Its a nice time attending the Tamil Blog Camp event with the opportunity to network with bloggers from neighbouring towns like Pondy and Villupuram.
Left home by 5.20 a.m. and picked up by my colleague Kumaresan and then landing up at Moolakulam in Pondy for my colleague Shiva's house warming ceremony.
The previous day, there was an invitation from Ra.Sugumaran to join him at Pondy and then travel to Villupuram by car with other friends. Ofcourse when I left Shiva's function and called Sugumaran at 7.00 a.m. he was taking bath. He had gone to sleep only after 2.00 a.m. after the hectic work of completing the eleventh hour preparations for the event.
A change in plan...
I shall reach my Father-in-Law's house situated 10 kms before Villupuram and then catch Sugumaran while he crosses that place.
At 8.20 a.m. my mobile rings, Ra.Sugumuran calling...
We are nearing your place, where shall we catch you...
Where are you now?
We have crossed Madagadipet and travelling in a blue Indica car
Ok I shall stand 1 Km after Valavanur. I am wearing a white shirt...
By the time I approached the highway the Indica car sped past...
Oh !
Alas caught a tempo and reached Sugu's group waiting near the Koliyanur Road junction..
What a surprise, already the car is fully packed with 5 people + driver.
Sir, I shall come by bus.
No no, Come with us, we can adjust and go.
A good reception.
This is the first time I am meeting Ra.Sugumaran in person.
Although its very hard to get ourselves jam packed inside this Truly Indian Car, our friends were cool and receptive to this extra person intruding into their already packed car.
But in spite of the too short time and myself delaying their time a bit and making the people feeling more hardship inside the car, I could see the warm reception to this additional member inside the Tata Indica Car
Is this the Tamilian touch, I felt a feather in my cap on being a Tamilian.
A great feeling to get a good company of nice friends.
Then the car started and Sugumaran giving introduction of who's who. In the next 15 minutes we reached the venue.
Though Villupuram happens to be a District Headquarters the road leading from the main road to the Aringnar Anna Arts college is too worst and is full of pot holes. Is this the Indian roads, Why no body cares for such a condition which makes foreigners make fun of we Indians.
We reached the venue at around 9.00 a.m. and got surprised to see the internet connection working. Posted the first update of the event.
The technical staff of the computer lab of Aringnar Anna Arts college had already done the task the previous day to keep the PCs tuned up for the event. The college management was keen to see that everything is to the satisfaction for those attending the event.
Welcome to the camp.
Many persons at the event were new for me and I could not grasp many of their names.
This elderly person was giving out the forms and getting them back after being filled up by the attendees. The respect in his wordings were truly pleasing. A salute to you Sir.
The event has started and people are seen testing their just learned blogging concepts. I was doing a bit of live blogging of the event from that computer.
Almost all the PCs in the college are having Windows98 and many functions in the blogger website is not working. I wonder how the students of the college will succeed in updating their computer skills and make themselves fit to the needs of the emerging career secenario with this outdated operating system.
To be noted is - Microsoft has discontinued this operating system from mid 2006.
Ko.Sugumaran and Mu.Elangovan at the event.
Its surprising to see such a good number of girls were eager to learn the blogging stuff. Really interesting to know their urge to know about the blogging.
A satisfaction to me of having got an opportunity to teach a person on blogging.
The LCD projector which had done a promising work for the event. Although the image output is somewhat dull the projector worked non-stop making the event complete.
Hon. Minister of Higher Education Shri.Ponmudi giving out his talk.
To mark the occasion, a blog for Hon. Minister in his name was created.
URL - ponmudi2008.blogspot
There was a comment that though DMK's colour is Yellow the blog was designed with green colour - trademark of the party's rival - AIADMK
A photo session going on.
A session on insertion of photos and videos in a blog post is going on.
Myself giving out a session of google reader and igoogle.
Some of the participants felt that its really useful tool and thanked me of giving out this information.
Thanks for the encouragement.
Certificates getting ready.
A book in tamil titled "Important rivers, dams and water falls of Tamil Nadu" written by Mu.Nakkeeran was gifted to me as an appreciation for making out a session.
Actually I was left out in the list and it was Ra.Sugumaran who was particular in noting the mistake and ensuring that the gift was given out to me. A really good thing.
Mr.Raveendran, Deputy General Manager of BSNL, Cuddalore giving out his talk before presenting certificates to the participants. He is the only person other than me to come from Cuddalore. After the event I got lift in this Car to get dropped in Cuddalore. So much wonderful discussion with him that he had assured of helping out in conducting a tamil blog camp in Cuddalore.
A few more photos are there, I shall put a slide show in the next article.
Photo courtesy : Ko.Sugumuran
