Vol 1 Issue 42

Freshers can also take TET on October 14: HC

Sept. 23, 2012

You can access this paper in www.alphatimes.net

produced a copy of a GO dated September 14 last. Recording the GO, Justice Nagamuthu directed the government to postpone the TET to be held on October 3, to October 14. Candidates who had not applied for the test on July 12 should be permitted to submit their applications on or before September 28. Those who had failed in the earlier test need not submit fresh applications, the judge said.

Price Re. 1 Only

Religious institutions fall within establishment

Madras High Court has said religious institutions would certainly fall within the definition of "establishment," as defined in the Payment of Gratuity Act. A Full Bench of the Court said that going by the principle laid down by the Supreme Court on various decisions, management could not have any more doubt with regard to payment of gratuity and pension. The Full Bench, comprising Justices Elipe Dharma Rao, D Murugesan and M Venugopal stated this while examining a case on whether a "religious institution/temple would come within the purview of Section 1(3)(b) of the Payment of Gratuity Act. Earlier, the matter was referred to a Full Bench in view of conflicting decisions rendered by two Division Benches of the High Court. A Division Bench had upheld a single Judge's order in an earlier case that Section 1 (3) of the Payment of Gratuity Act did not apply at all to religious institutions and its employees were not entitled to claim gratuity. Justice Rao said a reading of decisions of the single judge and Division Bench would show neither the Apex Court decisions or that of other High Courts or Madras High Court had been relied on to conclude that a religious institution did
Contd. on Page 4 col.5

The Madras High Court on Friday permitted fresh candidates to appear alongside those who are appearing again in the Teachers Eligibility Test (TET) to be held on October 14. Justice S Nagamuthu granted the permission, while

disposing of writ petitions from A Yamini and E Vijayaraj. While Yamini prayed for a direction to permit her to write the TET, originally scheduled to be held on October 3, Vijayaraj sought to restrain the authorities concerned to desist from directly appointing any

candidate who had passed in the TET. According to petitioners advocates M Ravi and Arun Kumar, there were about 26,116 vacancies of secondary grade teachers and graduate teachers in various schools across the State. Since only 2,448 candidates had acquired the eligibility certificate, the government was not in a position to fill all those vacancies. The government had stated that the candidates, who had failed in the TET, which was held on July 12 this year, alone would be permitted to write the test to be conducted on October 3, they pointed out. When the matter came up today, Additional AdvocateGeneral PH Arvind Pandian

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Sept. 23, 2012

Vol 1 ISSUE 42

Sept. 23, 2012

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For the week Sept. 23 to 29, 2012

