Latest news with #Prabhakaran
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Velu Prabhakaran, Kollywood's enfant terrible, dead at 68
Chennai: Cinematographer-turned-filmmaker Velu Prabhakaran , who explored diverse themes such as atheism, caste, and sexuality, often courting controversy with the censor board, died at the age of 68 following a prolonged illness. Prabhakaran started his career in films as a cinematographer in 'Ivargal Vithyasamanavargal' in 1980 and made his directorial debut in 1989 with 'Nalaya Manithan', starring Prabu, Amala, and Jaishankar. The science-fiction inspired story, which revolves around a miracle drug that reanimates the dead and turns them immortal, received mixed reviews. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai Before moving on to make a sequel, 'Adisaya Manidhan', with Ajay Ratnam and Goutami in 1990, he directed another movie and worked as a cinematographer for G M Kumar's movie 'Pick Pocket', starring Sathyaraj. Seven years later, his movie 'Kadavul' fetched him the state film award for best dialogue writer. His 2004 film titled 'Kadhal Arangam', debuting Preethi Rangayani and Shirley Das in leading roles, took on the caste system and explored sexuality. After a five-year battle with the censor board, in 2009, he re-edited the movie, muted some dialogues, and even changed its title to 'Kadhal Kathai' to get the certification. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Canadian Residents Are Now Eligible for a New Financial Program Canada Today Undo However, in the title credits, he added an extended scene narrating the difficulties in releasing the movie. The same year, the director announced his marriage to Shirley Das. He was earlier married to filmmaker and actor P Jayadevi. Prabhakaran directed his last film, 'Oru Iyakkunarin Kadhal Diary', in 2017. Between 2019 and 2025, Prabhakaran acted in nine films, including 'Pizza 3: The Mummy' and 'Gangs of Madras'.
India.com
08-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Who was Prabhakaran? Dreaded LTTE chief and mastermind of ex-India PM Rajiv Gandhi assassination
LTTE founder Velupillai Prabhakaran was killed on May 18, 2009. (File) Velupillai Prabhakaran, the notorious leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who masterminded the shocking assassination of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, is regarded as one of the most infamous yet influential insurgents in the last 50 years. The 54-year-old who was reportedly killed by Sri Lankan forces on May 18, 2009, led a decades-long insurgency that transformed the serene island nation into a warzone in which hundreds of thousands were killed, maimed and injured, and millions displaced. Who was Prabhakaran? Born into a middle-class family in Valvettiturai, a fishing town on the northern coast of Sri Lanka's Jaffna peninsula, Prabhakaran was the youngest of four children, however, not much is known about his early life. 'My childhood was spent in the small circle of a lonely, quiet house,' Prabhakaran had said in a 1994 interview. In the interview, the slain LTTE chief revealed that his deep-seated anger against the military as he recalled a teacher in his middle school extorting students to take up arms against the violence perpetrated against the ethnic Tamilians by the state. 'It is he who impressed on me the need for armed struggle and persuaded me to put my trust in it.' At the time, Jaffna was considered the heart of Tamilian culture and literature in Sri Lanka, and soon emerged as the center of the growing Tamil nationalist movement, which demanded greater autonomy for Tamil-majority areas to protest against the alleged discrimination against Tamils by Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority. How Prabhakaran emerged as the leader of LTTE? In 1975, Prabhakaran emerged as one of the faces of Tamil New Tigers– the predecessor of the LTTE– after the group claimed responsibility for the assassination of Alfred Duraiappah, the then mayor of Jaffna city. A year later, Prabhakaran established the LTTE, a guerilla movement which later evolved into a full-scale civil war in 1983, when the group ambushed and killed 13 Sri Lankan army troops in Jaffna. In retaliation, more than 3,000 Tamils, mainly in Colombo, were killed in wanton violence that lasted several days, marking the beginning a full-blown civil war that lasted for decades, and tore apart the Sri Lanka to its very core. According to Prabhakaran, the 1983 'holocaust', infamously dubbed 