People’s Union for Civil Liberties; Coalition for Sex Workers, Sexual and Sexuality Minorities’ Rights; Payana; ASQ; Swabhava Trust; LesBit; Jeeva; Karnataka Transgender Samiti; Karnataka Sexual Minorities Forum; Sarathya; Swatantra; Ondede; Sangama; QAMI and QCI condemn the irresponsible, sensational and salacious reportage by media houses on the issue of LGBTQIA+ rights.

On Wednesday, July 5, Bangalore Mirror published on its front page a news item titled “All hell breaks loose as two women wed in Koramangala”. The news item proceeded to give a one-sided account of the women’s relationship. It published salacious details about how their relationship started and went on to falsely claim that the women had gotten married. Further, the news item mentioned two quotes from lawyers saying that they were in an “unnatural union” and would be “punished”, and only one from a lawyer, who was misidentified, saying that same-sex relationships per se are not criminalized under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code 1860.

At the same time, Public TV, a Kannada news channel, also obtained the contact details of one of the women, and called her to appear on their show. When she refused, stating that she wished to keep her life private, the reporter from Public TV told her to “wait and see”. Subsequently, Public TV uploaded perfunctorily blurred pictures of the women on their Facebook and Twitter feed, with captions insinuating that they were in an incestuous relationship. Public TV continues to harass one of the two women by constantly calling her and demanding that she appear on this show.

In case anyone is doubtful about the repercussions of such irresponsible reportage – one of the women was fired from her employment with immediate effect, within a few hours of the Public TV report.

As civil society organisations that work on the rights of LGBTIA+ individuals, we are horrified at the absolute lack of concern that media organisations demonstrate for the lives of people that they are reporting. We know that this is an incident that involves tremendous amounts of domestic violence and abuse. We are also aware that these women are living in constant fear for their lives. They have endured domestic violence, police harassment, and threats to their lives, and had achieved a semblance of peace for themselves. However, the actions of media houses have shattered this hard-earned respite, and now they are again forced to be on the run.

This is not the first time that media houses in Karnataka have chosen to report in this manner. TV9s reporting on Operation Anandi had devastating impact on the lives of the transgender women involved, some of whom continue to languish in jail. Media houses refuse to acknowledge actual human lives in their reportage, and absolve all responsibility for consequences. Every time a media house publishes a report like this; LGBTQIA+ persons are pushed further into the closet, and are made more vulnerable to violence.

Moreover, we understand that the police themselves have leaked much information to the media. It is disconcerting that in spite of closing all formal proceedings, the police continue to interfere in the lives of these women, and are harassing them using the media.

As a group of civil society organisations concerned for media reportage and its impact on the rights of LGBTQIA+ persons, we are calling for a press conference tomorrow, July 6, 2017, at 1 pm, Bangalore Press Club.

Organisations: People’s Union for Civil Liberties; Coalition for Sex Workers, Sexual and Sexuality Minorities’ Rights; Payana; ASQ; Swabhava Trust; LesBit; Jeeva; Karnataka Transgender Samiti; Karnataka Sexual Minorities Forum; Sarathya; Swatantra; Ondede; Sangama; QAMI and QCI

Timeline of media coverage (credits Rōmal Lāisram)

Bangalore Mirror published this on July 5: http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/cover-story/all-hell-breaks-loose-as-two-women-wed-in-koramangala/articleshow/59448986.cms

Public TV goes live with the story a few hours later, claiming an incestuous relationship and highly sensationalises the story: http://publictv.in/father-files-complaint-against-homosexual-techie-sisters-in-bengaluru/

News9/Deccan Herald and TheNewsMinute call up activists for directions on how to respond to the story:

News9 responds positively like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5LVfgU6pCQ

TheNewsMinute responds satirically: http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/completely-out-their-depth-bengaluru-cops-counsel-lesbian-couple-instead-helping-them-64710

Deccan Herald decides to avoid the story altogether.

Public TV airs a special (link not yet up, but this smaller package will show you enough how terrible the reportage is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnGBVsHu3p0 | It was also their ‘breaking news’ in the) 10:30pm bulletin)

Biswajit Nath was the managing editor at News Next One, an online digital media portal from Assam. In the video, a kinnar (trans woman) is seen outside a wine shop and Biswajit Nath, who is recording the video, confronts her and asks her where she lives, and who “runs her”. He continues to publicly harass her and abuse her. He asks her “real name”. He even asks her to take her clothes off to prove that she is a “real” kinnar. The video ends with him shouting and screaming at her.