Aries [ March 21 to April 21] You mean business and get things done fast and efficiently. Property matters, inheritance, new acquisitions and high-end and real-estate deals come into sharp focus. Lucky colour: Saffron. Taurus [ April 21 to May 21 ] You make room in life for emotions. Your first needs are money, recognition and a position of control. Only then you look for love. Your feelings are compartmentalised. The family comes into play here. Lucky colour: Yellow. Gemini [ May 21 to June 21 ] Communicate with people and slow down. You need to discuss new ideas. There are chances of new intimate bonding as you want to communicate your feelings, grand plans and work. Lucky colour: Olive. Cancer [ June 22 to July 22 ] Be patient, for what goes around comes around. You will receive fruits of your labour soon and may get all you had expected. A positive influence in life will boost your confidence. Lucky colour: Ivory. Leo [ July 23 to Aug 23 ] Dont assess professional situations too fast lest your judgement fails. Single people will meet their dream partner soon. A good time to unwind with pals. Avoid backbiting at home. Lucky colour: Royal blue. Virgo [ Aug 24 to Sept 22 ] Expect fortunate changes in business and finance, as new opportunities come. A delayed payment will arrive this week. Your relationship may hit a rough patch. Take it easy! Lucky colour: Peach. Libra [Sept 23 to Oct 23 ] You will make important contacts, but will have to wait for things to unfold. Personally, you might be weighted down by responsibilities. A relative will share your. Beware of backache. Lucky colour: Violet. Scorpio [Oct 24 to Nov 22 ] Money may be slow at start. But things will turn around by the weekend. You may feel hurt because your partner is ignoring you. Dont fight, talk and resolve the problem. Lucky colour: Chocolate brown. Sagittarius [ Nov 23 to Dec 23] An enticing professional opportunity will renew your determination to work hard. You will share feelings with best friend. Avoid eating or drinking out. Your health may be bothersome. Lucky colour: Peacock blue. Capricorn [Dec 24 to Jan 20] Someone will help you collect money owed to you. You will get together with an acquaintance on a partnership. You will make some positive changes at work, which will make your returns lucrative. Lucky colour: Black. Aquarius [ Jan 21 to Feb 18 ] You will be surprised by unexpected professional progress and a booming business. A good time to mend ailing relationships. Go ahead and sort out all issues. You will discuss new plans with your partner. Lucky colour: Pink. Pisces [Feb 19 to March 20 ] Unsolicited attention from an acquaintance will surprise you. Dont rush into it. A profitable financial project and a spiritual journey keep you busy. Take care of stomach. Lucky colour: Ice blue. - Dr A Ranganatha Sarma

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Winners Inter School Sanskrit Recitation Competition Bhavishya Nidhi

Adalat on Oct 10

The 37th Inter School Sanskrit Recitation Competition on Srimad Bhagavatam was held on Sept. 09 at Sri Ahobila Math Oriental Higher Secondary School, West Mambalam, Over 300 students participated. There were six categories from L.K.G to Std. XII. Prizes were awarded to Boys and Girls separately in each category. The First Prize was Rs.700/- and the Second Prize was Rs.500/-

A Bhavishya Nidhi Adalat is being held in the regional office of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation on the 1oth of every month, for the speedy redressal of grievances of subscribers and employers covered under the Employees Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. Subscribers and employers with unresolved grievances must register their names with the public relations officer EPFO Regional Office, 37, Royapettah High Road, Chennai 600014. Phone : 044-28132700 by September 28 at the latest.

ALPHA TIMES Mikeless Kutcheri

ALPHA TIMES in a bid to promote young talents in Carnatic Music is palnning to hold mikeless kutcheris beginning from Vijaya Dasami - .24 October 2012 It will be a launch pad for young children, aged below18 years, to shed their inhibitions and give them confidence to perform in front of an audience. The selected persons will be intimated by email for an audition and subsequently they will be asked to perform on a specific day. For registration, email your profile along with age proof and photgraph to

atmikelesskutcheri@gmail.com
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Training Programme on Last date for water tax is Sept. 30 The date for Preparation of Bakery Products payment last water and between 9.30 a.m. and 1.30 of p.m.
A one day training programme on 'Preparation of Bakery Products will be conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Information and Training Centre (TNAU I&TC) on Tuesday, Sept. 25, at New No.U-30, 10th Street, Anna Nagar, (Behind Jayagopal Garodia School) Chennai40 from 9.30 AM to 4.30 PM. The course will cover the demonstrations like Biscuits, cakes, bread, bun, puff etc., Lunch, training material and certificates will be issued to all the participants. Interested persons can get the information regarding the training and fee details and confirm their participation before the date of training. For more information call : 044 -2626 3484. sewerage tax and charges is September 30. Consumers may make payments at the head office of Metrowater, areas offices or any depot collection centres. The cash counters will function on Sundays, too, Residents of merged areas can pay the dues at the rates fixed by the erstwhile municipalities and town panchayats at the Metrowater cash counters, a press release said.

