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The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
‘A leader who represented three significant eras of communist history'
K.N. Balagopal V.S. Achuthanandan was that rare leader who represented three significant eras of communist history. Comrade VS began his political life during India's freedom struggle. He was at the forefront of the Punnapra-Vayalar struggle, which symbolised the communist movement against British colonialism. He was also a frontline leader in the campaigns against the princely rule in Travancore and regressive social custom such as casteism. He rose to the leadership of the Communist Party by organising farm labourers and equipping them for a historic struggle. When the first communist government led by E.M.S. Namboothiripad came to power in Kerala, VS was the district secretary of the Communist Party in Alappuzha. During the 1975 Emergency, during the setbacks faced by communist organisations globally after the fall of the Soviet Union, and the era of globalisation of the 1990s, he evolved into a major communist figure leading the progressive movements. He was perhaps the only leader who played a leadership role in these three phases of the party. I first met VS, the communist leader during my college days. Later when he was the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, I got to know him better. He was always keen on studying issues deeply and extending his support wherever it was needed. When he became the Chief Minister, I got the opportunity to work with him as his political secretary. I was serving as the national president of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) when the then Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and VS asked me to shoulder this responsibility. VS was particular that the issues he took up were attended to promptly. He did not care for technicalities. Also, if he was convinced about something, it was very difficult to shake his belief in it. I feel that this was both the positive and negative characteristic of his personality. He was also very disciplined in his diet and exercise regimen. Mullaperiyar Dam As Chief Minister, he was able to kickstart many initiatives. One example was the discussions held between Kerala and the Tamil Nadu team led by its then Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on the Mullaperiyar Dam. Although the dispute could not be resolved, these discussions helped in bringing the two States closer. He was keenly interested in new ideas. I was with him when he rode the Delhi Metro before the project was launched in Kochi. As Chief Minister, he maintained close relations with the Union government. He had very close relations with Lalu Prasad Yadav (the then Union Railway Minister) and many other senior political leaders on the national scene. These relations also worked to Kerala's advantage during the first Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government which had the support of the Left. Kerala benefitted much from VS's national-level connections, especially in matters of development, including railway infrastructure. I consider it a great experience to have had the opportunity to work with such a tall leader of Indian politics. I also cherish the affection and care that he and the members of his family showered on me. (The writer is the Finance Minister of Kerala and was the political secretary to V.S. Achuthanandan when he was the Chief Minister)
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Construction of ₹77-crore Chennai Corporation Council Hall delayed; facility to be ready in 2027
Construction of the Greater Chennai Corporation's (GCC) much-anticipated new Council Hall, which was initially planned to be ready before the 2026 State Assembly election, has now been delayed by a year. According to a GCC official, technical issues have pushed the timeline, and the facility is now expected to be completed only in 2027. In December 2022, Mayor R. Priya announced that the construction would take around 12 months to 15 months, with council meetings likely to begin in the new hall by 2026. However, the tender for the construction is now scheduled to be opened only on July 15, and with a project duration of 24 months from the start date, officials now estimate that the building will be ready in 2027. The project was announced by Minister for Municipal Administration and Water Supply K.N. Nehru in June 2024, as part of the Kalaignar Centenary Year celebrations. The city would undergo a delimitation process, and the council would be expanded to 300 councillors, the Minister had said. 'While the core expenditure for the overall project is an estimated ₹62.57 crore, the overall expenditure is ₹77 crore, considering the additional expenditure and maintenance expenses,' the GCC official said. Design ready 'A private architectural firm proposed the design for the new council hall that was reviewed and finalised three months ago. The new building will consist of four floors, covering a total area of over one lakh square feet. The ground floor will feature an entrance and foyer. The second floor will house offices of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Standing Committees, Ward Committees, the leader of the ruling party, among other party heads. Conference rooms for committee meetings will also be located on the second floor. Rooms designated for the GCC Council Department have also been accommodated. The third floor will be dedicated to the main hall, where council meetings and GCC budget sessions will take place,' he said. He added that the Indo-Saracenic style of the old building is also being incorporated in the new building design. 'The design is finalised, but work order has not been issued to contractors to begin construction. Only after the order is issued, the final design can be released,' he said. The official said the older structure, which will be demolished to raise the new Council Hall, had spaces for certain associations related to the Chennai Corporation, and a canteen for those agencies. These will be accommodated in the main building or other areas within the Ripon Buildings premises, he added.
The Hindu
07-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
IIT-Tirupati hosts open house for JEE-Advanced qualified students
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Tirupati on Saturday hosted an Open House event for prospective students who qualified the JEE-Advanced 2025. Around 60 students participated in person and 120 through online mode to understand the academic programmes, campus life, and opportunities. IIT Tirupati Director Prof. K.N. Satyanarayana provided an overview of the institute, revealing the state-of-the-art facilities and campus development. He informed the students about the undergraduate curriculum, dual degrees, and branch change policy. He also threw light on the opportunities for research and industry collaboration. In an interactive session with the parents who joined in hybrid mode, Prof. Satyanarayana clarified doubts and shared insights into the institute. After the session, the parents and students went on a campus tour, exploring the facilities and getting a feel for life at IIT-Tirupati. The event was attended by Deans, Heads of Departments (HoDs), and the faculty, making it a valuable experience for the students and their families.