The video was brought to the notice of Xukia by concerned citizen/ally Abdul Kalam Azad and queer activist Rafiul Alom Rahman. Together we were able to raise enough outcry on social media.

The news channel initially replied saying that the journalist’s action does not represent the channel’s stand, that they respect everyone’s rights, and that the video did not appear on an official page of the channel. On March 10, the journalist retorted that he had simply “initiated a discussion” and that there were a lot of fake kinnars.

Finally, we sent a written complaint to the channel.

Some reminders later…

…they acted on our messages, and took action, by terminating Nath.

Kudos to News Next One for acknowledging that the practice was unethical, and for taking action against Nath.

This happened because people together raised their voice and ensured that the transphobic journalist and the channel are made accountable for their actions.

Orinam’s note: Taken together with other examples as the multi-city responses to the TV9 debacle of 2011 in Hyderabad, and protests against a homophobic 2013 piece by Mohana Krishnaswamy in The Hindu, Xukia’s incisive intervention in this News Next One episode illustrates the power of community and ally action in opposing queer-/trans-phobic media coverage and demanding accountability. Please let us know of other examples of community interventions such as these. Do check out (and contribute material to) our guidelines for ethical media coverage of LGBTIQ+ issues in India. 

The article is not an objective evaluation of the arguments. The author’s agenda is transparent: to subtly depict LGBT people as a threat to humanity. It is a clarion call to actively repress, through criminalization, the emotional and physical reality of a sexual minority. Why else would she liken being gay to “terrorism and suicidal tendencies”? Perhaps she realized her advocacy so closely mirrors the Nazis who liquidated homosexuals in death camps to “eliminate undesirable traits [from] the most evolved species on earth” (her words), that she felt the need to distance herself from eugenics in her extended preamble.

Any morally honest reader would have numerous objections to this article. These are mine:

1. Sexuality is not “environmental”: some evidence suggests genetic factors are associated with male same-sex attraction, which the author admits. Other studies point to the role of epigenetic and developmental factors in determining sexuality. To single out one (absolutely baseless) aspect of the law in a country as a strong determinant of sexuality, is beyond absurd. Even if it is mildly environmental, that doesn’t make it more malleable than other hardwired traits! By analogy, “height” is only partly hereditary; “environment” also plays a role, like childhood nutrition, emotional security, exercise etc. But it would be bizarre to suggest that height can be changed during adulthood, or that criminalizing shortness (and the consequent societal attitudes) can mould society to change people’s heights. This author claims no better.

2. Sexual orientation CANNOT presently be altered: Every single study claiming to “cure gayness” has been debunked. “Corrective therapy” is banned in several countries because of the clearly established trauma of trying to forcibly suppress or alter sexuality. Exodus International, one of the largest proponents of ex-gay therapy was forced to close and apologize “for being part of the system of ignorance that perpetuated that hurt.” Same with former leading psychiatrists. Decriminalizing gay sex cannot convert straight people into gay. And if 377 is upheld, gay people will remain gay! It is simply impossible to “encourage people” to be gay/straight. Show me a credible scientific study (not pilot studies, not self-reported anecdotal evidence) demonstrating otherwise, and I’ll eat my shoe.

3. Homosexuality is not “unnatural”: What on earth does “natural” even mean? Found in nature? Homosexual bonds are a natural part of life in virtually every other species, and found in every culture and society in human history. Does “unnatural” mean it doesn’t serve reproduction? Neither do male nipples, should we hack them off? Nature is simply too diverse and heterogenous, and it is the author’s antediluvian notions of strict male/female binarity that is unnatural to this planet. A single blade of grass can have up to 12 different genders. And even if the author wants to restrict morality to only what serves reproduction, then rape, adultery, infanticide, child abuse and cannibalism are quite “natural”. Does she endorse them?