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Applications for monthly assistance invited from Archakas

The Kachchi Moodoor Archakas Welfare Trust has invited applications from deserving and needy pujaris, sivacharyas and bhattacharyas serving in village temples that are more than 50 years old. A press release said those performing puja without murai and having a monthly income less than Rs.3,000 can write to the following address by October 18: Kachchi Moodoor Archakas Welfare Trust, 16, Second Main Road, Kottur Gardens, Chennai 600085. The Trust presently offers aid of Rs.1,000 per month to about 426 such archakas. For more details, please visit www.kmawt.org, the release said.

7, 9th Avenue, Ashok Nagar, Chennai - 600 083 www.ssmatri.om

Ph: 044-2471 6920

TN Fee Act applies to CBSE schools: HC

Schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Indian Certificate Secondary Education (ICSE) will also come under the purview of the TN (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act, 2009, and they have to collect the fee determined by the School Fee Determination Committee, the Madras High Court has ruled. A division bench comprising Justice R Banumathi and Justice R Subbiah gave the ruling, while dismissing a batch of 23 writ petitions from the Association of Management of Private Schools (CBSE) and 22 other individual schools in the State, on Friday. In its 105-page judgment, the bench said that the CBSE and the ICSE schools are private schools within the meaning of Sec 2(j) of the TN Schools (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act and its other provisions. The committee has the power to determine the fee and verify whether the fee collected by these schools is commensurate with the facilities provided, it said. In so far as CBSE/ICSE schools were concerned, the State had the bounden duty to ensure that the fee collected by them was commensurate with the facilities provided, the bench said. The Chennai region has 2,350 CBSE schools.

Carvas violin ensemble on Vinayaga Chathurthi day

Little Nathella launches gold savings plan

A year after the launch of Little Nathella over a year ago, the house of Nathella Jewellery is yet again ready for another little surprise. The jewellery line has launched the Little Nathella Birthday Gold Savings Plan. Under this scheme, buying a small gold ornament at Little Nathella counter for children aged between few months to 12 years, the customer gets a scratch and win card. The prizes include tablet computer (funbook). Children can look forward to more surprises like photo frames, crayons, umbrellas and hordes of other prizes. Little Nathella is also launching the Gold Savings Plan Scheme this season. You may invest in gold and see the growth in value with each passing year.

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Page 4

ALPHA TIMES

Sept. 23, 2012

Contd. from Page 1 col.6

Gen 5 Nalli forays into gold jewellery biz

Nalli Silks, a household name in silk sarees, has forayed into retail jewellery. The companyon Vinayaka chathurthi day opened its first jewellery retail outlet in T. Nagar in Chennai.The fifth generation Nalli clan Niranth Nalli, Ramnaths son and grandson of Nalli Kuppusami Chetty, is the Vice-Chairman of this venture. According to N.

Ramnath, Chairman of Nalli Jewellers, the company has invested Rs 100 crore in setting up the showroom. The 35,000 sq ft showroom is spread over five floors. In the first phase, it has launched three floors of gold and silver jewellery. In the next two to three months time, we will have one floor of diamond and platinum jewellery and one floor of exclusive wedding

jewellery, said Kamal Tandon, CEO of the Nalli Group. Ramnath says Nalli Silks, which primarily sells wedding saris, chose to expand to jewellery as it is closely linked with weddings. The idea was conceived three-four years ago, but took time to materialise. According to him, the venture is a result of a

market survey on how to leverage the brand Nalli. It also has a team of designers. However, to start with it will outsource jewellery made to its specifications from different manufacturers across the country. In the next three months we are setting up our own facility at Hosur at an investment of Rs 25-30 crore, said Tandon. He said the company wants to have jewellery outlets wherever it has saree showrooms. At present, Nalli has 25 showrooms across the country and one each in Singapore and the US. In the immediate future, it plans another showroom in Chennai either in Adyar or Anna Nagar. Referring to the high gold prices, Ramnath says, Wedding saris also use gold and silver zari. Sari prices have nearly doubled in the last year or so. But people are still buying expensive saris for weddings. Gold prices have been rising for quite some time now. But, we have to start at some point, says Ramnath.

