 Thiruvasagam contest stirs up Kovai
 The Thiruvasagam contest organised by chennaionline.com, Ilayaraja's Thiruvasagam-Tamil Maiyam, Sornammal Educational Trust in Coimbatore on June 22 was a huge success, with the active support of the Ilaiyaraaja Yahoo Group and Varaha Kshatriya
Gurucool.
Over 70 school and college students participated in the contest, at the end of which six winners were selected by a panel of judges. The contest was organised in connection with the release of the album, 'Ilayaraja's Thiruvasagam - Classical Crossover' in Chennai on June 30, with a view to promote awareness of the significance of Thiruvasagam. The local co-ordinators were led by Dr Vijay Venkatraman, founder and moderator, Ilaiyaraaja Yahoo Group.
 R P Dharshan (8-E, SBOA Main Campus) and N Soundarya (6-A, SBOA Main Campus) bagged the top two prizes in the category of students up to 8th standard; R Bhargavi (9-E, SBOA Main Campus) and Jayasree (12-A, RS Puram Girls High School) secured the top two positions in the 9-12 standard category, while C Vasanthi (B.Lit. TSAAST College) and K Mahalakshmi (B.Sc. of the same college) came first and second respectively in the colleges category.
These six persons will receive prizes from maestro Ilayaraja, who has composed music and rendered songs for the album, at the function in Chennai on June 30. They also received special prizes from chennaionline.com, Sornammal Educational Trust, Amudham Music Pvt Ltd and Super Audio (Geetanjali) Music Pvt Ltd., at the function in Coimbatore on June 22 from the chairman of KTVR Vijaydeepa Group of companies, K T Venkatarama Reddy.
 Four students received consolation prizes - J Bala Girish (6-B, Nehru Vidyalaya) and R Harani (6th std of Vidya Vikashini) in the sub-juniors category; V Srikrishnan (11-A of Vidya Vikashini) in the Juniors category and S Sriram (B.Sc. of Annamalai University).
Sornammal Educational Trust, formed by K Pandiarajan and others in Chennai, is the main sponsor of the prizes for the contest in seven
centres.
 Retired Tamil professor of Kongu Naadu Kalai Ariviyal College, Kovai, D Kalayanasundaram, who was the chief guest, stressed the significance and relevance of Manickavasagar's Thiruvasagam, its literary qualities and ability to transport readers to a highly spiritual experience. He appreciated the efforts of Chennaionline and other organisations in organising and supporting the literary and spiritual cause.
 The judges for the contest, Dr V Umapathi and K Thirunavukkarasu, of the Tamil College, Perur, pointed out how Manickavasagar had contributed not just to the Saiva bhakti movement but also to the Tamil literary world. The judges expressed their gratitude to Chennaionline for taking efforts to spread awareness of Thiruvasagam among the public through this contest in various parts of the state.
 Dr Vijay Venkatraman, founder of the Ilaiyaraaja Yahoo Group, which had undertaken the co-ordination of the contest in Coimbatore, said there was a massive response from the student community to support Ilayaraja's musical project. This was reflected in the Thiruvasagam contest organised in
Coimbatore.
Arunachala Sastrigal of the Varaha Kshatriya Gurucool, which partially sponsored the event in Coimatore by providing its premises for the contest, lauded the efforts of chennaionline.com, Tamil Maiyam and the Ilaiyaraaja Yahoo Group in propagating the greatness of Thiruvasagam among the youth.
D Thyagu, manager, KTVR Group Hospital, proposed a vote of thanks. Mementoes were presented to the judges and the local co-ordinators - Dr Vijay, M Bhavani, A T Sivashanmugham and Dr R
Kannadhasan.
R Rangaraj
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