4. Even if it is “unnatural”, so what?! Should the author give up vaccines, her clothes and her spectacles because they are “unnatural”? Perhaps she concurs with the exact same dialectic of “natural order” used to persecute women in the workplace, female reproductive rights, racial desegregation, stem-cell research, contraception, the abolition of slavery, and organ transplants? Genetic mutation is perfectly normal, and many people are born different, e.g. tall, left-handed, extreme flexibility, with photographic memory, or “with six fingers”. If the author is uncomfortable with deviations from the societal norm, she needs counseling. Or a history book.

5. Homosexuality causes no harm: To label something undesirable, one needs to demonstrate objective, secular harm. Terrorism, suicidal tendencies etc. cause concrete harms, and are hence problematic. What exactly are the secular harms of being gay? Throwing vague moralistic labels like “unethical”, “unnatural” and “improper” does not make it so. Masturbation (heck, even being left-handed) was once considered “improper conduct”. Today’s homophobes are simply the modern equivalent of the sex-obsessed puritans of old.

6. Traditional marriage is not endangered: We have case studies of over 20 countries that recognize marriage equality. On Friday, a Federal judge in Utah struck down a ban on marriage equality because Utah “failed to show how gay marriage would affect opposite-sex unions”. Does the author have any actual evidence for her fears, beyond doomsday insinuations?

7. “People exhibiting homosexual behaviour” are NOT “prone to AIDS”: That statement is so misleading, the author’s medical license needs to be revoked! HIV/AIDS spreads due to unprotected sex. Societies like South Africa conclusively demonstrate that if you don’t take precautions like wearing a condom, you are at high risk of contracting HIV regardless of whether you’re having gay or straight sex. Yes, the odds of contraction are lower in the case of vaginal sex, but the vast majority of HIV positive people in the world are in poor countries, and are heterosexual. In India alone, of all HIV/AIDS contractions 80% are through heterosexual contact. In developed countries, there are sociological reasons why it is more prevalent in certain groups, viz. the complete lack of sex education and awareness about condoms and disease, the risk of jail sentence or deportation for those who seek medical counsel etc. In the US, African and Hispanic Americans have much higher rates of HIV/AIDS. Does that make being black inherently wrong?

It is a sign of progress the bogus claims of “homosexuality is against Indian culture” or “humanity will eventually go extinct” weren’t made. Ultimately, all of this boils down to one fundamental question: Do we live in a society where the fundamental inalienable rights of all citizens are respected? Just as the author has a democratic right to propagate misinformed homophobic views, I have a right to share my life and love with someone, whatever my gender.

The story of my nation has been the long march to redeem that tryst we once proudly declared with destiny. At every stage, when Sati was abolished; when so-called untouchables entered temples, we faced the forces of fear, blind tradition and ignorance, breaking the world into fragments with their narrow domestic walls. And we overcame them.

And so we shall, again.

From my heart to yours,
Arvind Raghavan
An Indian citizen

Orinam’s notes: An earlier version of this piece was published on Nirmukta, in response to Dr. Mohana Krishnaswamy’s homophobic article in The Hindu, published in Dec 2013.  Dr. Krishnaswamy’s article was eventually taken down from thehindu.com with an accompanying note by the Reader’s Editor. Other responses include:

The Violence of Irrationality: response to Mohana Krishnaswamy, by Pronoy Rai and Barath Ezhilan, published on Orinam, Dec 29, 2013.

It is ‘nonsense against science’: Analyzing Mohana Krishnaswamy’s defense of the 377 in India, by BerryNice, published on personal blog, Dec 22, 2013

Chennai has been organizing LGBT film screenings since 2004, including film festivals in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2012. Local groups have also organized film screenings during Pride month and at other times of the year.

This year, we are pleased to bring you Reel Desires: Chennai International Queer Film Festival 2013, a collaborative effort between Orinam and Goethe Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan, Chennai, with the support of other local collectives.

The festival will be held on three evenings from July 11-13, 2013, and will showcase Indian and international feature films, shorts and documentaries. There will also be a panel discussion.

We invite entries of feature-length films, shorts and documentaries for screening at the event. Entries will be reviewed by a panel, and selections notified by 15 May 2013.

If you are interested in having your work considered for this festival, please email orinamwebber@gmail.com or use the form below

Reel Desires: CIQFF 2013 Call for Submissions

Visit http://chennaiintlqueerfilmfest.blogspot.in/ for updates.

