Reg. No. TN/PMG (CCR) /814/04-05 Licence No. WPP 506/04-05 Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI R.N. 53640/91 INSIDE

• Nothing changes in Madras • Improving the less privileged MADRAS • The ICF at 50 • That 50-year-old win MUSINGS • Tara’s winners abroad Rs. 5 per copy Vol. XV No. 2 May 1-15, 2005 (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) Chemicals polluting Cuddalore No legal status for biosphere (By Tarangini Sriraman) he Nilgiris, an offshoot of the Western Ghats, harbour an Tunique and threatened ecosystem. They were once full of grass- he State Industries Promo- loroethene, carbon tetrachlo- lands, wetlands and forests. Today, we see only broken wilderness. Ttion Corporation of Tamil ride, acrolein, methylene chlo- The unique biogeography of the Nilgiris is, however, still holding Nadu (SIPCOT) industrial area ride and hydrogen sulphide. on to its tenuous character despite all the stress placed on it by in Cuddalore was recently Narayan explains that while 13 human beings. A good chunk of the Nilgiris is still under forest declared a “global toxic hot of the 22 chemicals are used as cover, under whose canopy a bewildering variety of animals and Don’t you think the girl in that spot.” Nityanand Jayaraman, raw materials in SIPCOT indus- plants survive, some rare, some gravely threatened, some endemic hoarding has lovely hair? environmental activist associ- tries, eight are known carcino- and some endangered. Barring the Northeast, no other region in India has such a large contiguous forest like the Nilgiris. Peril at crossroads ated with the International gens (cancer-causing agents) in In the 1980s, the entire region was constituted into the Nilgiris Chennai is a city of hoardings – Campaign for Justice, and animals and/or humans. Biosphere Reserve (NBR) with the hope that a comprehensive con- no getting around that fact. Shwetha Narayan, SIPCOT Narayan explains that the servation strategy could be evolved and adopted to protect this valu- May we suggest, though, that community environment pro- Environment Impact Assess- able wilderness. There is no appropriate legal status and the NBR some thought is given both to gramme co-ordinator, resear- ment (EIA) report, released ev- concept remains in a state of limbo. On the other hand, the NBR faces a huge threat of fragmentation due to heavy biotic pressure. the placing of said hoardings, ched the industrial area in ery year, requires companies to and the possible effect of their Cuddalore which houses pesti- The NBR includes the protected forests of Nagarhole, Begur, specific contents on innocent conform to guidelines concern- Mudumalai, Bandipur, Silent Valley, Mukurthi, Wyanad and a cide, agrochemicals, dye and ing the emission of chemical ef- citizens, when ‘spots’ are cho- pharmaceutical industries and number of bio-diversity-rich Reserved Forests (RF). Some Reserve fluents. She says, “Industries Forests include areas in Sathyamangalam,Moyar, Thengumarahada, sen? confirmed emissions of at least If you must use a handsome hunk discharge effluents indiscrimi- New Amarambalam and Nilambur forests. The entire belt com- for a shampoo commercial, with 22 toxic chemicals. Residents of nately into the river Uppanar in prises a continuous 5,520 sq.km. tract. the obligatory thick, black mane Semankuppam and Sangoli- the SIPCOT area. The river However, the scientists who demarcated the NBR left out streaming backwards as he chal- kuppam in Cuddalore complain which was home to 36 species Gudalur, which has one of the best forests, and is amidst Mukurthi, lenges howling gales with a care- of exposure to toxic smoke from of fish now has only 14.” Silent Valley, Mudumalai and Wyanad. Gudalur was not included less smile, go right ahead, but be chemical industries. “Gas due to the Janmam estate disputes that are still not settled. What careful where you plant that trouble: Air Quality in SIP- Jayaraman, in his article, this means is a free-for-all situation in Gudalur. More and more particular hoarding. COT, Cuddalore”, a report re- “Hold your Breath: You’re in encroachers, land grabbers, poachers and loggers, mostly from A few weeks ago, newspapers re- leased by the SIPCOT area SIPCOT, Cuddalore” (Agenda, across the border (from Kerala to be precise) have been encroach- ported an imbroglio of fairly community environment moni- Issue 1, Dec. 2004) writes, ing on virgin forestlands in Gudalur. The result is a decrease in massive proportions at a par- rainfall and loss of some endemic and endangered species of flora ticularly busy traffic junction. tors (SACEM), shows that four and fauna. There is also an increase in man-animal conflict. (Cour- factories were using 14 of the 22 Two nubile young creatures, (Continued on Page 7) tesy: CPREEC Eco News.) looking up and locking eyes toxic chemicals such as trich- — R.K.U.K. with their hero as he gazed dreamily at them, promptly for- got that ‘Green’ means ‘Go’, GUDALUR – the land of encroachers