THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the lockdown was lifted, there was a noticeable shift in fitness trends, especiallyamong women. People flocked to gyms, tired of being stuck at home during the slump period. And no, it wasnt just a fad. Even now, according to trainers, gym memberships are on the rise. Among this diverse group, homemakers stand out, with brimming enthusiasm. They are trying everything, from boxing to Kalari, and yoga, and thus breaking stereotypes. They make a statement by all this, maki

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Forests and their allure form epic storytelling. They remain as spaces of freedom, of naked beauty of nature, and of soul searching. Probably why meditation retreats and shrines sought the silence of the wilderness. From the early 20th century, Thiruvananthapuram had a space that matched all the above descriptions. It was cut away from the crowd of the city of the early 1900s, stationed in a jungle tract high up a hill in Nettayam. It is here that the majestic stone-built Sri

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Against the backdrop of the increasing number of accidents and deaths at Muthalapozhi harbour , the Kerala State Minority Commission held a special sitting on Friday to take stock of the situation. The commission expressed dissatisfaction with the reports submitted by the deputy director of the fisheries department, the executive engineer of the harbour engineering department, the Anchuthengu coastal station officer on behalf of director of the fisheries department, the secre

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Highlighting the potential risks of communicable diseases due to the heatwave and subsequent summer rains, Health Minister Veena George has laid emphasise on effective collaboration between all the departments. She stressed on conducting thorough cleaning operations with the assistance of local bodies, ensuring sanitation in public areas and hostels as mandated by the Kerala Public Health Act, cleaning wells and drinking water sources. There will be strengthened focus on foo

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is where the sultry heat that gripped the capital some days ago melted away into a misty chill. As dawn breaks on the Vellayani lake every day, walkers can be seen matching pace with the shrill chirp of morning birds. The verdant paddy fields around with the lilting flow of Karamana together create an ambience for a perfect morning. This is heaven for regular morning outers who drive down from the city to fill their lungs and minds with the freshness of the green stretch,

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The sun has fascinated people for ages. For K S Jayadevan, the fascination has led him to spend the last eight years crafting nearly 3,000 poems only about the sun. Known as Surya Kavi, his poems capture its magnificence, power, and impact on our lives through simple words. The poet says this unique hobby came into being quite unexpectedly. Before 2008, the Chengannur natives priorities were more about landing a job. My life took an unexpected turn, much like the character C

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The heavy rainfall that lashed the capital on Thursday afternoon marooned many residential areas and triggered waterlogging on all major roads. The SS Kovil Road near Thampanoor was the worst hit as the extreme showers that lasted for more than two hours caused waterlogging, disrupting vehicle movement. The overflowing waters flooded many houses in the stretch leaving the residents at the receiving end. The stretch continues to face flooding despite the city corporation spend

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The government will set up skill development centres in all colleges in Kerala in the run-up to the transition of all arts and science undergraduate programmes into the four-year mode this year. Higher Education Minister R Bindu announced this on Thursday during the state-level inauguration of an orientation programme on the Four Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP) for Plus Two students. The event, organised by the Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC), was held at

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A team of five teachers from the College of Engineering, Muttathara, who emerged victorious in the Hydrogen Hackathon, attended the World Hydrogen Summit, which was held in The Netherlands from May 13 to 15. C Srikanth, Anas S R, Binu Mary Panicker, Abhilash R S, and Shalini M Venugopal, were adjudged winners of the hydrogen hackathon held in February this year, following which they were invited to the summit in Rotterdam. The hackathon focused on fostering innovation in hydr

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Banner Film Society is set to fascinate movie enthusiasts with an array of contemporary world cinema at their upcoming monthly film festival, set to begin on Sunday at the Vazhuthacaud Lenin Balavadi. We aim to highlight a specific theme through our film screenings every month, emphasises R Biju, Secretary of Banner Film Society. This month, our focus is on contemporary cinema. The Banner Film Society is dedicated to providing a platform for introducing world cinema to ou

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Goaded by a surge in violent crimes fuelled by drug abuse, the state police on Wednesday launched the next phase of Operation AAG and D-Hunt. Operation AAG has been launched to crackdown on the criminal gangs operating in the state, while D-Hunt will target drug offenders. The police sources said the special drive will continue for 10 days. Both the drives have been launched after several incidents of violence were reported in the state in the recent past, including the murde