Religious institutions...
not come under the purview of the Payment of Gratuity Act. The Apex Court had laid down that Sec 1(3)(b) could apply even to non-commercial establishments and its various other decisions would only pave the way to conclude that "religious institutions" would also be attracted by the term "establishment" under the Payment of Gratuity Act. It would not stop within the meaning prescribed to "establishment" under the Tamil Nadu Shops and Establishments Act, the Full Bench added.

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Bharatiya Vidya Bhavans Gandhi Institute of Computer Education and Information Technology Centre at Mylapore and T. Nagar will provide computer coaching for free to people from economically backward sections. Last date to submit applications is October 17.

Editor S Raghunathan Advisor K Venkataraghavan Reporters Bharadwaj Krishnan K Gopinathan Production Layout: Anand Print production: Lakshminrisimhan Circulation R karthikeyan 99411 16677 Advertisement Desk 94449 43293 Office R V Publications Private ltd., B4-2, Vijayaraghava Manor 1,Vijayaraghava Road, T. Nagar, Chennai 600 017 Ph: 42697393

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ALPHA TIMES

Sept. 23, 2012

? YA J!
F . M H M. FK A. HC, M Q, , O . M O Mb MK AM A G. FK C . M A. A . HC . K Gb. A . C M FA M. HC FK AE HC G. F F A, A C . O . Q M i , i F F M HC . i FM J i M G A G. AM OFM. M C FA b HCAM. Q, . K MF . -M F AM . F P H F AM. F L F K PM. , Q C, G M. H I w MAM. H F, F , F b. C E N C F N . F P A G.

C: I K?
PM I M PM I FK GJ OG I 10 E I, H I K KM. e N , KM PM OJ I K. I I K OJ PJ PJ:IF I 11,500 12 J . cO a IG IF I . F I HL I 2,950 .. 1,100 1,850 A. IF I G F . F IF JL IF M, F . O I , O FK I . 19- F I F M 100 . 17- F F I MF F. I F 49.8 W F I HL I P . I F JL IF O I KA. OGOL 1,200 I OF F I H GOL F I GJ 1000 M has many health benefits as it kills harmful bacteria, fungus, virus, parasites and fungi in the human body. It thus boosts our immune system. There is very little probability of developing any kind of infections if you have at least one slice of coconut everyday. Certain diseases like throat infections, urinary tract infections, tapeworms and bronchitis will stay miles away from you. Energy Giver- Coconut is easily broken down in the body. And it is not stored as body fat. Rather all of it is used by the body to give instant energy. It relives all symptoms of chronic fatigue by promoting healthy thyroid function. This is one of the I I A M. P O 19- F IF M O 8 10 E J E I K. Q 4 E JL I FK H I . Q J F G F IF I IG Y. I K OJ PJ . 12 E I 19 F I I I K P A. 18 F M I 5.30 E A 9 E J, 12 E A 3 E J, 6 E 7 E J 9 E 10 EJ OM 12 1 E J, 3 4 E J 12 E I A. I F e N M I K H G vK P. I KF IG, I G IF GOL 4 60 IL Q IF, 45 IL Q M. FK KMM. F HL IW . I 10 i, H I F . I FK IK , O IF M e iN A FC OJ. fibre. It improves the bowel movement and digestion. That is how it helps us lose weight by improving the metabolism in our body. The food gets easily burned up and is not assimilated in the body as fat. Healthy Bones And Teeth- Making our bones and teeth healthy is another of the health benefits of coconuts. For good teeth and bone health, you might have a coconut almost regularly. Coconut helps in the better absorption of calcium into our bodies. It is the building block of teeth and bones in a human body. Have small amounts of coconut for reaping its health benefits.

Honey Diet: Simple Weight Loss Plan!