thereby unleashing an impres- sive amount of road ire directed at themselves. Harsh words, istory tells us that someone (Pandalur block); Nambalkotti When the Queen and her son ish planted tea, coffee, spices shaken fists, and wounded feel- Hhas always encroached Arasar ruled the Nambalakottai visited Nilambur, the Nilambur and other varieties of monocul- ings, filled the air, before the upon Gudalur. The Sanga block (Gudalur region) called king killed the Queen and her ture by cutting some of the best thoroughly embarrassed, deli- Illakiyam says that Cheraman Valavanur. The King of Nilam- son and took over all the land forests in Gudalur and Wyanad. cately-nurtured could drive off. Vaganan, a Tamil king belong- bur happened to visit Gudalur of the Nambalakottai kingdom. Presumably, those hoardings Some big plantations also ing to the Chera dynasty, once and fell in love with the place. At the same time, around the took land on lease for a pittance highlighting the female of the ruled in the Gudalur area. All year 1707 AD, the Nilambur species have a similar effect on from the Kovilagam. In 1969, the other half of the sketch. the forests were under his con- king also got the lands under the Janman lands abolition act l by At traffic signals in particular, can trol. Chera Vaganan’s territory Nelliyalam Queen for a pit- was brought in and the lands we therefore have only those was known as Payal land or R.K. ULLAASH KUMAR tance, at twelve annas for an were brought under Ryotwari hoardings that spell out lofty Payalnad (meaning land where acre. Thus, the king of Nilam- patta. The ryotwari patta came messages designed to improve water flows). Today, it is known bur was the first encroacher. into force from November 6, and elevate the minds and souls as Wyanad in Kerala. The He developed cordial relation- The Kovilagam people 1974. Under this order from the of the populace? King’s Payal country had a small The sort of stuff that gets road ship with the Nambalakottai staked ownership of a vast tract Supreme Court, the status quo of hill, known as Aangan Kunru, king. The Nambalakottai king of land in Gudalur and the land must be observed. But users, determined to avoid the which still exists in Wyanad. boring and depressing, to move died young and his wife Pandalur. Out of about one and the big planters kept encroach- along briskly? Some three hundred years Parvathy ascended the throne. half lakh acres of land that is ing into forests, which was also What a great way to avoid traffic ago, Gudalur was ruled by two The Nilambur king invited Gudalur and Pandalur, around part of their lease ownership, congestion. kingdoms: Nelliyalam Arasi Queen Parvathy and her nine- 80,000 acres belong to the Ranjitha Ashok ruled the Nelliyalam Block year-old son to Nilambur. Kovilagam property. The Brit- (Continued on Page 2) 2 MADRAS MUSINGS May 1-15, 2005 NOTHING CHANGES: Steps towards zero discharge In 1939 too, they were asking, (By A Special Correspondant) In the first place, it is sug- hemplast Sanmar Limited (Chemplast), which has been manu- gested that trees should be Cfacturing chemical products at Mettur over the past 37 years, is What’s wrong with planted along the banks of the now implementing plans to achieve zero discharge of effluents in all Cooum River, from the Marina its manufacturing facilities. It has, at a cost of Rs. 20 crore, em- us in Madras Bridge upto the bridge near the barked upon a major environmental initiative at its PVC and Caus- Ripon Buildings. Apart from tic Soda plants in Mettur to reach zero treated effluent water dis- eople in Madras who are full vehicle and pedestrian traffic, the obvious advantages of this, charge status. In its PVC plant at Mettur, Chemplast has already brought down Pof envy and admiration for when the health of their cities is trees on the Island would pro- well-laid-out and cared for cit- safeguarded by an adequate the quantity of effluent discharge from about 2485 kilo litres per vide a charming and pictur- day (KLD) to 1375 KLD in the last four years by implementing ies do not apparently realise the supply of pure water and a safe esque setting for the domes of various steps for the recycling of process water and reduction of enormous potential of Madras and sufficient drainage system. the University Library. The effluents at source. The company is now implementing plans to re- city. The Women’s Civic Group The Women’s Civic Group is road that runs from the Marina, duce the treated effluent discharge from 1375 KLD to ‘Zero’ KLD. is tired of hearing Madras resi- certain, therefore, that it is sim- along the Fort to the over- Towards this, Chemplast has recently commissioned a Reverse Os- dents praise the beauties of Ban- ply good business for each firm bridge, could also be bordered mosis plant which will treat about 300 KLD of effluent. To address galore, Mysore, Colombo and or property owner to try to with flowering trees. Previously, the balance effluent