'Black July', 'united all sections of the Tamil masses'. Soon, the onset of July instilled fear among Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority as the the LTTE would commemorate the month with bombings and assassinations, while Prabhakaran rose from a radical Tamil nationalist to a feared terrorist insurgent. Why Prabhakaran assassinated Rajiv Gandhi? India is home to a large population of ethnic Tamils and the Indian state is believed to have clandestinely supported the Tamil cause in Sri Lanka since its very inception. However, in 1987, then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi decided send in Indian peacekeeping troops to Sri Lanka, to crush the LTTE and Tamil nationalist movement in the neighboring country. Consequently, the LTTE, under the leadership of Prabhakaran, orchestrated the assassination of the then Indian Prime Minister, when he was targeted by a female suicide bomber in during a public meeting in Tamil Nadu in 1991. The incident made Prabhakaran the most wanted man in India and changed the public opinion about the Tamilian cause in Sri Lanka, even though the LTTE leader never claimed responsibility for the assassination. 'It is a tragic incident that happened 10 years ago. We are not in a position to make a comment,' Prabhakaran told reporters in 2002. Prabhakaran's cult of personality Over the years, the LTTE became a cult of personality centered around Prabhakaran as the group steadily acquired massive caches of conventional weapons, and also pioneered two of the most brutal tactics of modern guerrilla warfare; child recruitment and suicide bombing. As per 1996 UN report, children as young as 10 deployed to kill women and children in remote rural villages, while about 40%-60% dead LTTE fighters during the 1990s were children under 18, according to a 2004 Human Rights Watch report. Later in 1987, Prabhakaran founded the Black Tigers– suicide cadres of the LTTE, most of whom were young women. These future suicide bombers would be graced with a private dinner with Prabhakaran, before being deployed on their missions, as per reports. How Prabhakaran was killed? On May 18, 2009, the Sri Lankan government announced that Prabhakaran had been killed in action by Sri Lankan forces, decades after the dreaded terrorist leader had been pursued by the country's armed forces through jungles and other rough terrains. Akin to other LTTE fighters, Prabhakaran had pledged to die by suicide, and reportedly wore a cyanide capsule around his neck if he was ever captured by the Sri Lankan Army. In a 2002 press conference, the LTTE supremo revealed that he has directed his aides and bodyguards to kill him if his capture was imminent, and he was unable to end his life at that time. A day after his death, the Sri Lankan army released images of his dead body, still draped in LTTE fatigues, on state-run TV, where his face was clearly visible.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Foundation stone for integrated steel plant soon at Konseri
Nagpur: The high court's decision to dismiss the public interest litigation (PIL) against the environmental clearance (EC) granted for Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited's (LMEL) iron ore mines clears the way for sourcing adequate raw material for the company's steel project at Konseri village in the same district, said managing director B Prabhakaran. The company will soon hold a foundation-laying event for its integrated steel plant at the site. This will be a facility producing a whole gamut of steel products. With a capacity of 4.5 million tonnes, it will be the biggest in Vidarbha, he said. The first phase pellet-making plant at the same site is also expected to become operational in the coming days. It has a capacity of 4 million tones. The slurry pipeline too will become operational along with it. The pipeline, which will transport iron ore in slurry form, will reduce the dependence on roads, he said. The second phase of the pellet making plant with a similar capacity is expected to get operational by December, said Prabhakaran. An integrated steel plant is akin to the facilities of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) in Bhilai or Tata in Jamshedpur. Iron ore is the basic raw material for steel making. The clearance to expand the mining operation ensures a steady supply of ore, he said. The plant at Konseri is located around 100km away from the mines at Surjagarh. Currently, a direct reduced iron (DRI) plant is operational at the site.