Engadget
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
The best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories for 2025
Sam Rutherford for Engadget Now that the Switch 2 is finally here, you may be equally as excited to kit out your new console with the right accessories as you are to dive into Mario Kart World . Not only can the right accessories make it easier and more fun to play all of the games you love, but they can also make your gaming experience better in different environments, be it on the couch, in an airplane or in the car. We're excited to get our hands on some of the newest Switch 2 accessories (more on those below), but plenty of our favorite classics are compatible with the Switch 2 as well as older versions of the console. These are our current favorite Nintendo Switch 2 accessories, and we'll add to this list over time as we test out new gear. Though we absolutely adore 8BitDo's PlayStation-styled Pro 2 gamepad for its versatility and design (so much so that we featured it in our Switch OLED accessories guide), for many the ideal controller style is that of the Xbox, with its thicker middle and centrally-placed left analog stick. Fortunately 8BitDo has released an update to its Ultimate controller, one with faster buttons and sensitive but also more durable thumb sticks. It's a luxury gamepad experience for a rather reasonable price. — Kris Naudus, Former Commerce Writer $60 at Amazon It can always feel a bit weird to play your Switch in tabletop mode, hunched over a desk or table with the controller clutched in both hands. The Lite SE is made for gamers with limited mobility, but everyone can benefit from this controller that puts the shoulder buttons on the front and has a grippy back so you can just lay it flat on the table for a more arcade-like experience. It's also great if you just want to play it one-handed when you're busy with a drink or a needy pet. — K.N. $21 at Amazon Our top pick for the best gaming headset, the Turtle Beach Atlas Air is a good place to start if you want a dedicated pair of cans to use with the Switch 2. These wireless headphones have an open-back design, which do let some ambient noise in but also create the sense that the game you're playing is happening around you rather than just inside your head. While the design isn't anything to write home about in terms of aesthetics, it's comfortable and lightweight at only 0.66 pounds, and its detachable boom mic will come in handy when playing online with friends. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor $147 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $180 at Best Buy If you want most of the advantages of a gaming headset without all the bulk, the Tusq is a great mobile solution you can tuck into your bag. Like many earbuds made for mobile, the Tusq has a built-in mic. But, unlike most, it also has a detachable boom mic that'll ensure your voice comes in crystal clear when you need it the most. The headset uses a standard 3.5mm plug so it'll play nice with the headphone jack on your Switch, too. — K.N. $42 at Amazon Explore More Buying Options $58 at Walmart One of our top picks for the best power banks, this Anker brick might be called a laptop power bank, but it can power up much more than just notebooks. Its 100W power delivery should be plenty of give your Switch 2 some extra juice while you're traveling, and you won't even have to remember to bring a USB-C cable with you since the brick has two built in. It performed well in our testing and we like its built-in display that shows the amount of power left in the bank itself, as well as the wattage funneling to each device you have connected to it. — V.P. $135 at Amazon We're mentioning the SanDisk microSD Express Card in this guide for now since it's the only microSD Express Card we've been able to fully test at this point. In our testing, we found SanDisk's card to be super fast, with impressive sequential read and write speeds. At its best, it's roughly twice as fast as the best UHS-I models we've tested. It's on the expensive side, though, starting at $54 for 128GB, and currently its only other configuration is 256GB. Ultimately, we recommend waiting for more microSD Express cards to become available so you have more options to choose from before buying. But if you simply must kick off your Switch 2 experience with expanded storage ad are willing to pay the price, this is a good option. — V.P. $54 at Adorama Explore More Buying Options $54 at Amazon$60 at Best Buy Nintendo announced a bunch of new accessories when it revealed the Switch 2 earlier this year. Key among them are a new Switch 2 Pro controller, Switch 2 camera, an all-in-one carrying case and more. Our staff will be testing out a bunch of these accessories, and we'll keep our favorites list up to date as we do so. If you're interested in picking any of those new Switch 2 accessories up, you can find them at a variety of retailers: Joy-Con 2 bundle Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Switch 2 Pro Controller Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Switch 2 Camera Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Hori Nintendo Switch 2 Piranha Plant Camera Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Joy-Con 2 Wheels (set of 2) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Switch 2 All-in-One Carrying Case Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon
The Hindu
01-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Foreign aid nod to Maharashtra: Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal slams Centre for unfair treatment
Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal has accused the Union government of bias in permitting Maharashtra to accept foreign aid for its Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF). Responding to the Centre's decision, Mr. Balagopal said here on Sunday that Kerala had been denied permission to accept aid from outside the country in the aftermath of the devastating 2018 floods. The Union government had denied permission despite the offers for assistance from abroad, he recalled. Mr. Balagopal said that Kerala was not against Maharashtra receiving foreign aid, but it was important that the Union government saw all States on an equal footing. Discrimination He said that it would not be surprising if Keralites felt that even in moments of great crisis, there was discrimination among States. 'Any State receiving aid in a crisis is a good thing. Giving permission to accept the aid is also a good thing. But the Centre's approach gives room for doubt that the decision is driven by political bias,' he said. Mr. Balagopal said it was quite unbecoming of administrators when politics became the yardstick and not the magnitude of disasters. Such approaches also failed to uphold federal principles, he said. The Kerala Finance Minister's remarks come close on the heels of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs granting the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010, registration to Maharashtra's CMDRF, thereby enabling it to receive foreign donations for 'social' programmes. No aid post-landslides Mr. Balagopal also recalled that, following the 2024 landslides in Wayanad, Kerala had expected Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce assistance on two occasions—during his visit to the disaster sites and later when he dedicated the Vizhinjam port to the nation. On both occasions, the State was disappointed, he said.