* Orinam is a Chennai-based collective that has been working for the past ten years with LGBT communities through local social and support events, online and offline resources, advocacy and the arts. For more information see www.orinam.net, follow us on twitter @chennaipride, visit us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/groups/323829627740270/ or contact us at 9841557983 or using our contact form

To submit an entry for consideration, please use the form below:

On February 4th, Postnoon, a Hyderabad based daily published a biphobic and a transphobic piece on Hyderabad pride, written by a journalist named Dean Williams.

Dean Williams wrote:

“First up let me say that I am all for gay rights. In fact, I believe that gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to marry and adopt children (or have them through surrogacy) and the fact that Hyderabad celebrated its first ever Queer Pride parade is truly something to rejoice. Now I have nothing against the transgender community, but unfortunately they are so far behind in their quest for equality that they will hamstring our nascent gay rights movement…”

“As for bisexuals, I’m with Woody Allen, it merely doubles your chances of getting a date on a Saturday night. In India it’s time LGBT lost the B and T, for its own sake.”

Time to drop B and T from LGBT – Dean Williams, Feb 04th 2013

Orinam members L.Ramakrishnan and Vijay Mogli responded to this phobic article.

L.Ramakrishnan says:

Equality for G and L people cannot be attained unless our B and T sisters and brothers are equal too.

Dean Williams’ opinion piece ‘Time to drop the B and T from LGBT’ appears to be based on a flawed understanding of bisexuality and complete ignorance of the transgender community’s successes in the struggle for basic human rights in India.

• Consistent with Woody Allen’s quip, bisexuality (only) refers to the potential to be attracted to men and women. It does not imply that a person HAS to be simultaneously involved with men and women to actualize his or her bisexual orientation. Thus either or both partners in what Williams refers to as a ‘gay’ couple may, in fact, be bisexual. Similarly, either or both partners in what may appear to be a ‘straight’ couple, may be bisexual. One cannot infer the sexual orientation of a person solely from whether their partner is of the same or other sex. Further, sexual orientation exists independently of practices of monogamy, open relationships or fidelity. One can be monogamous and anywhere on the spectrum from heterosexual to homosexual. One can be promiscuous and anywhere on that spectrum, as well. The author would do well to educate himself on basic concepts in sexuality and gender identity before making pronouncements of this kind.

• Transgenders, who are among the most marginalized of the LGBT communities, are the vanguard of the struggle for equal rights in India. Thanks to the efforts of passionate and articulate transgender community leaders, addressing transgender equality in access to education, employment and healthcare is now a strong recommendation in the 12th Five Year Plan of the Government of India. Transgender individuals are included as OBC by the Karnataka Backward Classes Commission, are entitled to social welfare benefits and free sex-reassignment surgeries in Tamil Nadu, and can indicate their gender identity separately from ‘male’ and ‘female’ in Indian passports. There is still a long way to go, obviously, in respect to freedom from violence, harassment and exclusion. We – L, G, B, T and allies – are all united in this struggle.

Vijay Mogli says:

The queer rights discourse and movement are deeply rooted in certain core democratic values like liberty and equality that form the bedrock of its advocacy. These core values are safely enshrined in our constitution. Interestingly, both these values are placed one beside the other and not one above the other which means that liberty is not preferentially offered to some chosen few but to everyone with no exceptions. In the same strain, equality is not the prerogative of a privileged few but the right of all, all and all for all times to come. While there have been some cases where these two principles have been in conflict, they have been the rarest of the rare.

While the author of the above article may have earnestly intended to advance the cause of gay and lesbian rights, it is quite not about gay or lesbian rights in isolation. It is about ethically positing our rights as gay and lesbian people – and I speak here as a gay man – in the large scheme of human rights. The rationale on which we demand our fundamental rights as gay or lesbian people is that all that is offered to our straight brethren be also allowed to us. If they are allowed to us why then can’t all those who are denied these rights viz. bisexual, transgender, intersex, asexual and queer folks have them? In the course of this struggle for acceptance and justice, we have found enormous and huge support, and courage from our bisexual, transgender, intersex, asexual and queer friends by synergizing our efforts and celebrating our myriad hues of gender identity and sexualities. Our movement should, in my view, never stand on a lopsided bias against some who are actually equal social constituents and partner in our progress. Let us not knowingly or unknowingly advance our rights by relegating theirs. It is against the very cause that we espouse.