Honey is a healthy ingredient for the body. You can use it as a beauty product for natural skin care or drink it as a weight loss drink to burn body fat. There is a honey diet for easy weight loss. Honey diet for weight loss: 1. Honey burns body fat and slims you fast. Honey has many health benefits which provides sufficient nutrition while dieting. 2. Honey is generally consumed with water. It can be consumed with hot water to burn body fat and lose weight without much effort. 3. Honey and lemon is a natural weight loss plan. Just drink honey with lemon juice and warm water every morning to stay active and lose weight. 4. Honey controls hunger so add few drops of honey in a glass of milk. A filling and nutritious drink. 5. If you want to include honey in your food, add few drops in low fat yogurt and have this healthy side dish with your breakfast. 6. Many dieters prefer having this natural sweetener in fruit salads. Just pour little honey in your fruit salad and have it. A healthy snack. 7. Have honey with oatmeal for a healthy and fat free breakfast. Honey and oatmeal is a nice combination to lose weight. 8. Have honey with hot water and lemon juice after every meal to burn extra calories. You should also have this after workout. It boosts energy and keeps you active. Honey diet is simple and can be followed without much effort. The best benefit from the honey diet is that you don't have to follow a strict diet. Only drink plenty of water and avoid oily food for best results.

Eating Right

Health benefits of a Coconut

A coconut has multiple health benefits. And the best part is that it is very tasty too. Many products with a coconut flavour are flooding the market. A coconut is very good for your health and may now be considered as a health halo. And due to its amazing taste and flavour, it is liked by almost everyone.

You can have a coconut in more than one way. Either have it raw or use it while cooking. There are many benefits of a coconut hidden in its hard shell. Lets check a few benefits of this healthy fruit. Immune SystemCoconut is said to boost the immune system. Coconut

many health benefits of coconut. And if you are an athlete or sports person then you may always carry a few slices of this healthy fruit in your lunch box. Nutrients-Coconuts have multiple health benefits. They are rich in many nutrients like vitamins, minerals and amino acids. It is also a rich source of minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium. You might thus consider coconut as a wonder fruit that will fill up almost all the nutrient needs of your body. Weight Loss- One of the most awesome benefits of coconuts is that it helps us lose weight. Coconuts are an amazing source of dietary

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ALPHA TIMES

Page 7

Consumer Rights

When online shopping goes off the track

examine the product and purchase it, here you have not even had the opportunity of physically examining the product or checking whether the touch screen works. So the dealers of online shops have a greater responsibility in ensuring that consumer complaints about the products are redressed forthwith. As far as the warranty is concerned, you must remember that through the warranty, the manufacturer guarantees that the product is defect-free. In this case, it has not been so. The touch screen never worked. So whatever the standard warranty clauses say, they cannot take away your right to a defect-free mobile set and your right to redress of your grievance. And you can exercise your right by filing a complaint before the consumer court, seeking a refund (or a replacement), compensation for the harassment caused , cost of litigation and even punitive damages. Keeping in mind the time factor (that is, the time involved in dispute resolution before the consumer court), I would suggest that you first contact the authorised service centre, tell them about the defect and ask them to replace the touch screen or the instrument itself. They should do this without any charge. If they dont , then you will have to go to the consumer court. I ordered an expensive silver bracelet through an online shop for my wife for her birthday. However, even after collecting the money for it through my credit card, he did not send the bracelet. Now he is not responding to my e-mails. He claimed that he was an Italian jeweller, but I do not know where he is located. I cannot find his postal address or telephone number on the website. What do I do? This looks like a fraudulent online shop to me. There are many such shops in the cyberspace. So lodge a complaint with the Economic Offences wing of the Delhi police, dealing with online fraud. They may be able to track down the address of the shop through the credit card transaction. Another option is to contact the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network an organisation of consumer protection authorities from over 40 countries (India is not part of it) that work together to protect consumers from online scams. They conduct international internet sweep to detect and put a stop to online fraudulent companies and claims and they may be able to help you. You can lodge a complaint on their website (www. econsumer.gov). - Pushpa G - TNS

