THE PATH - V

 The Path - V

[ At Annamalai University]

The irresponsible would perish there because it had forums for all political ideology. But, some managed to stick to the intended goal and some were distracted in to politics. Academically it was not a challenging place.. Fortunately, we had a good Professor in K.Rangaswamy Ayyangar who taught us Botany, through genuine English. I had some very good friends who were all from outside A U for their PG studies. With my PG degree in June 1967, the search for a job began. By 18^th June or so, The Madura College had called for applications from eligible candidates for the position of Demonstrator in Botany as well as for other disciplines. An interview was held by the fag end of June 1967. The then HOD Prof .Krishnan after the interview, politely told me, excuse me “You may not get the job, for we have decided to accommodate an old student of ours”.  I thanked him for clearing the air and told at least I had the experience of an interview. I rushed to Madurai railway station to catch the Shencottah passenger to Nellai where my father was then. My father was lamenting “You would have performed  badly.  Who will give you a job? You have lost a chance etc, etc.” After some 15 days, I had a call letter from The Madura College to join them. I was confused as to how it could be.  There was no confusion in the letter. Now, my father insisted on locating an auspicious day to join work. It was on 24^thJuly 1967, I joined the department of Botany as a Demonstrator.  I had a new orientation here under Professors Krishnan and Sriganesan. The very first day of my joining the college, I had a funny experience in the evening. A group of persons boarded the bus and I too got in. I bought my ticket to central bus stand [ 10 paise ]. Moments later, the conductor pointing to some one at the rear said the person insists buying a ticket for me. I told the conductor in the negative. At the bus stand the person wanted to know who I was. I told him of my joining the college in the department of Botany. With contorted lips and a contemptuous look the person left the scene with a band of followers. 

I went in to the town looking for some reasonable accommodation.  The next morning around 11 am Prof. Krishnan called me. I found also the person who entered in to a conversation with me the previous evening. Prof. Krishnan politely said please show respect to seniors. I could not make out anything, coming as it did from my HOD with in 25 hours of joining the dept. I told “I don’t understand what you mean” Prof. S. Krishnan was shell shocked. The other person started recalling my refusal of his ticket for bus travel. Then also, I stood my ground saying- Why should you buy my ticket. He shouted “Don’t be stupid”. I said, “I am not”. He got more furious and asked “You mean to say I am stupid”. I replied “No Sir, But I leave it to you” Silence descended in the hall. It was none other than the most respected Prof. K.R. Narayanan of the English department. But what worked me up was an unknown person exercising his control on me when we are mutually strangers. What must have irritated Prof. K.R.N was my rebuttal in English that too by a raw appointee, yet to begin life as a teacher. I had no special value for him because I was blank as to who he was or what his profile was. Then he asked of my native place and I said “ Srirangam”. He retorted “Now, I understand your arrogance”. I laughed off saying “I am yet to show my arrogance sir”. But for this altercation, we both had very high regards for each other till he died on 2-05-1985. Quite a number of acquaintances I have had and I cherish them for various reasons. Space may not permit my narrating every one of those. They may be mentioned in passing. Still it would be a task. I was blessed with a fine team of colleagues in all the departments of the college. Working in The Madura College is a delight. No where under the Sun one can aspire for the ambience as obtaining in this system.What I intend saying is this. There is just no regimentation of any kind. People may speak ill of that.