discharge, it is proposed to install further plant Rangoon. The avenues of Ma- make his place not only clean, in the triangular bit of riverbank and equipment adopting advanced Reverse Osmosis technology. dras, if we wished, could be as but an attractive, law-abiding near the War Memorial, there The rejects at this stage will be further treated in a thermally effi- cient evaporator to be set up. The rejects from the evaporator will clean and shaded by trees, and addition to the street in which grew a quantity of picturesque as stately as those in other cit- it is situated. be fed into a crystalliser / drier that will evaporate the water com- date palms. Most of these have pletely, leaving behind a small quantity of solid salt which will be ies. We are also weary of envi- At present, we have no died through age or neglect, and disposed of in a secured landfill according to the guidelines of the ous descriptions of the squares streets in Madras that are either should be replaced. Central Pollution Control Board. of Paris and London and other pleasing or impressive. The The godowns close to the After these steps are initiated, Chemplast will also embark upon great cities. Almost all the main Women’s Civic Group is now War Memorial are a hideous achieving zero discharge of treated effluent of around 400 KLD from roads of Madras open at inter- making a study of the various sight. It is entirely impossible for its Caustic Soda plant at Mettur. vals into squares — many of main roads and open spaces, us to understand why they must On completion of these initiatives, the company will spend them, it is true, can scarcely be hoping to secure publicity for its remain a perpetual eye-sore not Rs. 3 crore every year towards R.O. plants’ maintenance and addi- tional power charges required to sustain the zero discharge opera- recognised as such, so rapidly comments and criticisms. We only to those passing by on the are they being ruined by the en- have selected Mount Road for tion. Marina, but to eveyone on dis- Chemplast’s PVC facility has already received ISO 14001 certi- croachments of new buildings From tant Mount Road from which fication and the Chlorochemicals facility will receive the same but, still, the possibilities are they are all too clearly visible. shortly. there, if only they are realised. The Municipal Formerly, they were partially The effluents generated at the company’s Industrial Alcohol The Women’s Civic Group Gazette, March 1939 screened by a fine avenue of plant at Panruti are being utilised to make biocompost, a high nutri- believes that within its present trees. These have died of old age ent that is used as organic manure. On completion of the budget much more could be and have not been replaced. biocompost project, the company filled the discarded lagoons with done by the Corporation to our first consideration as it is We cannot, in fact, too strongly earth and has planted cashew trees there. make our city cleaner and more the most important thorough- deplore the barren, haphazard The company’s Caustic Soda/Chlorine plant in Karaikal will attractive. It does not ask for fare of the city. The most obvi- shortly commission a sea water desalination plant which will greatly appearance of this entire area. reduce the factory’s dependence on groundwater. greater expenditure, but for ous criticism to be made about The War Memorial, pro- wiser expenditure. Mount Road is the hopeless vided by public subscription, Although the Women’s alignment of the buildings from designed as a place of remem- Civic Group criticises the work Government House onwards, brance and pilgrimage, was Encroachers in of the Corporation, it must not due entirely to the haphazard placed in an imposing situation, be forgotten that the Corpora- way in which it has developed with no provision whatever for tion can do nothing without the over a long period of years. But a suitable setting. Even the Taj Gudalur co-operation of the citizens. the days of haphazard growth Mahal owes much of its beauty Other cities in India appear to should be over, and if the city is to the appropriate gardens sur- (Continued from Page 1) of the elephants to drive them be fortunate in being able to to command the respect due to rounding it. The Civic Group away or use burning sticks. thus increasing their plantation arouse the pride of residents in it, its citizens must feel a sense again offers to design an appro- It is high time that the court areas and violating the Supreme their city. This pride seems sadly of responsibility in these mat- priate garden setting and plant- order is implemented. Under Court order. The State Govern- lacking in the citizens of Ma- ters, for such improvements as ing of trees for this area, within the court order, even the Gov- ment also brought in repatriates dras. Men are responsible for are possible now and for careful the present Corporation bud- ernment cannot issue pattas to to work in tea estates. There are planning the