Straits Times
17-06-2025
- Straits Times
Man charged over stabbing at void deck in Yishun
Prabhakaran Vinayaka is accused of committing the offence at Block 467B Yishun Avenue 6 on June 13. PHOTO: ST FILE Man charged over stabbing at void deck in Yishun SINGAPORE – A man accused of stabbing another person at the void deck of Block 467B Yishun Avenue 6 was handed an assault charge on June 17. Court documents stated that Singaporean Prabhakaran Vinayaka, 31, allegedly used a 'sharp object' to stab the man's chest once, shortly before 7.50pm on June 13. In a statement, the police said that the 29-year-old victim was conscious when he was taken to hospital. Chinese-language news platform Shin Min Daily News earlier cited a resident as saying that the victim was her neighbour and that he was with his two children when the incident occurred. The man reportedly took his children home after he was injured. The children went to the woman's flat to ask for help. She rushed over to their home and saw that the man was bleeding. According to the woman, she applied pressure on the wound to staunch the bleeding and got the other neighbours to call an ambulance. Prabhakaran's case will be mentioned again in court on June 24. An offender convicted of using a weapon to commit assault can be jailed for up to seven years, fined, caned, or receive any combination of such punishments. Shaffiq Alkhatib is The Straits Times' court correspondent, covering mainly criminal cases heard at the State Courts. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
The Hindu
07-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Not all cognitive decline is dementia and not all dementia is Alzheimer's stress clinicians this brain awareness month
The estimated dementia prevalence in India is 7.4% among adults aged 60 and older. This translates to about 8.8 million Indians currently living with dementia. The prevalence is projected to increase significantly in the coming years, with estimates suggesting a rise to 1.7 crore (17 million) by 2036. And it is also increasingly recognised in India as a condition far more complex than memory loss. Dementia represents a progressive decline in cognitive abilities, including language, executive functioning, behaviour, and the capacity to perform daily tasks. Alzheimer's disease remains the most well-known form of dementia, but it is only one of many. Indian clinicians are now focusing on comprehensive evaluations to identify reversible causes, clarifying diagnoses using advanced biomarkers, and staying informed about global advances in therapy -- all while staying grounded in clinical realities and patient context. Identifying reversible causes -- a health priority in dementia care According to Prabash Prabhakaran, director and senior consultant- neurology, SIMS Hospital, Chennai, dementia is often misunderstood as only memory loss, whereas one of the earliest signs could be executive dysfunction --such as a person forgetting how to prepare a familiar dish . He also emphasises the importance of looking for apraxia, which is the loss of learned motor skills, along with changes in gait and bladder control. A distinctive pattern like 'magnetic gait,' where a person shuffles slowly and cannot lift their feet properly, may offer clues pointing to specific subtypes such as Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. Even in patients with clear signs of cognitive decline, Dr. Prabhakaran warns against over-reliance on imaging or biomarker tests in isolation, stressing that without a robust clinical picture, these tools can mislead more than help. One of the most critical steps in dementia care in India is to rule out reversible causes before settling on a diagnosis like Alzheimer's. This clinical vigilance ensures that treatable conditions are not missed. For instance, vitamin B12 deficiency is a common cause of cognitive issues, especially among vegetarians, and can be easily corrected with supplements. Hypothyroidism is another frequently overlooked condition that can mimic dementia and is reversible with thyroid hormone replacement. Dr. Prabhakaran shares that cases of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus -- where dementia presents alongside gait instability and bladder dysfunction -- can sometimes be reversed almost miraculously by draining around 30 ml of cerebrospinal fluid. There are also rarer possibilities like autoimmune dementia, which constitutes about two to three percent of cases. In such instances, antibody testing for approximately 23 known markers is now available in India. Familial dementia and vasculitis-related cognitive disorders also fall into this category of conditions where early detection can dramatically change outcomes. As Dr. Prabhakaran puts it, 'Even if just one patient benefits from identifying a reversible cause, the clinical effort is worth it.' Clinical evaluations to rule out health