Traffic diversions on Nalgonda X Roads - Owaisi Junction till July 21

Singer Mano during an interaction at 'The Hindu' head office in Chennai on July 9, 2026. | Shivaraj “Every song has been a beautiful experience,” said singer Mano on Thursday (July 9, 2026), as he reflected on his four-decade journey in film music at The Hindu’s head office in Chennai.With over 10,000 songs in Tamil and Telugu, besides hundreds of numbers in other languages like Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali, Mano’s voice has been a constant companion for music fans during their highs and lows. In a freewheeling conversation, moderated by B. Kolappan, Senior Deputy Editor, The Hindu, Mr. Mano went down memory lane as he recalled his childhood tryst with music. “My father and grandfather were both musicians too. We were a family that staged several mythological dramas. I was named Nagore Babu, but from a young age, we went to all places of religious worship. By the time I was six or seven, I knew all the characters and the songs we were performing,” he said.Reflecting on his musical grounding, Mr. Mano credited his training in Carnatic music and his 2.5 year-experience with Tamil composer M.S. Viswanathan for his early success. “Working with him (MSV), I learnt how to write notes. I learnt the different styles of taalam. All this was very useful as my musical career progressed,” said Mr. Mano, who also had a long-standing relationship with Telugu composer K. Chakravarthy.It was maestro Ilaiyaraaja who christened him ‘Mano’, a name that has stayed with him. Mr. Mano said recording his debut track for Mr. Ilaiyaraaja, ‘Then Mozhi’, from Solla Thudikuthu Manasu, remains one of his most vivid memories. “Raja sir taught me the zha letter, which didn’t come to me naturally then,” said Mr. Mano, who went on to have a long musical journey with the Isaignani, which includes Enga Ooru Paatukaaran, a film in which he sang all the songs. “It was unforgettable. I’m not sure how many singers would have such an experience.” Singer Mano during an interaction at ‘The Hindu’ office in Chennai | Mano also addressed comparisons that music lovers often drew between his voice and that of S.P. Balasubrahmanyam. “In a song in Jallikattu, both SPB and I sang together, and I remember Raja sir jokingly asking us who sang which line,” recalled the singer, who is also widely celebrated for his versatility across songs such as Sirpy’s ‘Azhagiya Laila’ and AR Rahman’s ‘Muqqabula’, among others. “Singing in commercial films makes you go to a different zone. I grew up as a singer alongside the likes of SPB, Yesudas and Malaysia Vasudevan – who were giants in the industry – and am grateful to the many composers who gave me opportunities in their projects.”Apart from his singing prowess, Mr. Mano also has a solid track record as a dubbing artiste – he has been the voice of several Rajinikanth films in Telugu. Currently, Mano is helming a mentorship programme to give aspiring singers stage opportunities, the Chennai leg of which is scheduled for September this year. “I have seen many ups and downs in life and have realised that constant practice and passion are the route to success. The younger generation craves instant gratification and success, but I feel that the voice needs daily practice and rigour.” Published - July 09, 2026 06:46 pm IST

In a recent letter to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay urged the Centre to retain the present entitlement of 35 kg of foodgrains per month for every household under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana, irrespective of the size of family. | In this context, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s request to Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to disturb the existing provision assumes significance.Of the five years (from 2019-20 to 2025-26), it was during the COVID-19 pandemic year (2020-21) that the drawal was almost close to the allocated figure of around 6.99 lakh tonnes, with the off-take being about 98%. In the remaining four years, it varied from around 73% during 2022-23 and 2023-24 to 79% during 2024-25. Only in two years (2019-20 and 2025-26) did the utilisation exceed the allocated quantity, close to 108%.Free supplyBetween 2020 and 2023, the Union government implemented the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) to provide free foodgrains in addition to the regular allocation in view of the pandemic. In those years, Tamil Nadu came under criticism of the Union government that it had made more use of the free foodgrains than its regular allocation as rice was then supplied to the State at ₹3 per kg for AAY and priority household (PHH) cards.Since January 1, 2023, the Union government has not been charging any amount for rice meant for the two categories of cards. It has extended, for five years effective January 1, 2024, the period of distribution of free foodgrains, the arrangement of which is named as the PMGKAY.In a recent letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. Vijay urged the Centre to retain the present entitlement of 35 kg of foodgrains per month for every household under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), irrespective of the size of family, as had been the practice since the enactment of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in 2013.Amendment proposedThe amendment, proposed by the Centre, seeks to provide 7 kg per person per month, subject to an overall ceiling of 35 kg per household. Mr. Vijay apprehended that the move, if implemented, would “diminish the food security” of nearly 70 lakh of the most vulnerable people of the State and result in the reduction of the monthly quota from 65,261 tonnes to approximately 42,040 tonnes.Enquiries with field officials reveal that many undeserving persons have been added to the list of AAY beneficiaries over the years. They have to be weeded out, and a drive is in progress. As of now, there are 18,64,600 AAY ration cards, covering 69,26,983 beneficiaries. Of them, the number of AAY cardholders, having the family size of below 5, is 15.75 lakh, with 58.51 lakh beneficiaries.Scope for misuseA former policymaker, who handled the subject of food for long, feels that the Centre’s move is well meaning, as the present entitlement of 35 kg for an AAY ration card, regardless of the size of the family, has been giving enormous scope for misuse, and it is next to impossible for the authorities to stop this.T. Sadagopan, president, Tamil Nadu Progressive Consumer Centre, suggests that as the average family size in the State is about 3.5, the quantity be fixed at 30 kg per family, irrespective of the number of family members.The response of Food Minister P. Venkataramanan is awaited. Published - July 07, 2026 10:10 pm IST

Image used for representation | Srinath The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has completed road improvement works on 19,126 bus routes and interior roads covering 3,454.81 km over the past five years.These were undertaken as part of Singara Chennai 2.0, the Tamil Nadu Urban Road Infrastructure Fund (TURIF), the Urban Roads Development Project (NSMT), the State Finance Commission (SFC), and other special funds. The works were carried out at a total cost of ₹2,417.74 crore.According to official data, in 2021-22, the civic body completed 1,640 of 1,656 roadworks spanning 312.87 km at a cost of ₹213.16 crore. It also constructed a wooden pathway for persons with disabilities at Marina Beach at ₹1.14 crore, replaced 4,681 conventional road name boards with digital signboards at ₹8.43 crore, and completed road-laying works at the Kodungaiyur dumping ground at ₹11.08 crore.During 2022-23, the Corporation completed 3,523 of 3,611 roads covering 609.17 km at a cost of ₹427.51 crore. It also carried out beautification works beneath nine bridges and built a wooden pathway for persons with disabilities at Besant Nagar Beach.In 2023-24, 6,206 of 6,517 roadworks covering 1,100 km were completed at a cost of ₹710.18 crore. During 2024-25, another 3,125 of 3,273 roadworks covering 580 km were completed at ₹409 crore. The civic body also beautified the Mint Street flyover underpass, constructed an entrance arch at Mariyammal Nagar, and converted 6,462 road name boards into digital signboards.For 2025-26, the Corporation completed 4,632 of 5,088 roadworks covering 852.77 km at a cost of ₹657.89 crore, with the remaining works under progress. Published - July 06, 2026 12:27 pm IST