Dignitaries at the launch of the golden jubilee souvenir of ABK-AOTS DOSOKAI Tamil Nadu Centre in Chennai on March 8, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Tamil Nadu has become a key destination for Japanese investment with many leading companies establishing their presence here, said Muneo Takahashi, Consul-General of Japan in Chennai, at the golden jubilee celebrations of ABK-AOTS DOSOKAI Tamil Nadu Centre.
Releasing a souvenir to mark the event on Saturday (March 8, 2025), Mr. Takahashi said that the ties between India and Japan were only growing stronger with increasing cooperation in infrastructure development, trade, technology and education. He commended the ABK-AOTS DOSOKAI Tamil Nadu Centre for its role in Japanese language and technical training that has bolstered cross-cultural relations between the two countries. M.R. Ranganathan, founder-chairman of the centre, was honoured for his role in the 50-year journey of facilitating people-to-people ties.
The six winners of ‘Talk Your Way to Japan’ speech contest were felicitated by Tadashi Suzuki, president, Hiyoshi Corporation. The students, who spoke on the theme of ecology and environmental protection, will go on a two-week free trip to the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’.
Free events
A series of free events for the public have been planned in Chennai to mark the golden jubilee. A presentation on work experience in a Japanese company will be held on March 10 (10.30 a.m.-12.30 p.m.) A workshop on the art of origami is planned on the same day from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Malathi Pandurang will offer a workshop on the art of ikebana on March 11 in the forenoon. For film buffs, a screening of Spring at Takano Tofu Shop will be organised on March 11 at 3 p.m. Screening of the anime film 5 centimetres per second is scheduled on March 13 at 3 p.m.
An aikido (martial arts) demonstration by Ela Kathiravan will be held on March 12 between 10.30 a.m. and 12.30 a.m. A cooking demonstration of Japanese dishes by Revathi Dahlia is on the cards on March 13 from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
On March 15, a judo and ju-jitsu demonstration by C.S. Rajagopal, founder and chief coach of Buddha Judo and Ju-Jitsu Centre, will be held from 10.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. This will be followed by a karate and kobudo demonstration by Haribabu Subramanian of Ryu Kyu Kobudo Hozonkai.
A bonsai workshop will be conducted by Yogesh and Suseela of the Chennai Bonsai Association in the forenoon of March 14. For those who would like to learn about the festivals of Japan, a talk by Miki Iwami has been planned on the same day from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
An exhibition on photos, stamps and Japanese dolls is on till March 15, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day.
All the events are held at ABK-AOTS Tamil Nadu Centre, at its centre on Nelson Manickam Road in Choolaimedu. No registration is required. For details, call 044-23740318.
Published – March 10, 2025 03:52 pm IST