The author spoke of the transgender community being far behind in its quest for equality. With all respect, this is not factual. Among other things, transgender people in the state of Tamil Nadu are getting formally recognized as a separate gender and are getting their identity and ration cards issued. I do not know of any such progress in terms the receipt of state benefits enjoyed by a single gay or lesbian person in India. The author also spoke multiple reasons like middle class morality, religious dogma and tokenism of closeted celebrities, the indifference of the business community and vote bank politics of politicians as cases in point to advance his argument. But none of them offers us sound logic or a fair reason to exclude our bisexual and transgender fraternity from our journey. His suggestions seem to be based on apprehensions of contemporary social biases and a limiting approach based on fear of failure and not a de-limiting perspective and will to build an equitable and fair society. Yes, in this way that we chose, we will have some difficult, tiresome and vexatious questions to answer from many ill-informed people and loads of discrimination to overcome. Aren’t we doing that very beautifully and confidently – at some levels if not all – already? Most, if not all of our goals as the LGBTIAQ brethren, remain common and hence it makes more sense to rally forces than to part ways. Also, there is no empirical data from statistics or scholarly sociological evidence that establishes the merit of the author’s argument but I respect it as his view point.

Now coming to his Woody Allen view of bisexuals, the Kinsey scale and KSOG should shed light. A very careful reading of his argument should only convince us that he has actually offered more and more reasons for us, the LGBTIAQ community to stay together.

Venue, schedule and more details:

Download here:

Colours of Sexuality – Chennai Queer Film Festival 2012 Brochure (final)

To know about other Chennai Pride 2012 events visit Chennaipride.net

On April 29, 2012, IBN7’s Zindagi Live hosted an exceptional series of interviews with mothers of children who are gay or lesbian. Compered by Richa Anirudh, the 39 minute episode, primarily in Hindi, featured Chitra Palekar, Padma Iyer, Amita Sharma and Shobha Doshi. Counselor Nivedita Singh provided basic information and cleared misconceptions parents often have about their queer children.

While each of the mothers (and a grandmother) is amazing in her own way, we at Orinam could not help but be moved by Shobha-ji’s perspective on life and living as a cancer survivor and unflinching supporter of her son Shamit and his partner.

Thanks to Harish Iyer for tweeting these links, and to Richa Anirudh and the IBN7/TV18 network for such thoughtful programming.

If any of our readers would like to help with subtitling this in Tamil, please let us know.

The entire series may be viewed by clicking on the following segments:

எங்களுக்கு தேவை அங்கீகாரம்!

Other coverage includes:

Sangeetha Neeraja, New Indian Express, July 6, 2011
Shame on you, Health Minister

Kounteya Sinha, Times of India, July 6, 2011
‘Disease’ was in reference to HIV: comment sparks protests

Bijoy Bharathan, Times of India, July 6, 2011
Azad’s comments evoke outrage

Gautam Sunder and Madhulike Gautama, Deccan Chronicle July 8, 2011
Azad faces backlash: protests planned

Scientific evidence shows that homosexuality is a natural variant of human sexuality and is not a mental disorder or disease. Homosexuality as a specific diagnostic category was removed from the World Health Organisation’s ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders published in 1992 and from the American Psychiatric Association’s DSM-IV Guidelines in 1973.

In the course of our professional lives, we have interacted with hundreds of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons across the country, and it is a complete misconception that homosexuality is “western”. We feel that the Delhi High Court’s 2009 judgment decriminalizing homosexuality removed a major source of stigma and discrimination faced by LGBT persons in India and was rooted in a concrete understanding of the mental and psychological harm that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code inflicts on LGBT persons.

The unscientific claims made by the Union Health Minister, if left unchallenged, will lead to irreparable harm to LGBT persons. His subsequent denial has not helped matters either. We call upon Mr. Azad to retract his statements and issue an unambiguous clarification.

