13 September 2025

Changing times

We all experience the inevitable changes that are brought in with changing technology. This evening cna TV Channel telecast an interesting documentary on this interesting aspect. I was particularly drawn to the 'camera' segment of the documentary. 

Like many youngsters from middle class background, I had developed a liking for photography, a hobby that I inherited from my beloved father. I nostalgically remember the different cameras that I had used in different times as camera technology kept changing. Let me share images of the cameras that I had used.





There was an excellent Tamizh language children's magazine known as 'Kannan' (image of an edition of which is shown below) which was very popular among children during my boyhood years. 


This magazine was a treasure house of good information to kids. It used to bring articles on how to take pictures using a camera and how to develop films. The magazine also published articles on how to build cardboard houses, how to make a slide projector, how to assemble a portable 3 Band Radio etc.

Besides 'Kannan', there were a few other very popular childrens/youth magazines in Southern India where my parents resided.  Chandamama was one such children's magazine. (After retirement from active career, I joined Chandamama as creative writer for a few months). 

Among the English language youth magazines, Junior Statesman was very popular all over the country. I nostalgically remember it's debut edition of February 1967 with The Beatles as it's front cover page.

There were also newspapers and magazines that carried sections for children. One such  was Illustrated Weekly of India. Aunty Wendy's 'Young Folks League' was a popular column in the magazine.

Christian Organisations used to publish their own youth magazines. Don Bosco School, Mumbai used to publish 'Youngsters'; Chennai based Salesian Institute of Graphic Arts used to publish 'Friends'. Younsters carried 'Nuts to crack Competition' (in which I had bagged some gifts). I remember having written an article entitled Hippies, hypocricy and happiness' in November 1969 edition of Friends.

Those were golden years.



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About Me

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Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
I am a retired K-12 Education Management Professional. I have worked at different levels in K-12 school systems, textbook publishing, elearning and Education NGOs. I have held memberships in The Association for Science Education (UK), American Association of Physics Teachers and The Malaysian Institute of Physics. I hold a 1st class B Sc Degree in Physics followed by B Ed [English and Physical Science] and M A [Childcare and Education] degrees. My published works include 59 articles in teacher development magazines in India and the US and a book entitled `Creative Classrooms and Child Friendly Schools' (listed in Amazon). This book is almost an anecdotal account of my professional experience in six countries (including Cambodia where I worked as Technical Adviser to the Ministry of Education, Youth And Sports). I served as mentor in the Certificate of Teaching Mastery Program offered by Teachers Without Borders.