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is likely to cut short his foreign trip and return to the state on May 18 or 19. In the online cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, CM told his cabinet colleagues that he would be physically present for the special cabinet meeting to be held on May 20. There will be the usual cabinet meeting to be held on May 22 also. There are indications that once he is back, he will attend the funeral of Believers Eastern Church Metropolitan Moran Mor Athanasi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The citys wait for its first cycle track is set to get over by next month. The Althara-Thycaud stretch is the lone road being upgraded with a cycle track in capital Thiruvananthapuram. The stretch falls on the Althara-Thycaud road, where work under the Smart Road Project has now picked up pace after several missed deadlines. Though intermittent summer showers are playing spoilsport, the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB), the custodian of the stretch, and Smart City Thiruvanantha

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The family of a 25-year-old woman, who could not meet her husband before his death in a hospital in Oman, owing to the recent flash strike by Air India Express crew, has said they will take legal recourse against the airline. Amrita, a nursing student from Karamana here, had booked tickets for May 8 to see her husband in Muscat, but on reaching the airport, she was told that the flight was cancelled owing to the strike. After she protested at the airport, Air India Express of

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: State Congress leadership has intervened in the tussle between senior leader Rajmohan Unnithan and Kasaragod district Congress leadership that crossed all limits. The KPCC president has appointed a two -member committee including N Subramaniyan, member of political affairs committee, and P M Niyas, KPCC general secretary. They have been asked to inquire into the issue and submit a report to the KPCC president. The already strained relationship between the district Congress le

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Milma milk supply was disrupted under the Thiruvananthapuram region owing to the strike by a section of employees. Supply was affected in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta from Tuesday afternoon. Employees in the lower rung of the organisation, including those working in factory, laboratory and marketing wings, are protesting against the delay in their promotions. They also tried to disrupt the interview for promotion of personnel in the officer g

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor Arif Mohammed Khan will inaugurate TRIMA, the annual event of Thiruvananthapuram Management Association (TMA) at O by Tamara on Thursday. The theme of the two-day conference is One health: All for one, one for all. Former ambassador T P Sreenivasan, TMA president C Padmakumar and secretary, Wing Commander Rajasree D Nair, will attend the inaugural session. Health Minister Veena George will inaugurate the closing ceremony on Friday. Dr Ritu Singh Chauhan, National pro

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state police need an additional 7,000 officers to bridge the demand gap and ensure one officer for every 500 citizens. With the strength of the police standing at 53,222 officers for a population of 3.3 crore, the force is stretched thin. A staggering 2,35,858 criminal offences were reported in 2022, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. Aam Aadmi activist M V Shilparaj from Thimiri, obtained the documents using the Right to Information Act on the issue. Accordi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A policeman suffered head injuries while a car was set on fire as violence marked the celebration on the final day of the Mahadevar temple festival at Kazhakootam on Sunday night. The cop was bludgeoned with an iron rod by a group of men when the cops were trying to disperse them at Ambalathinkara after the festival. The injured cop, Riyas, is attached to the Armed Reserve Camp in Thiruvananthapuram city. The police sources said a group of men beleaguered the cops on duty and

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid state-wide protests by driving schools, 117 people participated in the new format of tests, according to the Motor Vehicles Department. 52 people won the test. Driving tests were disrupted across the state for the past ten days owing to the protest by the schools against the new format. The joint forum of organisations of driving schools took out a protest march to the state secretariat on Monday. The demonstrators, under the banner of All-Kerala Motor Driving School Ins

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Schools in the district registered an impressive performance in the CBSE Class X and XII examinations, the results of which were announced on Monday. Thiruvananthapuram region tops in CBSE exams for 10th consecutive year St Thomas Central School, Mukkolakkal: Of the 263 students who appeared for the Class X exam, 205 secured distinction, 49 secured First class and nine Second class. The school toppers were: Rachel David (98.83%), Venkitesh GS (98.2%) and Abhinav Akhil (97.2%)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The move by Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) to go ahead with LighTram Metro instead of a conventional one hasnt gone down well with the residents and stakeholders in the state capital. The plan to introduce a rapid transit system for the capital was conceived more than a decade ago and apart from studies and detailed project reports (DPR), the changing governments have failed to realise the project. During the previous term, the LDF government had granted administrative sanction

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There was a lot of shade last Sunday as the Tree Walk team moved from one tree to another, which were saved by veteran eco-warriors who wanted city development to progress without bringing down its rich green cover. The walk was to remember pioneers such as architect Laurie Baker, and CPI leaders Surendran Asan and Sharmaji, as well as Ambika chechi, who ran a tea shop near a rare mahogany tree that was being choked with waste dumped near it. We first went to neem tree and th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: They are a group of entrepreneurs trying to better the environment around them as they achieve their business goals. Part of Young Indians (Yi), CIIs youth wing, these game changers have been reaching out to various sectors of society aiming to make a significant impact. With a strong presence in Thiruvananthapuram, Yi has established two key verticals: Innovation and Climate Change. These initiatives target school children (Talir), college students (Yuva), rural communities,