lay-out of the city planning in the future. It is get. anyone since it comes under many people coming from and its buildings. Men are in hoped that these suggestions If we return to Mount Road, Section 17. But some long-time across the border to settle in this control of all the business and criticisms we have to offer and stand at the Fort Gate, settlers must be given small beautiful land. Thus there is houses. Men design and build will rouse thought and that while attempting to visualise a pattas and the big encroachers heavy biotic pressure. Since the our business buildings. Perhaps eventually increased civic pride more attractive Madras, the removed. Then the Gudalur disputes have not yet been each is too busy with his own and a more attractive city will situation may be described thus: area must be brought under the settled in court, many are en- affairs to consider his street or result. Mount Road is a wide street, Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. To croaching on these lands. city as a whole. The Women’s The following observations leading from the Fort directly to add to this, the entire Nilgiris Civic Group notes that other were made during a drive, start- St. Thomas Mount. It was at The ecology is being de- must be brought under Environ- cities have found that business ing from the Fort, along the one time shaded by great trees. stroyed badly. Devala, which ment Protection Act (EP Act). improves and property values banks of the Cooum to the Is- Some of these remain. The road used to get the second highest This will go a long way towards increase when the main streets land Bridge, and thence back to crosses the Fort and Willingdon rainfall in the country, hardly protecting the Nilgiris. There is are made attractive and safe for Mount Road. Bridges. Before it reaches the has any of the thick forests it very little hope that the city limits, it opens out at inter- used to have. Some say a Gudalur encroachments will be vals, into what might be five makhna — a male tuskless el- brought to a stop and the for- OUR ADDRESSES... imposing squares, but their ef- ephant — was caught from the ests there saved. The Supreme l For matters regarding subscriptions, donations, non-receipt of receipts fect is damaged by the irregular Pandathorai forests, not be- Court order to save the Nilgiri etc.: CHENNAI HERI- TAGE, 260-A, TTK Road, Chennai 600 018. property line which, apparently, cause it was a killer, but to re- Forests in response to a public l For non-receipt of copies, change of address, and all other circulation our Corporation officials cannot move some good forest cover. interest litigation filed by matters: MADRAS MUSINGS, C/o Lokavani Hall-Mark Press Pvt. Ltd., 122, control, in spite of laws giving The makhna could protect a Godavarma Thirumalpad, is a Greames Road, Chennai 600 006. them the authority to do so. large chunk of forests. Gudalur beacon of hope in a sea of de- l On editorial matters: The Editor, MADRAS MUSINGS, C/o Lokavani Mount Road could be an im- is also an important elephant spair. — (Courtesy: CPREEC Hall-Mark Press Pvt. Ltd., 122, Greames Road, Chennai 600 006. posing thoroughfare. Madras is corridor. But, sadly, all the cor- Eco News.) No personal visits or telephone calls, please. Letters received will be sent ridors are now sealed. Elephants the capital of a great Presidency. (Details of the history of Gudalur from these addresses every couple of days to the persons concerned and cannot move freely today and you will get an answer from them to your queries reasonably quickly. Strange Its main street, at least, should are taken from Vivasaigal as it may seem, if you adopt the ‘snail mail’ approach, we will be able to help be worthy of a capital city. The their status is pathetic. They Thoilargal Munnetra Sangam you faster and disappoint you less. charge human beings in estates. (VTMS), People’s Movement THE EDITOR (Continued on Page 7) People pour hot tar on the back working in Gudalur.) May 1-15, 2005 MADRAS MUSINGS 3

has been a mushroom growth of engineering colleges started by pri- vate managements with monetary aims. Out of the 200+ engineering The products of Sarukkai colleges in Tamil Nadu, only about The public voice 20 provide the required standard of teaching. The availability of jobs is arukkai (MM, April 16th), a very tiny hamlet, they are still the buddies of M.Ct.M. day and have t is good to know that the Tamil in inverse proportion to the present Swas an insignificant village without even the not got old. INadu Government has with- strength of graduates, most of them basic needs in those days and when I was newly Our house today has become a wedding hall – drawn its proposal to draw water with poor marks. married my husband’s grandmother used to tell me ‘Sundaravadani’ – and Egmore High Road has lost from the Perambalur region in or- IT concerns, like BPOs and call that whenever somebody died he had to be taken its charm with the overflow of