Award for harmonyIn a gesture that stitched faith and fraternity together, Tiruppur-based garment factory owner M Kalimulla, who donated his land for the construction of a Ganesha temple, was chosen for the Tamil Nadu govt’s Kottai Ameer Communal Harmony Award for 2026.
The award, instituted in memory of social activist Kottai Ameer, recognises individuals who made outstanding contributions to fostering communal harmony. It carries a gold-coated medal, a cash prize of 5 lakh, and a citation.A resident of Poonal Kadu in Tiruppur city, Kalimulla donated around 3cents in Ganapathipalayam village in Kangayam taluk for the temple and also contributed 3 lakh towards its construction, a gesture cited by the govt as symbolic of his commitment to inter-faith harmony.“The locals initially did not even know that I donated the land. Only when the message spread did people start appreciating it. I believe promoting religious harmony is the need of the hour. I urge everyone to practise social and religious harmony,” Kalimulla told TOI.Wife recalls hubby’s supreme sacrificeTears, pride, and a moment of helplessness all rolled into one at the award ceremony where Jessi Johnson received the state’s bravery honour on behalf of her late husband, Peter Johnson. On June 1 last year, Peter Johnson lost his life in a selfless act of courage at a check dam across the Thamirabharani River in Kuzhithurai. While bathing, he saw Mano, 17, and Akhilesh, 12, struggling in the strong river currents. Without a second thought, Johnson dived in and guided both to safety. Tragically, the river’s force claimed his life before he could reach the bank. At the ceremony, Jessi could barely control her emotions, as she received the award from chief minister M K Stalin. “He knew the currents were strong, yet he swam to save them. We have two sons, and they are jobless. The govt must help them get a job,” she told TOI.Firemen honoured for daring rescueWhen a sudden surge of muddy water turned a quiet mountain stream in the Nilgiris to a raging torrent, three lives hung in the balance. A car, caught in a flash flood near Perisolai on the Dharmagiri route on May 25 last year, was swept into a flooded stretch of a Pandiyar river tributary, leaving its occupants stranded and clinging to the roof as the current threatened to pull the vehicle away.Minutes later, three firefighters — V Sankar, driver mechanic, and firemen S Ramesh Kumar and P Suresh — from the Coonoor fire station arrived at the scene and made a split-second decision that later earned them the Chief Minister’s Anna Medal for Gallantry for 2026. The Tamil Nadu govt award carried a cash prize of 1 lakh, a medal worth 9,000, and a certificate, and was presented by the chief minister.With ropes tied around their waists, the trio jumped into the swirling waters, swam to the half-submerged car, secured it, and began pulling out the trapped occupants, bringing them to safety one by one. The daring rescue, carried out amid strong currents and rising water levels, was widely praised by the public and the media, and commended by the Nilgiris district collector.Farmer wins Productivity AwardChennai: Thanjavur farmer G Veeramani of Deetcha Samudram village in Budalur block was awarded the C Narayanasamy Naidu Paddy Productivity Award for 2024-25 for achieving the highest paddy yield in Tamil Nadu.Veeramani, who mastered the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) through training from the department of agriculture, applied modern techniques including certified BPT 5204 seeds, biofertilisers, green manure, precise seedling spacing, alternate wetting and drying irrigation, and rigorous crop protection. His efforts resulted in a record yield of 14,925 kg per hectare.The harvest, conducted on March 9 last year, was observed by officials from the State and District Agriculture Departments. Veeramani was felicitated by chief minister M K Stalin and received a cash prize of ₹5 lakh, a gold-plated silver medal, and a certificate.The award, named after noted farmers’ leader, aims to encourage farmers to adopt modern techniques to increase paddy productivity.