To continue                           Prof.  K. Raman 

THE PATH - IV

The Path -IV 

Later many acknowledged that Pias was among the best in teaching Chemistry Zoology at PU was taught by Mr. Daniel Sukumar. We somehow rated him very high based on his rich costume and sophisticated looks. He was not a bad teacher eitherr. Physics was taught by Mr. Shankaranarayana. He was good but my phobia for maths did not evoke any respect for Physics. Thus went my PU at Mysore, where I very quickly picked up Kannada to speak. Later I learnt the script too. To date I retain them both, much to the surprise of my Kannada friends, as the time lapse is over 56 years now. With so much of gain I preferred to do my B.Sc., in the same college, more so, to be totally free from the nagging derivations of Physics. Later I realized the folly of my notion. I had to learn some of these vital applications to biology in my teacher career.
My tenure at St. Philomena’s College, Mysore proved a turning point in my life. I say so for more than one reason. I came under the powerful influence of Prof. T.R. Balakrishna who taught us the most vital areas of Biology / Zoology and I owe a lot to him. It was he who opened our eyes to the concept of brilliance in teaching. By any reckoning he was perfection personified and brilliance embodied. Seeing him I was enticed to Teaching as my career. Besides, this was the college where many top ranking Professors taught us. I have had the fortune of learning from Prof. M.Gopalkrishna Adiga a noted Critic in English and Kannada literature. Prof. Krishna Rao who baffled us by suddenly translating the word “Simple” to silence a mischievous intrusion from a boy, who wanted him translate the word “simple” Without batting an eye-lid, Prof. Krishna Rao quipped “The word “simple” is so simple that, I cannot simply translate into a simpler form; please understand”, In B.Sc , I had a 2 major scheme – Botany / Zoology with Chemistry as Ancillary Subject. Later it proved huge advantage for teaching in college –UG / PG schedules.

I would be thankless if I do not allot time and space for my guru Prof. T.R Balakrishna [Zoology] an exceptionally articulate and copiously fluent teacher in organizing information and in immaculate delivery. If I speak / write some English to-date, undoubtedly I owe it to Prof. TRB – WHO WAS A FIREBRAND edition of collegiate teaching. He cast a spell of mesmerism on all students by his rapid fire delivery in flawless language punctuated by updated information. His teaching was CAPTIVATING and INFECTIOUS to say the least. He was a powerful inspiration and a lasting influence on all students of either gender. Chemistry Prof. K.Narayana Rao and the Botany Prof. B.N.Narayana Rau, deserve special mention; the latter for his encyclopaedic repertoire in Botany and his quick cross references to varied domains. The Chemistry Prof. K.N Rao was a phenomenon. His memory was frightening so to say. Every year the college used to host a dinner to the graduates of the college after the Convocation at the University. The function would be in the college involving a few addresses by Professors, some entertainment and a Dinner. Prof. K.Narayana Rau, standing at the podium would introduce every graduate by name, Course studied and present position, without any material to refer to. He never paused or stumbled. What was astonishing was he did it for the entire troupe of graduates year after year. He used to call me ‘K’.Raman and every one by correct initials. Seeing those people we were groomed to the best practices in life. When I was in the II yr UG my father had a transfer to Dindigul. I had to join the hostels. It was a concentration camp.  Holding personal transistors was not allowed. Only at appointed hours the reading room would open for news papers and English periodicals. There were no regional language books. Students can go to the city only on Sundays after lunch and should return by 8.30 pm. All entry points would be sealed after 8.30pm. It was a fortress. There were 2 Resident wardens doing routine rounds every night. Students can only study or sleep. Gossiping was totally forbidden. We were forced to use our time. This schedule slowly inculcated a sense of discipline for time-bound habits. A major gain from this life was immense confidence in life especially for communication both formal and informal. It gave me the right orientation to a teaching career. When I had to leave the college I felt sad indeed, for, I was not sure of a better or a similar ambience. With my parents away at Dindigul, I had no scope of staying at Mysore. 1965 was the year of my graduation. Tamilnadu had then witnessed the anti Hindi agitation and results of the Madras University came late that year. Our results came earlier.  I could get a PG seat in Botany at Annamalai University. It was a different setting with a “free for all” hostel quite massive in population and a large number of Dining locales with 10 messes. There was no centralized overseeing. 

TO CONTINUE              K.Raman 

THE PATH - III

 The Path -III

At IV form our class teacher was Mr. T.S.T.