Lets Learn

I bought a multi-media mobile set from an online shopping portal and gifted it to my sister. To our surprise, we found it to be defective, its touch screen being dead. The websites customer care said that there was no warranty for the touch screen and besides, the dealer is not responsible for the product. We were asked to take it to an authorised dealer and get a new touch screen by incurring an expenditure of Rs 4,000 which is one-third of the mobiles price. What should be my course of action? The dealer is absolutely wrong. He is as responsible as the manufacturer for the product that he has sold and if the product is defective, he has to give you a refund or a defect-free replacement. In M.Subba Rao vs Avula Venkata Reddy ( RP no 3292 of 2003, decided on March 22, 2007) for example, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission dismissed the argument of the dealer that he alone cannot be made liable for the defective product (seeds ) sold by him and that the manufacturer should also be equally liable. The Commission here asked the dealer to pay the entire compensation awarded to the consumer. You must also remember that unlike a brick-and-mortar shop, where you will

What is Right To Information (RTI)? When can it be filed?

Only a few people are aware of the RTI (Right To Information) Act 2005, which is the right to gather information and is a fundamental right of every Indian Citizen. The Central Right to Information Act came into force on the October 12, 2005. The main objective of this Act is to provide transparency in government procedures. This Act is valid across the nation except Jammu and Kashmir. What kind of Information can one seek? Individuals can seek any kind of government information and answers from the government. They can request copies of any government documents Individuals can also Inspect any government documents. They can also inspect any government works they can also take samples of materials of any government work. Who will provide this information? In every government department one or more people are appointed as Public Information Officers (PIO). These are the people who will accept RTI application, collect information from the respective department and provide it to the applicant. If the coveted information is not provided within 30 days of submitting an application or information provided is incomplete , the concerned officer is liable for penalty and if the information provided is wrong, a huge penalty is imposed on the officer. If the information is not provided individuals can appeal to the Appellate Authority. In case this is not upto the satisfaction of the individual, one can appeal to the Information Commission. How can you file RTI? There is no specified format. One can write on white paper. However, the name and contact details are mandatory and you are not required to provide any reasons for filing RTI. As per the Act the fees to file the RTI is Rs 10 and may increase for further information. Initial fee should be in the form of a demand draft, banker's cheque or cash with subsequent receipt of Rs. 10, along with the application form. For getting information you have to pay Rs 2 per page of information provided for Central Government Departments. The fees vary depending on the different states. According to the rules, first hour of inspection is free, after that you a charge of Rs. 5 is levied for every subsequent hour. One can submit their application at any of the post offices at the RTI counter. With the latest technology one can file RTI online with few sites providing this facility. Recently there were reports that call centers would be established to facilitate RTI. For more details visit http://www.righttoinformation.gov. in/ or http://www.rtiindia.org. To apply online visit http://www.rtination.com/. People have filed RTI, Information regarding Driving License, Road Construction and basic Infrastructure details, EPF transfer details, police verification details of passport, Income tax refund, status of all corruption complaints.etc., and it has been answered.

