Memories come alive in black & white

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It was a nostalgic trip down memory lane for chief minister J. Jayalalithaa on Friday, bringing back fond memories of former political leaders and chief ministers in the Assembly, besides reminding her of a few cherished moments like spending time with Nobel laureate Mother Teresa, when she threw open the photo exhibition, a majority of them black and white photos, in the run-up to the diamond jubilee celebrations of Tamil Nadu Assembly scheduled for November 30.

Over 100 photographs have been put up at the exhibition displayed on the corridor abutting the Assembly hall at Fort St George.

Portraits of Speakers who had adorned the Tamil Nadu Assembly in the past, including J. Sivash­anmugam Pillai, the first Speaker after India became a Republic, greet the visitors.

On the other side line up portraits of chief ministers who had served the state after Indepe­n­dence.

Ms Jayalalithaa serving nutritious meals to a girl sitting next to her, the CM receiving an award from former PM Indira Gandhi, former CMs M.G. Ramach­andran and Kamaraj chatting, swearing in ceremonies of various CMs, and Fort St George in the backdrop of old ‘Madras’ set in the 19th century, are among a few that attract the visitors.

Besides, photos of several important events that have taken place in the TN Assembly over the years are also on display.

The public and students can visit till November 28 the exhibition that will be open from 11 am to 5 pm.

Three members of first Assembly to be honoured

The diamond jubilee celebrations of the Tamil Nadu legislative Assembly set to take place on November 30, will see three surviving members of the first legislative assembly (1952-57) being honoured.

They will be privileged to share the dais with the chief guest who is the first citizen of India, President Pranab Mukherjee.

With hardly a week to go for the event, state legislative assembly hall is being readied for the extravaganza with workers seen busily sprucing up the hall on Friday.

Highly placed sources in the government told this newspaper that it had been decided to honour a few serving members of the first assembly to mark the completion of 60 years of the first legislative assembly post India becoming a Republic.

The government has reportedly zeroed in on four names for the grand event, including T.M. Kaliannan, Palaniap­pan and Kandasami Goun­der.

Sources added that the invitation list for the event is not yet final as word was being awaited from a few of the selected former legislators.

“We have already handed them the invite through the district revenue officials. But, considering the age factor - all of them are in their ’90s - a few are not certain of making to the occasion due to health reasons,” sources pointed out. The invitation list would be finalised by Saturday.

Meanwhile, the state legislative assembly complex is going through a makeover in the past few days.
The workers were busy setting up a dais right opposite to the Speaker’s chair to accommodate the President, Chief minister Jayalalithaa, Speaker, besides special invitees.