shops and traffic. der to augment the supply from centres, cannot create the vacan- across the river for cremation as there was no facil- Veeranam lake after protests from ity in Sarukkai. But it has given birth to some very Geetha Rajagopal cies they promise. Parents would do Director, Sampradaya the residents of Perambalur and well not to spend huge sums of eminent personalities like Dr. Rangachari, Dewan surrounding areas. While it has money on engineering studies but Bahadur T. Rangachari, one of the most famous House in ruins been announced that the proposal should try to choose a job-oriented lawyers of Chennai (grandfather of Mrs. Y.G.P.), arukkai (MM, April 16th) is a hamlet near is being dropped out of respect for course which is within their means S.R. Jagannathan who served as Reserve Bank Gov- SKabisthalam (of Mooppanar fame) and the public opinion, I wonder why the and for which their children have ernor and also the World Bank, the famous river Kaveri divides it into two halves, Vada public views were not sought ear- the aptitude. All substandard col- danseuse Malavika Sarukkai, the editor of Femina, (north) Sarukkai and Then (South) Sarukkai. We lier, before announcing the project. leges which are unable to secure Asha Saran, Priya Sarukkai Chabria, eminent poet belong to Then Sarukkai, while S. Jagannathan, Some time back, a proposal to even 30% pass results should be and novelist (sister of Malavika), S.R. Chari who former Governor of the RBI, belonged to Vada build a new Secretariat at the site closed. retired as the General Manager of Telephones In- Sarukkai. Dr. S. Rangachari’s house was next to where the Queen Mary’s College is dia, and the popular drama and movie artiste, the M.R. Pillai ours. My father was a cousin of his. located evoked considerable pro- late S.R. Veeraraghavan, apart a number of others. I visited our village for the first time some three H 64/5, Central Avenue test, forcing the Government to Being a very small village most of us are related in months ago and was horrified to see the ravages in Korattur, Chennai 600 080 drop the idea. Later, the Govern- one way or the other. My grandfather the late S.R. this near-deserted village. Dr. Ranga’s house is in ment took steps to locate the Sec- Restoration & inspiration Ragavachari who retired in the early 1950 as the total ruins, with a big banyan tree growing in the retariat building in Kotturpuram, Vice-Principal of Coimbatore Agricultural College middle of the house. His wife, Kamala, was a great learn from press reports that but after strong public protests was a first cousin of the famous Rangachari. philanthropist and acted fully according to the IU.V. Swaminatha Iyer’s house is there seems to be a re-thinking. Coming back to Dr. Rangachari, he performed wishes of her husband by donating all his wealth very old and needs to be recon- More recently, the Govern- an operation somewhere around 1927 in our an- for public charity without her or her husband’s structed. I once had a chance to ment’s move to locate the indus- cestral house 47, Egmore High Road, one of the name appearing anywhere. deliver a lecture in that holy place trial solid discharge site at oldest houses in the area along with T. Rangachari’s Dr. Rangachari’s Kensington Nursing Home for a day. Gummidipoondi has met with con- house (the famous lawyer). I have heard a lot about was taken over by Dr. A.L. Mudaliar and the hos- If all Tamil scholars, Tamil siderable opposition, forcing the this operation, which lasted nearly four hours. pital continues to function without any break. Government to drop this proposal. pandits and those who speak about With very little facilities and with just an assistant, It would appear that Govern- Tamil and live in the name of he had performed this operation on a person who Dr.S.S. Rajagopalan ment is not communicating effec- Tamil co-operate to help, the house was more than 70 years old! The doctor did it more New 30 (Old 17) tively with the people and does not can be restored. I appeal to all as a favour for a close relative. I also have heard Kamrajar Street, Gandhi Nagar feel the pulse of the public before Tamil scholars to undertake this about this woman whose delivery he personally at- Saligramam, Chennai 600 093 announcing such decisions on sen- work. tended near Kanadukathan (Chettinad). It seems sitive subjects. Tirisirapuram Maha Vidwan she had a number of miscarriages and he had prom- Twice-told tale Perhaps, top bureaucrats should Meenakshisundaram Pillai who ised her that he would personally attend to her de- egarding the incomparable late Dr. S. tour the districts more frequently taught Tamil to U.V.S. Iyer has also livery. True to his word, he flew all the way from R Rangachari (MM, April 16th) wasn’t it in and better understand popular ex- been forgotten by the people. He Madras in his plane and delivered her first normal Madras Musings that I read in a letter that the pectations. The problem is that was