 Mr. T.S. Thirumalai was a teacher of English with all the skills of a seasoned Professor but for his rustic manhandling of boys for any error in English. He would yell at us saying “The dead Macaulay would come back and plunge you fellows in to the Atlantic ocean”. There was no other way of my knowing Macaulay. Some bad ones too we had.

Sri..Sowriraja Iyengar was a brilliant teacher of Mathematics but never had the refinement. He used an absolutely aversive language replete with 4^th rate vulgarity. Students in their adolescence did not realize the damage being inflicted. Among those who were absolutely valuable are Mr. T.Raghu [Science] and Mr.Swaminatha Desigar [Tamil].Mr. V.S Venkatarama Iyer was a very good teacher of Mathematics. I took some special coaching from him for Mathematics in my X std. By then my father was under orders of transfer to Manamadurai and then to Mysore. Once again for College level study I had to move in a different direction. It was to Mysore. Here too shifting did not stop. When I wanted to join some college, we had no clues to the type of facilities there. Considering my difficulties of travel from Srirangapatna to Mysore and back, besides the non-familiarity with the local language, we chose proximity to Railway station. I joined Shri Banumiah’s College of Arts and Commerce. I was clearly advised by the Principal to personally prepare for Second language Tamil since the college had no faculty for Tamil. After some 3 weeks I felt it odd since classes were half vacant [the college was in the heart of the city for easy access to every thing else]. By now one of the colleagues of my father advised him to shift me to St.Philomena’s college, where Science subjects and Tamil are taught. On the suggestion I said yes though the college was at least 4 Km from the station. When we met the Principal Rev.Fr N.T.Thomas, he patiently listened to us and said because you need Tamil, I can take you but the PU class is already full [Physics, Chemistry, Biology].

 The next day I got admitted. The very I hour was Botany in Room No.84. It was a gallery hall packed with over 80 plus students. I managed a corner seat in the 3^rd gallery row blinking at every thing – the crowd, the mixed gender, free flowing conversations in English among boys and imposing lecture halls and a highly punctual schedule. At the stroke of the bell one man came, wiped the board clean and left a cluster of colour chalks and a duster on the teacher’s table. Moments later, Prof. Varghese Chandy, HOD –Botany moved in to teach the subject. All transaction was in English and enjoyable for its seriousness. When the hour ended, I had no clues to the day’s time table. I decided to go in the stream of my ‘as yet unfamiliar’ class mates. In the crowd, 2 fellows were conversing in Tamil and planning to go to town for buying something. With no hesitation, I asked their names. It was Mr. Krishnan [Coonoor] and Mr. Francis Xavier [Anthiyur] and they asked about me. Thus ran the day one. It was quite a serious environment but for the chat among friends. Students can not loiter. Only library and canteen were the places that one can visit in any hour of the day. Strict vigil was kept on students. For students, any Lecturer who would not come for work would be informed through a prominent display in the administrative block just to avoid loitering. Another important person was our Chemistry teacher Mr A.L .Pias. It was just then that he had begun his career. He showed enormous potential and I was telling my classmates that in future we would hear more of him. But many used to throw a  scornful look at me. They failed to read my line because Mr. Pias had a Malayalam accent. In fact,, I too have suffered., At many places in my Chemistry note book I have scribed Singh instead of Zinc. “When Singh reacts with HCl, Singh chloride is formed.” But he [Mr. Pias] was brisk and to the point always.                        To go on                         Prof .K. Raman

THE PATH - II

 The Path continues...   

I begin narrating from my earliest school days till my days at The Madura College. The piece has to be viewed as my tribute all persons mentioned here in.

The earliest days I remember of my schooling are from II standard. It was at Corporation School, Raja Thottam, Chennai. The area was the property of Rajah Sir. Annamalai chettiar and it was an expansive coconut grove of acres with a small school. My teacher at II std. was Miss Jasmine. She was an able teacher with all the nuances of elegant teaching to kids. It was a grand initiation for our studies. At III std. in the same school it was Mrs. Emily who instilled fear by looking through her thin-rimmed glasses. She spent more time for mathematics much to our chagrin. After some 5 months in this class, my father took me from my grandma’s Chennai residence. He was posted at Chengalpattu.