risks Imaging continues to be a helpful tool, not for confirmation but for exclusion. MRI scans are used to rule out brain masses, hydrocephalus, and vascular insults. While certain patterns of brain atrophy, particularly in the temporal and parietal lobes, may suggest Alzheimer's disease, these findings are supportive rather than definitive. FDG-PET scans, which measure glucose metabolism, can reveal hypometabolism in specific brain regions, often correlating with suspected Alzheimer's pathology. However, PET scans are advised only when there is already a strong clinical suspicion -- they are not used as screening tools. A major advancement in recent years is the use of blood-based biomarkers that measure levels of tau protein and beta-amyloid -- proteins central to Alzheimer's disease pathology. These are available in India but remain expensive and are not part of routine diagnostics. Dr. Prabhakaran explains that these tests are best used in specific scenarios: when the clinical presentation is ambiguous, when there is mild cognitive impairment, or in cases of early-onset or rapidly progressing dementia. He cautions against using biomarkers indiscriminately, underscoring that their role should always be hypothesis-driven. Srividhya S, associate consultant, department of neurology, Rela Hospital, Chennai notes that biomarker changes can occur nearly 20 years before symptoms appear. She highlights the usefulness of these tests in ruling out Alzheimer's, pointing to their strong negative predictive value. A negative result can give both doctors and families confidence to pursue alternative explanations and care pathways. The role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing also deserves attention. U. Meenakshisundaram, director & senior consultant, neurology, MGM Healthcare, Chennai, notes that Indian labs now offer CSF analysis for beta-amyloid and phosphorylated tau at a cost of around ₹20,000–₹25,000. Although it requires a lumbar puncture and is thus more invasive, many patients and families opt for it if it provides diagnostic clarity. He also mentions that newer, less invasive serum-based tests for Alzheimer's biomarkers have recently been approved in the United States, though these are not yet available in India. Post-diagnosis medical care and management In terms of treatment, there is growing global excitement about novel therapies. Dr. Meenakshisundaram emphasis that two monoclonal antibodies -- lecanemab and aducanumab -- have been approved in the United States in recent months. These therapies target amyloid plaques and aim to slow disease progression. Though not yet available in India, their approval marks a turning point in how the medical community thinks about Alzheimer's care. Aditya Gupta, director, neurosurgery & cyberknife, Artemis Hospital, Gurugram, stresses that we are now in an era where the goal is not just to manage symptoms but to attempt to modify disease progression. He says that early diagnosis paired with these emerging therapies may finally allow patients and caregivers to move from despair to hope. However, across all experts, there is consensus on several guiding principles. First, dementia is not synonymous with Alzheimer's disease. Diagnosing someone with Alzheimer's prematurely, especially without ruling out other causes, risks missing treatable conditions. Second, investigations must be pragmatically chosen. Dr. Prabhakaran insists that tests should only be performed if their results will influence clinical management. There is no merit in subjecting patients to expensive tests that do not offer actionable insights. Third, biomarkers are tools -- not solutions. They should only be used when the clinical context supports their necessity. Finally, there is a strong push to empower caregivers with knowledge. Early, accurate diagnosis, even if it confirms an irreversible condition, helps families prepare and cope more effectively with behavioural changes and caregiving needs. Cautious hope Experts say that the outlook for dementia care in India is cautiously hopeful. Clinicians are well-informed and increasingly equipped with both traditional tools and cutting-edge diagnostics. Public awareness is growing, particularly among caregivers who seek clarity and early intervention. The next challenge lies in making diagnostics and future therapies more accessible and affordable. With global trials progressing and India's healthcare ecosystem adapting rapidly, dementia care may soon offer more definitive pathways for diagnosis, management, and even therapeutic intervention. Dr. Prabhakaran adds, 'We are on the cusp of a change. A decade from now, early detection may not just offer clarity -- but treatment.' For now, the focus must remain on early clinical evaluation, ruling out reversible causes, and empowering caregivers with the knowledge and resources they need to navigate this complex condition.