Feature

That utterly adorable little girl - The legacy continues

Amitabh Bachchan, ad man Rahul daCunha, television personality Rajdeep Sardesai, filmmaker Shyam Benegal, cricket commentator Sunil Gavaskar and Sylvester daCunha, the man who gave shape and form to the Amul advertising campaign. Most of the contributions are insightful. Most are also nostalgic and see these ads as a throwback to a younger India and more innocent times. In those days when the media advertising circus was much smaller, the Amul girl stood out much taller than her three-and-a-half feet. But, as each of the contributors will assure you, she stands pretty tall even today. Sylvester remembers how the Amul girl was created. She seems to have been a counterpoint to the Sophisticated Polson Lady Polson being the butter of choice in those days. He talks about how the chairman of Amul, Dr Verghese Kurien, (who recently passed away) gave him and his team an absolutely free hand in the conceptualisation of the advertisement campaign. Kurien even told them that they could put up banners, without his approval. This is one of the reasons why Amul was able to respond so rapidly to local and international developments, anticipating the instant reporting of todays new media. Cultural commentator Santosh Desai, an ad man himself, analyses the evolution of the Amul campaign in the five decades it has been in existence and how it has managed to keep its relevance through the times, as India evolved from being a land of hunger to the swaggering behemoth it has now become albeit still hungry as the decades of liberalisation came and went and the politician was replaced by the celebrity as the exemplar in the public mind. This is the perfect setting for Rajdeep Sardesai to remember his childhood days as a Mumbai schoolboy. While all the contributions are very well written, the best part of the book is undoubtedly the little posters that are reproduced with small explanations to give them the right context since you, as a reader, may have forgotten the original story. It is these posters that really make the book a collectors item, especially if you are my sort of reader who prefers pictures to words in books! The success of the Amul advertisement is undoubtedly because of the skilful use of what is known as the lowest form of wit that is the pun. Yet, everyone and his aunt in India is a pun-dit, and the use of the pun is what has given the advertising its instant approachability. The other trick is that every Amul ad has two lines one concerning the event in question; the other repeating the catchphrase that has lasted over the decades "utterly butterly delicious", or variations thereof. So when you are reading the advertisement you get two smart lines for the price of one. To add to the humour are the lovely and colourful illustrations and the book has some extremely cute ones. Remarkably, daCunha Communications has managed to maintain the quality of the ads, although it must have seen a large number of copywriters and artists come in and go out through its doors over the last 50 years. Yet, there can be no disputing, that the success of the campaign could not have been assured without the success of the butter on which it rode. It may be appropriate to raise a toast (pun intended) to the butter that has enabled many women to shun poverty and has enriched breakfst tables sacross the country, over so many years. HD TNS

LITTLE girls are not particularly popular in India going by the declining child sex ratio in the country. But one little girl continues to flourish 50 years after she was created by adman Sylvester daCunha with some inspiration from his wife, Nisha, and illustrated by Eustace Fernandes. She is the Amul girl who first appeared on a billboard in 1966 and continues to rule the billboards to this day with her pixie looks, her polkadotted frock and her trademark ponytail. She is someone who sometimes gives you attitude, sometimes empathises with you, most times brings you up with the news and always makes you smile, even chuckle, since she never fails to deliver a line or two that is catchy, simple, and memorable. Think of the changing times. Amul was once a small village enterprise. Today, it is a pan-India co-operative with a Rs 5,000-crore turnover and a whole range of products to sell, apart from butter. The media has, of course, got "utterly" transformed over the last 50 years as well. From the humble billboard and radio spots to television and now the Internet, the changing media has also meant that advertising itself has had to constantly re-invent itself to stay relevant. And re-invent itself it has, driven by new concepts, new technologies and new ideas. But through it all, the little Amul girl has endured with her "utterly butterly delicious" slogan, which still has a contemporary ring to it. A new book, Amuls India, compiled by Alpana Parida (Collins Business) recalls 50 years of Amul advertising by daCunha Communications. It has contributions from, among others, theatre and advertising honcho Alyque Padamsee, Bollywood superstar

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RNI No. TNBIL/2011/40609

ALPHA TIMES

ReGiSTeReD Tn/CC(S) Dn/436/12-14

Sept. 23, 2012

Published by K Venkataraghavan on behalf of R V Publications Private Limited, B4-2, Vijayaraghava Manor, 1, Vijayaraghava Road, T Nagar Chennai 600 017 and printed by him at KVP Printers 98/51, Jones Road, Saidapet, Chennai 600 015 Ph: 4269 7393 Editor S. Raghunathan