http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2013/08/why-teach-english.html
This vindicates our decision to do English major. For me, it was studying something that I enjoyed rather than something that I would have to cram up or would be a drudgery like any of the science subjects. Of course, it earned me some derision from hostel mates who did the "real" and "intelligent" courses of study.
28 August 2013
27 August 2013
Alumni celebrations
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| The day after the melee. |
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| Road in front of Heber |
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| Tree stump at Heber captured by an amateur (me) |
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| The nostalgia of being in front of Selaiyur Hall |
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| Our first MA classroom |
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| Classroom was in a state of disorder |
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| Tree opposite our usual gutter. Gutters lack depth now. |
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| Prem and his friends. |
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| Programmes going on inside Anderson Hall. |
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| Oru college kumari. |
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| Skinny Francis (behind Miller) has put on a lot of weight. So have we all |
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| My son Ashwin sings a song for Prem, just as we were leaving. |
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| My kids making acquaintance with Arul. |
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| One last photo before I depart. |
Most of these pictures have appeared on Facebook, and most of you would have seen them. Anyway, since our blog needs some activity, let me put them here too.
I was there only on Sunday for about 2 hrs, so I am not qualified to comment on the 2-day event. I hope Prem will jot down his experiences.
I am told the first day was fabulous, and all had fun sitting in the gutters ;) I got to meet Griz & Miller, Prem & Venky, Meena & Janardhan and their kid, and a few other faces I could recognise. Prem did the service of taking me around a part of the campus, including Heber Hall and chapel which I had never seen when I was studying there. I also had the privilege of travelling (upto the pavilion from Thomas's) in Venky's limousine ;) And thank you, Prem, for gifting me a copy of The History of MCC, though you made me carry yours and Venky's copies in penance!
--
Roshin.
06 February 2013
29 December 2012
Venky in action
Watch Venky in action.
Program - Routhiram Palaghu
Saturday Nights at 09.30 p.m.
He has done programs on 8th, 15th & 22nd of December and the next one is on 29th of December.
http://puthiyathalaimurai.tv/weekly-videos?vid=routhirampalaghu
24 December 2012
Merry Christmas to you and yours....
Have a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends.
From Maha, Arul and James (a.k.a Magizh)
18 December 2012
My good news of the year
My year has been very busy with many things in my professional and personal life. My best news (and what a good way to end the year) is a review of my book published by the Australian Library Journal that was just published. I am sharing it here and woul like to cite that is from ALJ, volume 61, no.4. It was a lot of work and I am glad it is being reviewed well. Happy holidays everyone.
Leadership in Libraries: A Focus on Ethnic-Minority Librarians. By Maha Kumaran.
Chandos Information Professional Series. Witney: Chandos Publishing, 2012. 187 pp.
£47.50 soft cover ISBN 9781843346586
This is a timely, thought-provoking and informative work that addresses minority librarians and
leadership in Anglo-Saxon cultures and fills a gap in leadership literature, which is focused more
commonly on intercultural leadership advice for those from Anglo-Saxon majority cultures. While it has clear value to ethnic minority librarians, it deserves a much wider audience from all interested in leadership, library education and ethnic diversity in the workplace.
Kumaran covers available literature on the topic; the influence of culture, profession and
gender on leaders, management and leadership; leadership styles and skills; and the status quo
of ethnic minority leadership and developmental opportunities in the US, the UK, Canada and
Australia. The last-mentioned topic is supported by research, and chapters are all well referenced
throughout. Abstracts are provided for each chapter, research survey questions are given in
appendices and there is an index.
Kumaran points out that leadership programmes are tailored to the majority culture in many cases. She supports this assertion with her own research, which located no leadership programme specific to minority librarians in Canada, Australia or the UK. She recommends that all library schools introduce a leadership course with modules on intercultural leadership. Library leadership demographics should mirror society’s demographics, and Kumaran asserts that cross-cultural training is important both for minority and majority groups. Much of the content of the book indicates what such training could cover. Speaking primarily to non-Caucasian first generation immigrants in Anglo-Saxon cultures, the author explains the major cultural differences affecting leadership in Asian and African cultures and in Anglo-Saxon workplaces. Throughout her discussion of management and leadership she offers a wealth of cultural insight. She also covers significant ground in terms of explaining management and leadership theory. The final section covers leadership in school, public and academic libraries in the US, the UK, Canada and Australia. This gives context-specific information and examples of opportunities for leadership, such as joint-use public and school libraries and excellence in research skills training in academic libraries. It also shows the imperative of good leadership in situations of financial constraint.
