic unity with God. The great Sufi Jalaludin Rumi wrote in the 13th century thus: “Today, like every other day, we wake up empty and frightened. Don’t open the door to the study and begin reading. Instead take down a musical instrument. Let the beauty we love be what we do”.

- Season of Love.

Christmas & New Year are times of giving and sharing. Margazhi as a month brings music, dance and bakhthi. Season of Love celebrates the spirit of this season. It brought together thousands of orphan & street children and people of Chennai to share some moments of joy and care. It ran campaigns against violence, terror and hatred. From the Season of Love proceeds we have built care homes for the children of migrant workers and provided scholarship to hundreds of poor children. Season of Love 2008 was unique. On December 26 while believers walked from Temples, Churches and mosques, non-believers started from Periar statue to converge  near Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Marina. They prayed for harmony and remembered the victims of violence with candle light vigil. On December 27 the city came together with 5000 orphans and street children conquering the mood of despair through compassion. The children were shared good food, gifts, New Year clothes and love. The same story of joy followed the next day with the elderly.

- Come on Kidz – Sirar Sangamam.

A world class festival to the children of Chennai. Games, fun, colour, theatre, music, knowledge, values, science, mythology and many more. Focussed on strengthening the bond between children, parents, teachers, elders, past, present and the future. All in a spirit of celebrations with more than 100000 children and their families.

    • To create a composite and high profile Children’s festival for Chennai’s Children.
    • To bring children, parents and products and services relevant to children under the same roof.
    • To give to children their most cherished entitlement; joy and fun.
    • To contribute towards the children to be true civil society members by educating ad involving them in three initiatives namely Green Chennai, Clean Chennai and Safe Roads.
 
Publisher         : Fr. Jegath Gaspar is the Founder-Chairman of ‘Naller’(ešny®) publications. The catalogue so far has the following books:


16. நூற்களித பட்டியல்

 

1.   தமிழ்நாட்டுக் கிறித்துவம் தொகுதி-ஒன்று

2.   வானியலும் தமிழரும்

3.   உலகளவிய தமிழ்

4.   எபிரேயத்தின் தாய்மொழி தமிழே

5.   TAMIL AND HEBREW

6.   உலக மொழிகளில் தமிழின் வேர்சொற்கள்

7.   THE BABYLONIAN THAMI™H

8.   உலக மொழிகளில் தமிழின் வேர்சொற்கள்

9.   தமிழும் சமற்கிருதமும்

10.

11. தொல்காப்பியச் சிந்தனைகள்

12. பஃறுளி முதல் யூப்ரடிசு வரை

13. தமிழும் சமற்கிருதமும் தொகுதி-இரண்டு

14. எல்-யா

15. சிந்துவெளி நாகரிகம்

Writer             :
Fr. Jegath Gaspar has written four books and several articles in Tamil. He has also penned lyrics for more than 75 devotional and theme based songs.
Musician         :
Plays harmonium, guitar and dabla. Has composed more than 100 songs mostly Christian devotionals. He has produced and released 7 music albums.
Analyst           :
Has written and presented more than 300 analysis programs on international issues, Indian politics and the SriLankan ethnic conflict, mostly through Radio Veritas Asia during 1996-2002.
Public Speaker
Fr. Jegath Gaspar Raj is a well recognized public speaker. He is proficient both in Tamil and English and has given more than 750 speeches on different subjects in various forums.
Trainer, Counsellor Competency in motivational and value training. And youth counseling.
Traveller         :
Travels and consequent encounters with cultures and communities have substantially influenced his convictions and world views. He has traveled across the following countries: Brazil, Mexico, Paraguvey, Venezuvela, Cuba, USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Luxemburg, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia, South Africa, Britain, Philippines, SriLanka and the Gulf, Middle Eastern countries.
Psephology     :
Fr. Jegath Gaspar heads a team of researchers who can gauge, measure and predict the public mood accurately. His organization Goodwill Communications Ltd accurately predicted the 2006 Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections.
Activist           :
Manalikuzhivilai, Kanyakumari District. Headed and guided a people’s movement in defence of the constitutional right of Freedom of worship. Importantly he built peace between two hostile communities.
 
Lends his voice extensively to highlight the sufferings, human issues and political rights of the SriLankan Tamils.
 
Participates enthusiastically in issues related to gender equity, civil society, democracy, Dalit empowerment.
Best of Life:  
   War disintergrates families, communities. The almost 30 years war perpetrated mercilessly on the Tamils by the Sinhala dominated SriLankan Government has killed more than 150000 innocent Tamils and displaced more than two million people both internally and externally. It’a genocidal war without much witness. Using the medium of International Short Wave Radio which he headed between 1996-2002 he re-united 4626 families disintegrated by the war, through a program called “URAVU PAALAM – cwî¥ ghy«.
Born   :  January 22, 1966
Parents   :     Sree Padmanaban alias Maria Paulian & Mary Pushpa.
Village of birth : Kanjampuram, Kanyakumari Dt.
Schooling     : Govt. Primary School, Parakudi.
Govt. High School, Ezhuthesa Patru.
Carmel Higher Secondary School, Nagercoil.
Colleges      : Sacred Heart Seminary, Poonamallee.
Madurai Kamaraj University.
Delasalle, Manila.