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(ARCHIVE) Vol. Vol. XVIII No. 15, november 16-30, 2008
Our Readers Write

His spirit is still alive

I still remember Dr. S.S. Rajagopalan (MM, October 16th) as a guest speaker at our school’s Founder’s Day function nearly two decades ago. Much water has flown under the bridge in the affairs of the school since then. During that period, though the Telugu section did not have students, the teachers remained. This was brought to the notice of the Department of School Education year after year so that the department could transfer them to schools where they were needed. But over a period of time the teachers either retired or left the service on their own. As recently as three years ago, an announcement that Telugu would be taught as second language did not elicit any response.

I was inducted into the Committee of Management of The Hindu Theological High School in 1965 and, after holding the office of Secretary and Correspondent for one year and as President for 17 years, I stepped down in 2002 due to health reasons, but I am still in the Committee of Manage­ment. I am an old student, so was my father.

At present, the school, along with primary sections both in English and Tamil mediums, has a student strength of 1200. Our teachers take considerable pains to enable students to secure good marks in public examinations.

The present Committee of Management comprises old students, except two – our President, N.R. Dave, a civil engineer, Sanskrit scholar and former Under Sheriff of Madras. His maternal uncle was Kula­pathy S. Balakrishna Joshi, our Headmaster for 26 years and related to the founder, R. Siva­sankara Pandyaji. The other member, Dr. P. Rajaji, a senior advocate, is the President of our neighbour, the Madras Progressive Union Higher Secondary School.

Many old students, both local and NRIs, visit our school. Old students have contributed more than Rs. 50 lakh for developmental work in the school.

A modern kitchen provides breakfast and midday meals to all deserving students. Apart from Government inputs, two charitable ventures contribute to this effort, which is undertaken under the auspices of the Deena Bandhu Sangam, about which any old student visiting the school enquires first.

Dr. Rajagopalan’s concerns are almost 20 years old. The Spirit of Pandyaji is very much alive and is a guiding light for all of us. Dr. Rajagopalan is welcome to visit us and see for himself.

T. Seshachalam
tseshu_9@yahoo.co.uk

Ensuring road safety

One important suggestion overlooked by the Engineering alumni suggesting ways to road safety (MM, September 16th) is that drivers should not be allowed to drive for more than 5 to 6 hours at a stretch, for fatigue is the main cause of road accidents. Closing the eyes even for a few seconds can cause accidents. Rest is very important for drivers to avoid hitting something.

Again, being away from home for several days can lead to accidents, as there is lack of concentration on traffic and curves on roads.

Drivers should not disobey road signs.

Bharat Hiteshi
3/54, Gandhi NagarII Cross Street
Palavakkam
Chennai 600 041

It’s everywhere

This has reference to Mada Street mayhem (MM, October 16th). The problem does not restrict to Mylapore Mada Street alone as reported. ­Almost all areas in the city, wherever road junctions exist, are treated as venues for conducting political meetings without leaving space even for cyclists and pedestrians to traverse. The custodians of law who permit such meetings in public places should take responsibility to ensure free movement of at least pedestrians as well as cyclists without any hindrance.

K. Ramadoss
4/1, PE Koil West Mada Street
Ayanavaram
Chennai 600 023

Improvements needed

I fail to understand why Nature cannot be improved upon (MM, October 16th). Sentosa Island in Singapore is the cynosure of all tourists these days, mainly because Nature has been improved upon. If the Singapore Tourism Board had not improved upon Nature, few would visit the island. We have a dozen islands in the Gulf of Mannar. Who visits them or talks about them? Perhaps many would not even know there are so many islands in the Gulf of Mannar in a virgin state. Nature can certainly be improved upon.

The eyesore in the Besant Nagar beach is not a new deve­lopment. A large number of eatouts on the sands is the main cause. They are assembled out of scrap and look ugly. Public patronise them because they are very cheap. If only the various NGOs impress upon the public not to patronise such stalls for a month, the stalls would vanish slowly. I urge the NGOs to organise such a movement instead of wasting their efforts in preventing what little the Corporation is trying to do. The earlier phase of improvement on the same beach carried out in the early 1990s was also objected to by many. But when the facilities were completed, people from all corners of the city thronged there during weekends and holidays, making use of the facilities created.

The beach certainly needs a lot of improvement, apart from clearing the makeshift food stalls. Seating with backrests for elders, an approach to the shoreline for the handicapped, a toilet on the northern end, preferably in the CMWSSB premises, a fountain, a minipark etc. are needed. I hope these are provided for in the proposals.

D. Srinivasan
Alai Isai Illam
39 (T13/1), Sixth Avenue
Besant Nagar
Chennai 600 090

The great mother

Sriram V.’s article, ‘A memorial to the call of freedom’ (MM, October 16th) is excellent as it clearly shows the great ­contribution made by Dr. Annie Besant. The Gokhale Hall has been a centre of the freedom movement and this centre needs to be made a permanent memorial. Call it ‘The Temple of Freedom’, have a museum and a library, and make it more attractive.

Annie Besant started the Central Hindu College at Benares in 1898, which became the nucleus for the Benares Hindu University. I was fortunate to be a student of Central Hindu College (1950-1952) and what impressed me most was a bust of the young, dynamic Annie Besant in the College premises. I hope, one day, someone makes a neplica of it and places it in the Gokhale Hall as a tribute to this “great mother of the Indian people”, as she was described by Sarojini Naidu.

K.V.S. Krishna
2A, Parkland Apartments
Kamala Bai Street
T. Nagar, Chennai 600 017

Original anecdote source

With reference to letter from reader Bharat Doraiswamy (MM, October 16th), this was the source for the anecdote referred to by him:

“From Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean, Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, to Admiral Commanding Force H. Sir James Somerville, already a KCB (Knight of Commander of the Order of the Bath), on the occasion of his receiving the KBE (Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire: “FANCY, TWICE A KNIGHT AND AT YOUR AGE. CONGRATULATIONS”. (Source: Reader’s Digest).

* * *

As regards the article ‘A miracle tree in your backyard’ in the same issue of MM, the health-giving properties of the Moringa olifera (drumstick tree) have already been researched upon and proved beyond doubt by the Central Food & Technological Research Institute. In fact, Government had ordered its inclusion in the midday meals for school students.

T.M. Sundararaman
19, Nallappan Street
Mylapore
Chennai 600 004

Indicating hire

During nights, when we hail an auto, invariably it is carrying a passenger and it is embarrassing to the hailer as he cannot see the passenger in it because of the darkeness.

Why can’t autos have a “Hired/For Hire” board lit up in the top of the auto, which can indicate its status?

M. Fazal
11, Mosque Street
Hasthinapuram
Chennai 600 064

 

In this issue

Threat to Rajaji Hall...
Canal restoration in city...
The Parsis of Madras...
A slum that found hope
Historic residences...
Other stories in this issue...
 

Our Regulars

Short 'N' Snappy
a-Musing
Our Readers Write
Quizzin' with Ram'nan
Dates for your Diary
 

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