'A masterpiece- a book to be tasted, again & again'

Full text of the address by His Excellency  Dr K Rosaiah, Governor of Tamil Nadu at the release of BEST OF CHENNAI VOLUME 2, at the ITC Grand Chola, Chennai on 7.7.2016

           It is a pleasure to release the International Coffee Table Book “Best of Chennai Volume 2” published by Raintree Media and Global Village Partnerships.

            At the outset I congratulate the Raintree Media for its “The Best of Series” books published in 40 countries. I am happy that Raintree Media is doing this excellent work of showing the world the many achievements of Indians    from    different parts of the country. I am pleased to learn that the first volume of the Best of Chennai was published in 2009 and today they are bringing out the second volume. It is amazing to see the growth of this city over these years and the increasing success of its people and organizations.

          Tamil Nadu especially Chennai is known for its rich heritage and tradition. Chennaipattinam - Madras - the present Chennai is the first city of South India and the capital of Tamil Nadu. It is a historic land of ancient culture. Today Chennai is a manufacturing hub with numerous IT Parks, Automobile and Pharmaceutical companies.

‘The Best of Chennai Volume 2’ highlights the positive aspects about the city of Chennai and the state of Tamil Nadu. When I browsed the book, the unique feature which I found is that it nicely depicts the bouquet of the culture, architecture  and the commerce of Tamil Nadu especially Chennai, which speaks volume of  its greatness. The nice and cogent presentation on the achievements made by several talented people in various specialities of Chennai deserves a special mention.

 Chennai has a rich cultural tradition and the book not only says about the various art forms but also brings to light the artists, writers, musicians, film makers and actors who are part of this rich legacy. Chennai is also known for sportsmen and women of repute, who have brought pride to the state and the country in a wide range of sports like chess, tennis, squash, motorsports, watersports, football and cricket.

Apart from the beautiful and excellent photographs, there are outstanding images of artwork in the book. I am happy to learn that they are by eminent artists Achuthan Kudallur, S Nandagopal and K.Muralidharan. Above all, Chennai is known for its very successful businesses. As the 'Gateway to the South', it has had grand and eventful past. The remarkable part about this book is the information it carries about organizations in various sectors and their contribution to the economy. These establishments have created a strong foundation for the growth of the city of Chennai and the state of Tamil Nadu. I am also happy to read about the young entrepreneurs who are breaking new ground in business.

I am sure that the interviews given by many eminent people for this book, and their views will inspire the readers of the younger generation to achieve more. I appreciate the good and excellent work done by Raintree Media and Global Village Partnerships in publishing the ‘Best of Chennai Volume-2’.

            I congratulate Smt. Sandhya Mendonca, Editor-in-Chief and her entire team for bringing out this masterpiece. I am sure the “Best of Chennai Volume - 2” will be among the best international coffee table books and it will adorn every lobby and sitting room.       

I conclude with the words of Francis Bacon, English author & philosopher, “Some Books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some books are to be chewed and digested.” 

‘Best of Chennai Volume 2’ is one which can be tasted again and again.

                      My greetings to you all. Jai Hind.

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