I was put in IV std at St. Joseph’s school, Chengalpattu. The class teacher was one Mr. Azhagia singam. He was a tough person who insisted on checking note books daily. He had no mercy. He was methodic in every thing. Half way through this class my father had a transfer to Karaikkudi. My younger brother and I were put under a small school rather a one-man show by one Mr. Ponniah Pillai in Railway colony He was a very enthusiastic person ensuring both discipline and studies by personal care. At the beginning of the next academic year, with a declaration from Mr. Ponniah Pillai, I was admitted in VI std. [ I form] at Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Vidyasala, Karaikkudi..  For the first time I came to know that different teachers taught different subjects at high school.  Also it was a strange revelation that teachers could be nick-named by students. Our class teacher was Mr. Somasundaram who taught English from the alphabets. Science was taught by Mr. S.S. Others I am unable to recall except Drawing master Ramakrisna Iyer and PT master Mr. Subbiah. By the time the academic year came to an end, my father’s office was shifted to Sivaganga.[ Old undivided Ramnad district]. 

Here I joined the Rajah’s High School where the head master was Mr. Narayanan Servai who was honoured by ‘Ananda Vikatan’ as a gem of a teacher under the title “Aasiriya Rathnangal”. At VII std it was K.V. Krishna Iyer- our class teacher who taught English especially Grammar. I person, II person, III person, singular and plural verbs in relation to person, plurality and tenses were taught to us by physical force. One stroke of KVK Iyer was powerful enough to drive grammar in to any one including the most recalcitrant Karmegam of our class. Fearing him we learnt grammar very quickly. Quickly he rubbed into us the tenses, present continuous, past perfect and participles in 30 days. Mr. KVK WAS THE FIRST EVER “Learn English grammar in 30 days” way back in 1956-57 or was it Teach grammar in 30 days? Either way it helped me pick up grammar quite early and firm. Later it proved an asset all my life and some teachers in my later schooling did ask me as to from where I picked up my grammar. Mr. KVK did real wonder in the tiny Sivaganga school making us learn right grammar at 7^th std. Once this happened, I enjoyed learning English and was always at home with it. Then in the same school, I did my VIII std with R.P.Aasirvadham as the class teacher who taught English and Mathematics with ease and comfort, but not very particular of every one learning them. Another person I remember of that stage is Mr. Sethu the Tamil teacher, fresh from College. Soon he became a popular person. The craft teacher Mr. Lourdusamy was a lovable person who taught us various crafts with zeal. Two years in the same school!                                                                                                                                                   My father felt it wiser to leave me under my maternal grandfather’s care, fearing unforeseen transfers during higher classes. One more shift to my school.  It was to the Boys’ High School, Srirangam for 3 consecutive years. It was here that I came across teachers- good, bad and indifferent.

Goes on further...    please wait                                    Prof. K. Raman

THE PATH [ PERSONAL EXPERIENCE]

 

                                                              THE PATH

Though every one of us has come through the same steps of life, our paths need not be identical in the sense that our location, local conditions, facilities at every stage of life and the educational institutions we have come through are different. Sometimes even under the same stream of study throughout, we may come under different sets of teachers and friends. The contributory influences are different. Talking of contributions, teachers come to my mind. In recalling those people, inevitably the institutions need also being recalled. Is it any unpleasant to do? No. In my case very many places have to be narrated. I am quite sure many would not have had the funny experience of being a ‘stranger’ all through life. So to say,  I never had the experience of friendship as a school boy until I entered my V form in Boys’ High School, Srirangam. [the then V form is the equivalent of 10^th standard] My VIII, IX and X Stds were in the same school. To locate some friends in a new environment that too in a high school, it takes time. I am used to living in such isolation right from my early childhood. Staying at a distance has been a god-given gift. It also gave me the courage to operate singly during the best part of my later life. Also, I had picked up the nuances of studying persons dispassionately, silently enjoying their foolery / gimmicks without letting them understand how I rate them. Now at this late stage I realize that I have lost nothing though I used to suffer with in myself for that fate of mine moving from place to place in districts and not being able to develop a circle of steady friends. Education in those days was not this much formalized in the sense, during a mid academic year the Head master would admit student[s] to any class if he was satisfied of the academic fitness of the candidate. A hand written letter from the previous school was taken as a sacred record. Those teachers would not indulge in malpractice despite their languishing in abject poverty. Most schools up to the mid level [8^th standard] were handled by 2or 3 teachers levying 2 or 3 Rs as monthly school fee to be given to one of the teachers.