It is difficult to fully capture the depth and contribution of this book – certainly it achieves much more than its primary purpose in addressing immigrant librarians and is highly recommended for its contribution to our understanding of an important aspect of the information profession.
Julia Leong
RMIT University
Leadership in Libraries: A Focus on Ethnic-Minority Librarians. By Maha Kumaran.
Chandos Information Professional Series. Witney: Chandos Publishing, 2012. 187 pp.
£47.50 soft cover ISBN 9781843346586
This is a timely, thought-provoking and informative work that addresses minority librarians and
leadership in Anglo-Saxon cultures and fills a gap in leadership literature, which is focused more
commonly on intercultural leadership advice for those from Anglo-Saxon majority cultures. While it has clear value to ethnic minority librarians, it deserves a much wider audience from all interested in leadership, library education and ethnic diversity in the workplace.
Kumaran covers available literature on the topic; the influence of culture, profession and
gender on leaders, management and leadership; leadership styles and skills; and the status quo
of ethnic minority leadership and developmental opportunities in the US, the UK, Canada and
Australia. The last-mentioned topic is supported by research, and chapters are all well referenced
throughout. Abstracts are provided for each chapter, research survey questions are given in
appendices and there is an index.
Kumaran points out that leadership programmes are tailored to the majority culture in many cases. She supports this assertion with her own research, which located no leadership programme specific to minority librarians in Canada, Australia or the UK. She recommends that all library schools introduce a leadership course with modules on intercultural leadership. Library leadership demographics should mirror society’s demographics, and Kumaran asserts that cross-cultural training is important both for minority and majority groups. Much of the content of the book indicates what such training could cover. Speaking primarily to non-Caucasian first generation immigrants in Anglo-Saxon cultures, the author explains the major cultural differences affecting leadership in Asian and African cultures and in Anglo-Saxon workplaces. Throughout her discussion of management and leadership she offers a wealth of cultural insight. She also covers significant ground in terms of explaining management and leadership theory. The final section covers leadership in school, public and academic libraries in the US, the UK, Canada and Australia. This gives context-specific information and examples of opportunities for leadership, such as joint-use public and school libraries and excellence in research skills training in academic libraries. It also shows the imperative of good leadership in situations of financial constraint.
It is difficult to fully capture the depth and contribution of this book – certainly it achieves much more than its primary purpose in addressing immigrant librarians and is highly recommended for its contribution to our understanding of an important aspect of the information profession.
Julia Leong
RMIT University
12 December 2012
12-12-12
Wishing All of you and your families with the best of Christmas and a happy Prosperous New year with Good health, Joy, Love, understanding.
Hope the new year brings all the best to everyone.
Hope to see more activity here too.
God bless all with a great X"mas season.
21 November 2012
Housewarming Ceremony
In the sprirt of keeping things alive in our blog. I would like to share our housewarming ceremony of our Valliyil home in Kayamkulam. The home is not fully done but my parents wanted it done before Jay visits India in December. The house warming ceremony happened on November 12th.
I will post more when the interior and exterior gets done.
02 November 2012
Our Weekend with Kirthi
Two weeks back Jay and I went and spend the weekend with Kirthi. It was lot of fun and he showed us around his campus.
At Cal Poly Football Stadium with Kirthi
At the Architecture Graveyard were all the final year projects of the Architecture students are displayed - Sculpture with Jay
At the Architecture Graveyard - The Observatory with Kirthi
26 September 2012
our prayers
Madras Christian College
Prof Jayaraman (Retd) of the English Dept passed away last night in Apollo. A wonderful human being and a great teacher, may his soul rest in peace
His son Barath's number is 9444319364
This information Seen in Francis Sundar Singh FB.
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