the Asthana Vidwan of the Sri child without taking any remuneration. priest of a Muruga temple near Arakkonam had most senior bureaucrats confine Tiruvavaduthura Aadheenam Memories of the beginning of the Jaganatha no money to perform the daily rituals and that themselves to their offices, leaving which celebrates his birthday every Sabha, the Presidency Girls’ School where most of Lord Muruga appeared in Dr. Rangachari’s dream the district administration to the year. Pillaival has composed nearly the girls in the family studied, the huge tank (or and instructed him to drop a bagful of money on district collectors, most of whom one lakh Tamil poems. Kambar had was it a lake?) – ‘Spur Tank’ – the one that was near the temple and the noble doctor did so flying low are very young and inexperienced. sung about 12,000 stanzas but the Purasawalkam temple, the musicians, the danc- over the temple in his Puss Moth? Verily, Dr. Pillaival exceeded that number and ers like Indrani Rehman, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Rangachari was no ordinary human being. N.S. Venkataraman was called ‘Paththu Kambar’ G. Kausalya who learnt from Pandanallur Certainly not anything like today’s Vasool M-60/1, IV Cross street (Kambar-ten-fold). Chokkalingam Pillai also on Egmore High Road, Rajas. Besant Nagar, Chennai 600 090 In each and every place in all make me want to put the clock back to those C.G. Prasad Tamil Nadu, a libraryshould be golden days. One very eminent visitor to Egmore Less engineering focus 9, C.S. Mudali Street named after him, or a block in ev- house, who used to shock me literally with his sim- Kondithope, Chennai 600 079 he article ‘Engineers aplenty, ery school or college should be plicity those days was Karuppaiah, as G.K. Tbut where are the jobs?’ (MM, named after him. Moopanar was fondly called by my grandfather. An- April 16th) should serve as an eye- If we study the life story of Maha other thing that makes me envious is when my hus- Name restoration opener to those parents and crazy Vidwan Pillaival, the autobiogra- band and his friends, including Justice ill Chennai Corporation restore Dr. S. wards who are keen on taking up phies of U.V. Swaminatha Iyer and R. Balasubramanian – Bala to all – associated for WRangachari’s unamputated, hallowed name engineering studies, especially the his contemporary Thyagaraja nearly 50 years, all from M.Ct.M. School, meet at to what is at present ‘Dr. Ranga Road’ in discipline of Computer Science, Chettiar who was also a student of least once in 15 days and get nostalgic, talking about Mylapore? with dreams of a golden future. The Pillaival, we will get deeply inter- their school days, the old enchanting Egmore and N. Dharmeshwaran lure for such studies gained root ested to study Tamil. In 1940, when the great teachers like Ranga Ramanuja Iyengar, ‘Aparanji’, 14, 10th Cross with the advent of software compa- I was young, a chapter on one of their very strict English master. When I watch them Maruthi Extension, Vyalikaval nies which offered lucrative jobs these scholars in a SSLC book in- still going nostalgic, they give me the feeling as if Bangalore 560 003 even to freshers. spired me to become a Tamil lec- Exploiting the situation, there turer and writer. I wish everybody becomes a good Tamil scholar by Master, used to present themselves I wonder who will answer the ques- lengthy periods with a fusion power studying these books. in their best attire with turban etc. tion in the same spirit of concern of 1000 megawatts. Readability, please to look after the needs of their boss. for the State. As a country we are second to Dear Readers, A Tamil Vidwan As the train with the saloon passed Apart from the technology and none in the world in technical man- As letters from readers Chennai 600 061 manned level-crossings, the gate- progress made in the US as stated power resources. We should begin increase, we are receiving more Railway nostalgia keepers used to salute the GM of in MM, the UK and Japan have to pay more attention to these new and more handwritten letters, the State Railway as if he was the reached a stage in their research areas of research. many of them in a hand so small he article ‘Broken pieces of a representative of the Maharaja. efforts to provide unlimited sup- I am happy with MM’s endeav- and illegible or large and Tglorious past’ (MM, February If my memory is correct, it was plies of cheap energy. Nuclear fu- our to interface environmental scrawled as to be unreadable. 