Those teachers would teach all subjects. People of the area gave them freedom to do anything with the children so as to make them learn. The teachers instilled fear in the minds of wards as their parents would show utmost respect to the teachers. The teachers’ poverty was no yardstick for their dignity. The spirit of this philosophy is reflected in the saying in Tamil “Delhi kku Raja aanalum Pallikku  Pillai thaan”. No social status would work in schools and the teachers did a grand job in every tiny hamlet across Tamilnadu. We should be genuinely proud that the best citizens of our country in every sphere have come from the grooming of such obscure teachers in tiny villages and towns. Where are those souls now? Gone for ever. In our very period we see so much deterioration with all the structured rules of administering the schools. People who want to make a livelihood by teaching can not teach. It is a mission of zeal and uncontaminated enthusiasm for values that every teacher has to possess. If not, the scenario will be what it is. Now let me recall my teachers one by one and pay my respects though they may not be in a state of receiving these. Yet, showing respect need not be deterred by such limitations. In those days some basic training was imparted by parents at home for scribing a few Tamil alphabets before putting the child in school.  Admissions were made for I standard at the age of six. English alphabets were taught at 6^th Std.  [I form]. .Instruction was in Tamil up to the school final stages. Yet, English was taught for all its intricacies. Teachers were thorough with their jobs. They would bestow attention to hand writing and tables. Tables were taught from I std. Every day the whole class would recite the tables. To date, rote learning of tables remains the best methodology. Probably we would never have been comfortable with tables had it not been for that approach. So much of foundation has been laid to refer to my path. To continue        K, Ranan

VIRUS - SOME EXPLANATION

 

Virus – some explanation 

   Of late more people of varied societies, ethnicity, regions and all other conceivable geographic-

identity are familiar with this term – ‘the Virus’. However, what we know of this speck is quite baffling. Yes, baffling by every count in terms of its ability to target its host. It means the tiny speck [virus] is not random in host selection. So viruses are host- specific say – humans, cattle or dogs or plants and so on. Thus, there are animal viruses, plant viruses and also bacterial viruses.  Literally every known life form is vulnerable to virus infection. We hear different names like infection, contamination and pollution.                                                                                          Each of them relates to some unwanted or undesirable ‘mixing’. 

   Infection:

   A mixing of different life forms – human / bacteria, human/ virus, human/ other disease causing    

   organisms; cattle or other animals / any of the above varieties , are all instances of “Infection”.

   Contamination:

   Contamination is a state of mixing between consumable materials like water, food and non-               

   consumable material such as dirty water or sewage or similar substances. So contamination involves   

   undesirable mixing of inanimate, but usable substances.

   Pollution:

Pollution is another form of spoilage involving raw materials like water or air or reservoirs like atmosphere or mineral storehouses  in earth by toxic or unfavourable agents like vapour or chemical residues which destroy the quality of usable substances, making raw  material unfit for human consumption . They can cause disorders or diseases in humans from prolonged use of contaminated matter.

Thus, infection occurs by a ‘coming together’ of different living systems which are unrelated by biological classification. It implies that viruses are living systems. Viruses are not comparable to other systems. [They do not ‘eat’, ‘breathe’, ‘digest’, ‘excrete’ or ‘die’]The lone life character in virus is its nucleic acid [RNA or DNA] WHICH READILY SUBJUGATES THE HOST GENES and multiplies its own viral progeny [billions in number in a few hours] and keeps spreading to new  hosts. Precisely, the Corona virus did it to a telling effect [PANDEMIC] on a global scale, baffling all nations and continents alike. Science, Technology, Medicine and diplomacy were left clueless.