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Close on the heels of the murder of a 26-year-old youth at Karamana, which was found to be a fallout of an affray between two gangs in a city bar, the police have now decided to issue a notice to all the bars in its limit to report on any clashes that occur inside their premises. City Commissioner C Nagaraju told TNIE that the step had to be taken as confrontations inside the bars often spiral into gang wars, resulting in grave crimes being committed. The recent murder of Akh

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a major move intended to ensure seamless policing and to prevent criminals from finding safe sanctuaries in rural areas, the city police have proposed to the state government to extend its area of jurisdiction. They have requested the state government to bring 11 police stations, which are now under the Thiruvananthapuram rural police, under its control. The proposal was submitted before the government by City Police Commissioner C Nagaraju in March and is learned to be co

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Babitha, a female tigress which had strayed into human settlements in south Wayanad and was brought to the Thiruvananthapuram Zoo by the forest department officials on March 22 has recuperated completely from her illnesses. Since the three-and-a-half-year-old tigress has been caught in the wild, she will not be displayed as an exhibit. Instead, Babitha will be used for breeding purposes. The forest department nabbed Babitha from Mayilambadi which comes under the Chethalath fo

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Karamana police on Saturday arrested a youngster in connection with the abduction and murder of a 26-year-old fish vendor in the city on Friday night. The arrested is Aneesh, 29, a native of Karumam. According to the police, Akhil, a native of Karamana, was abducted and killed following an altercation that broke out between two groups at a local bar in the city on April 25. Aneesh, who was driving the car in which the accused persons came to kidnap Akhil on April 26, was

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The handmade exhibition titled Hame is all set to present its second edition at the Womens Club in Kowdiar on May 11. The expo organised by eight women entrepreneurs from different parts of the city will feature an array of diverse creations that celebrate the beauty and craftsmanship of handmade and homemade products. Items ranging from jewellery, resin artworks, macrame, crochet, and homemade curry powder would be exhibited. We aim to promote homemade and handmade goods. Th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : At 900 metres above sea level, Ponmudi, tucked away in Peringammala village, offers a welcome respite from the summer heat. The peak, nestled in the Western Ghats mountain range, is just 62 kilometres from the Thiruvananthapuram city. According to 'Keralathile Sthala Charithrangal: Thiruvananthapuram Jilla', by V V K Valath, this sanatorium for the mind and body was once a hub of Buddhism and Jainism, and owes its name to Ponnuyir Nathan, another name for Buddha. The book al

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Saplings were planted at the Thiruvananthapuram District Collectorate on Saturday as part of a rapid and intensive afforestation initiative. District Collector Geromic George inaugurated the Miyawaki Afforestation Project along the approach road to the collectorate as part of beautification under the Smart City project. The project aims to increase the citys biodiversity and restore the lost greenery through the Miyawaki model, which is a Japanese afforestation technique. Ad

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A workshop on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) held at CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) here has called upon the scientific community to document traditional knowledge in a judicious manner to guard against their misuse by vested interests by various means including biopiracy. The workshop was held at CSIR-NIIST campus here earlier this week in connection with World IPR Day, for which this years theme was IPR and Sustainable Devel

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Jean-Louis Vincent, a physician and professor of Intensive Care Medicine at the University of Brussels, said that the intensive care units (ICUs) have become more patient-friendly as the current approach is more humane. An influential figure in critical care treatment, Dr Vincent was speaking about the future of intensive care at KIMSHEALTH in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday. He discussed the evolution of intensive care, noting how it has transformed into more welcoming spaces.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Rebellious she was and beautifully talented. She was barely a woman, or on the verges of it, as she courted Madhavan, whose persona was progressive yet not as captivating as hers. Indulekha, the heroine of the 1889 classic by Oyyarathu Chandu Menon, was more than just a well-bred woman of the late 19th century Kerala she represented the spirit of women, albeit privileged, who could take on regressive and male-centric feudal social structures. Her portrait by the legendary Ra

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Kerala is experiencing one of its worst summers ever with the mercury soaring to unprecedented levels. This has had the India Meteorological Department to sound a heatwave alert in the state. While global warming is indeed cited as the primary reason for daytime temperatures remaining unusually high, one cant discount factors like the urban heat island effect or the coastal states maritime climate where average humidity is relatively higher. These mean that when the temperat