16th) took me back half a century Modern Cafe that was the official sion offers the potential of vast measures with heritage. Often this leads to our discarding caterer of the Railway. It used to quantities of cheap power from fu- when M&SM was Madras and P.J. Joseph a letter, particularly if some part Southern Maratha and not as men- supply hot masala dosas, snacks and els such as seawater, without creat- of it is unreadable. The Trinity tioned by the author. steaming hot coffee at every halt, ing significant waste, according to If you wish us to consider 5, Kandigai Road My uncle was the last General apart from running the kitchen in reports I have read. your letter for publication, please the saloon. In Germany, a new source of en- Korattur type it with enough space Manager of the then Mysore State ergy to derive electricity from sea- Chennai 600 076 between lines or write it using a Railway, also colloquially known as MWO A. Venugopal medium hand, clearly dotting the “Howdappa Railway’, because of water by fusion research has been Correct name the loyalty most of the users had for Air Force (Retd) influenced by the thought that ‘i-s’ and crossing the ‘t-s’. 3/686 Annai Vel Nagar e. my letter ‘Readers’ service’ Many readers also try to fill the Royal family to whom the Rail- Stagnation is Retrograde, since the way belonged. Ph 1 Extn equilibrium is not static but dy- Rin MM, April 16th, my name every square centimetre of a Madhanandapuram should be T. Kaleeswaran and of- postcard space, making reading Just before nationalisation, my namic. A fusion yield of 10 mega- Chennai 600 116 fice telephone number 22533432. or editing impossible. sibling and I had the privilege of watts was achieved a few years ago. Please help us to consider travelling with my uncle in his per- Sea solar power There is world-wide co-operation, T. Kaleeswaran your letters more favourably by sonal saloon from Bangalore to involving European, Japanese, New No. 5, Seventh Cross Street making them more legible for us. Mysore. We children used to feel ow, sea solar power – Is there American and Russian fusion re- Mahalakshmi Nagar ‘Nan opportunity for Tamil search scientists, on such possibili- West Velachery THE EDITOR like maharajas, as at every station the entire staff, led by the Station Nadu in this?’ (MM, January 16th). ties as a plasma providing energy for Chennai 600 088 4 MADRAS MUSINGS May 1-15, 2005 May 1-15, 2005 MADRAS MUSINGS 5

l Improving the lot of the less privileged bottom sides, pillars cant rails determined and motivated and roof sticks, panelled over leader, formed well-motivated with MS steel sheets and water- and willing teams in ICF. A proof rubberoid materials over sound mechanical engineer and A community college the roof. This wooden body administrator, he fostered results weighed a lot more than it on the shop floors; disciplined needed to be. The Swiss Car El- activities and willing worker in- and other changes evator Manufacturing Corpora- volvement flowed naturally un- tion had begun to build a coach der his guidance. He was ever body as a completely steel welded caring too about worker welfare ositive interventions within Covansys and RCME share the girls in Vellore (for those older unit somewhat in the way an air- and living conditions. No exag- Pthe community are always expenses for provision of com- than 17) set up jointly with Lucas plane is built. With steel struc- geration when I say you could see laudable, specially when they go puters, instructor salaries and TVS to impart skills and create turals fabricated from sheet the glow on the faces of ICF men beyond the customary ‘doling- miscellaneous administration ex- revenue models, besides tying up metal, welded throughout to around him those days, along out’ exercises. More so when penses. We also get involved by with an NGO based in Kerala to Mainline electric multiple unit. An early coach. Diesel electric multiple unit. form a coach body, the coach was with genuine respect for their these are initiated by joint part- organising talks, vocational and make bamboo-based products. mounted on all-welded steel leader. Here was the right succes- nerships between service organi- half-day seminars twice a year. Another initiative has been bogie trucks. The net result: a sor to the ‘start-up’ man, Sada- sations, government and non- Once the course is over, we find the model slum developed at Integral to prosperity ICF – 50 years of strong all-steel railway coach, gopan, in later years. governmental organisations. the students placements, Annai Sathya Nagar behind Kasi he years immediately following the euphoria of Independence in greatly reduced in weight (at My direct involvement with In Bheemannapet, off CPR through our personal contacts, in Theatre in Jafferkhanpettai, TIndia marked the beginning of the renaissance of India’s railway least by 7 or 8 tonnes). Interior system. Integral to that rebirth was the nation’s commitment to self- ICF was only in its Silver Jubilee Road in Alwarpet, a signboard department stores, theatre com- Ashok Nagar, at a project cost of furnishings in hardboard too year in 1980. I remember how a outside the Community College plexes and other corporate Rs. 25 lakh under the aegis of the sufficiency. That revival was focussed on what the country’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, alluringly called ‘Temples of Modern In- achievement were lighter than customary clamour