However, humans mustered their skill and experience to offer the best safeguard against the pandemic.  The answer was vaccine and vaccination. Why they did not attempt curatives or medicines? Virus does nothing except to command its host to make multiple copies of its own type to hunt and haunt the hosts.  If virus does any function, one may think of ‘blocking’ that function. So no immediate scope for abating the virus is known as of now.

Our brethren in the pharmaceutical industrial research sector in India, lost no time in evolving a vaccine using a time-tested technology to provide [ through injectible  vaccines]  signal proteins to sensitize and alert our immune responses to combat the real infection.  As a Nation, we can be proud that in any modern race we are among the front runners.       Prof. K. Raman

PLAYING TRUANT

               PLAYING   TRUANT

             Life at large seems to be a game of hide and seek. The major distinction from the child’s play of this game is that, in life we do not know where to hide and what to seek. But, what we seek readily hides no matter how trivial the item is. There does not seem to be any limit to this pursuit. I do not know if this is the way it happens every where or peculiar to India alone. Looking at the whole process of day to day living, what comes to my mind is one of the statements in Murphy’s Law. It says, “If anything can go wrong, it will”. Even if we try to look for serious exceptions to it, the law stays true and valid most of the time. It appears to be the work of destiny that decides your success rate. My calling it a success rate is a calculated expression to convey the idea that even for simple things more than one attempt is required. Look at some of these which would justify the notion of destiny in most things. By a clear plan, we choose a Sunday morning to book for some train accommodation well in time. When you are the fourth on queue, the employee peeps through the small gate to tell that the computer booking has come under a seizure and that further bookings would resume only after rectification, which would be unpredictable in terms of time required. Sadly you cannot hang around the place as you have promised your people of an outing. When you try to retrieve your vehicle from the parking slot, the caretaker is hiding. You need to wait for him as he has already taken your money promising to return the balance when you come after the work. The person takes his time to return, effectively irritating you. If you try shouting at him, he would demand your tendering the exact amount. It would be a bigger exercise running for minor denominations of money. What else but the day’s fate?      You are awaiting an important postal article and have made arrangements to receive it.                                                                             …

            As your luck would have it, the postman of the area is on leave which is a rare occurrence. The new man is unable to locate the address. The usual person has chosen to go on leave now.  The next day you call on the post office for collecting this.  Another common sight:   A one-day Cricket contest falls on a holiday at an ideal time slot. You are fully organized to see the telecast. Only then the power goes off. When the supply is restored your favourite team is in doldrums. Your friends unfailingly narrate the next day, how in the early part of the game, your favorites were performing well. What we can not see is always good.  See this: Your smart child refuses to recite rhymes when the visitors have been briefed of the child’s proficiency. [Even if due, you cannot be proud]. Soon after the guests leave, your kid is back on a full scale. You like a particular candy and ask the shopkeeper for two. He faithfully tells you that he has only one and advises you to come the next day. What we don’t prefer is in plenty. Does candy deserve destiny’s favour? You may differ. But, it is so. Our TV sets develop disorders exactly a day or two after the lapse of warranty time, making us pay for what would have been a free item some 48 hours ago. No one knows the calendar better than the TV. They are always loyal to the manufacturer displaying affection to the parent. In a product, a specific model of a brand, popular for certain features fails to live up to them, when we acquire that.  It is not my desire to portray everything in a dismal form. Is it not true that most of what I have narrated happens to us in our daily life?  I am very clear that it is not for only a few. Most people go through these experiences, only varying in frequency.  No event in life appears to be free from such hindrance. But, we are not tired of our attempts; not an item has been postponed or given up without at least a couple of trials.                      

                     Prof. K. Raman