1.     Dr. A. K. Kala, Clinical Director, North India Psychiatry Centre, Ludhiana

2.     Dr. Alok Sarin, Sitaram Bhatia Institute of Research, Delhi

3.     Dr. Debashis Chatterjee, Founder Ishwar Sankalpa and Member, Indian Psychiatric Society, Kolkata

4.     Jolly Laha, Psychotherapist, Kolkata

5.     Dr. K. S. Jacob, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Christian Medical College, Vellore

6.     Dr. Kaustubh Joag, Psychiatrist and Associate Member, Indian Psychiatry Society, Pune

7.     Dr. Pratap Kumar Rath, Coordinator, Centre of Advanced Study in Psychology, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar

8.     Magdalene Jeyarathnam, Founder-Director, Centre for Counselling, Chennai

9.     Radhika Chandiramani, Clinical Psychologist, New Delhi

10.  Ratnaboli Ray, Co-founder National Alliance of Access to Justice for People with Mental Illness (NAJMI) and Founder, Managing Trustee, Anjali Mental Health Rights Organization

11.  Sarbani Das Roy, Honorary Secretary, Ishwar Sankalpa, Kolkata

12.  Dr. Soumitra Pathare, Psychiatrist, Pune

13.  Dr. Subir Kumar Hajra Chaudhuri, Institute of Psychiatry, Kolkata

14.  Dr. Vikram Patel, Sangath, Goa

Contact: Pawan Dhall, 98312 88023, Kunal Chowdhury, 98746 53141, Coalition of Rights Based Groups, West Bengal

Since inception in 2009, the Chennai Rainbow Coalition; a collective of individuals, informal collectives and non-profit groups working on sexuality, human rights, gender and health; has organized press meets in conjunction with Pride month. In 2010, we had our first workshop, Facing the Media, on how to (and how not to) speak to the media. This workshop was organized by Asma, an ally of the community, who is also a media professional herself. This year too, we had Asma offer this workshop.

Held on the evening of May 27, the workshop was hosted at the office of Sahodaran, a sexual health organization run by and for the queer community, and attended by over 25 enthusiastic participants.

Asma began by eliciting participant input on the positive and negative associations they had with the media. Predictably, the list of negatives was significantly longer than the list of positives.

Starting with the gyaan that Media is not your enemy: media has the potential of being a friend. We need to reach out to the media, Asma provided us insights into what makes news newsworthy, and how we can leverage these points to make ourselves visible while at the same time preventing sensationalistic portrayals.

Some of her points included the following:

– The news item needs to have novelty. An update on a pre-existing issue is not as newsworthy as an entirely new issue.
– It has to be timely. Last week’s news, however gripping, is stale.
– The news should have proximity to the reader or viewer. Often, a dead dog in your street is more newsworthy than an earthquake in a faraway land. Good or bad, the news should affect the reader.
– Celebrity value

The journalist is on the lookout for news that has these four criteria.  If she asks individuals about their personal story, it is with the sole purpose of making her piece unique in comparison with other media coverage. She/he is not really interested personally in each person’s story.

A common strategy employed by the LGBT communities in Chennai and elsewhere is to share personal stories of adversity and discrimination, in hopes of changing hostile attitudes and eliciting sympathy and understanding. The strategy has been used time and time again in coming out episodes to friends and family, as well in sensitization programs targeting medical professionals, law and police establishments. However for the media, this is not an effective strategy because of the potential these stories have of being sensationalized.

Asma pointed out that roping in celebrities is a double-edge sword. They will capture media attention, but this attention can end up being focused on them rather than on the issues at hand.

She reiterated the importance of keeping the messages simple, consistent, and repeatable by everyone speaking to the media through the Pride event.

Theworkshop also provided an opportunity to discuss the draft of the media release and obtain input on content from the participants. Further, during the workshop, the list of speakers scheduled to speak at the next day’s Press Meet was finalized.View the English and Tamil media release here.

Asma also made the speakers rehearse their lines and sequence, anticipate queries from the media, and prepare suitable responses. This preparation proved immensely useful. Thank you, Asma!

The next day, Saturday May 28, a gang of LGBT folks and our allies descended on the Press Club at Chepauk, armed with copies of the media release and the calendar of events. Tamil and English newspapers and several TV channels were present.

View an excerpt of the Q&A section in this embedded clip from YouTube

Thanks to the media for the positive coverage, including

The Hindu May 29, 2011

Dinakaran May 29, 2011