developed for the gifting for girls proclaims a joint initia- groups, either by bringing com- Chennai Willingdon Corporate dia’. One of the earliest among those was the Integral Coach Factory wooden furnishings. All the way, of a HMT watch to every worker tive between the Corporation of panies to them or vice-versa. Our Foundation (CWCF), RCME (I.C.F.) at Perambur, Madras. n the pre-independence era, TTS helped in forming a nucleus In April 1959, a second shift lightness and strength were the as a token offering for the Silver Chennai, Covansys (India) Pvt. initial expectations from this and the Corporation of Chennai. The London-based owners of the principal railway systems of Brit- ruling factors in the construction Jubilee occasion. After long Ltd. and the Rotary Club of Ma- project were very modest, but From a survey of 75 slums, this Irailway passenger coaches of skilled craftsmen to help start was introduced in the shell fac- ish India started making wagons and coaches in their workshops from were imported, mainly from En- production in the factory. Prac- tory and by March 1960 the shell of the coach. consideration, the Board dras East (RCME). It is a part- you must see how professionally one was chosen because “its resi- quite early days. These were mostly wooden-bodied carriages. In the gland. In 1948, a decision was tical training in the workshop outturn reached 447 and furnish- Venkataraman’s report to the favoured the idea of an indepen- nership five years old. Inside a 20-year-old Bhavani, who passed dents were willing to participate post-Independence era, the need for an integral light-weight coach was Railway Board and his encour- dent hospital, which at present felt keenly. The idea was to be able to haul more carriages, each taken by N. Gopalasamy Ayya- was given under the expert guid- ing outturn 249 coaches. Thus classroom, a few girls are having out from here last year to join as in its development”. The objec- agement of the integral steel- has a 100-bed capacity. In retro- an animated discussion with the an Instructor in the Juvenile tive of the project was “the inte- mounted on bogies axled at each end, using the same tractive-effort of nagar, the then Minister for ance of Swiss instructors. A tech- began the diversified production a simple locomotive, thus effecting considerable saving. This central Transport and Railways, that a nical society was also formed in this factory, with increase in bodied design for railway coaches spect, I see this facility as more teacher-coordinator. Others are Home we adopted, takes care of grated development of a model led to Indian Railways, five years long lasting than a wrist watch! working diligently on the com- its entire computer facility.” But slum in Chennai with the idea of idea had been completely ignored by previous railway administrations. factory for the indigenous pro- where lectures by Swiss engineers targets year after year. ICF has I.C.F. derives its name from the design of the carriage which incor- later, negotiating with the Swiss, S. Srinivasan, who retired as puters. Says the teacher in we do need to put in a formalised making it a model community duction of coaches be established and Indian engineers were produced over 35,000 shells porates an all-welded trough floor integrated with the body, thus form- company. Secretary to the General Man- charge, Sujatha, “Every year, of database and placement centre easily replicable at other slums in India. Designs from various arranged on various technical since its inception and furnished ing a sort of hollow tube with closed ends. In this configuration, the The post-Independence pe- ager, adds: the around 20 girls who pass out, to ensure smoother placement, and the inmates of the commu- global coach manufacturers were matters. most of them. Till now 170 vari- working forces sustained by the coach are more or less equally distrib- riod was notable for setting up most find employment in well- nity to see the benefits of access considered and those of a Swiss Prime Minister Jawaharlal eties of coaches have been pro- I had completed a 4-year Di- uted over the entire body of the carriage. The chief features of an coachbuilder, M/s. Swiss Car & Nehru inaugurated the factory duced. three new production units to known organisations. One ex- to civic amenities, minimum I.C.F. coach, which set it miles apart from its earlier counterparts, ploma Course in Mechanical En- l by provide Indian Railways with in- ceptional student (whose father health care, basic literacy pro- with wooden bodies and later steel enclosure, are comfort and safety Elevator Mfg. Corpn., Zurich, for on October 2, 1955. K. Sada- The first air-conditioned two- gineering (LME) at the Central digenously manufactured rolling was a sweeper) was absorbed by SHOBHA MENON grammes and a sense of partici- of passengers, smooth running, light weight but extra strong and, above manufacture of all-steel, all- gopan was its first Chief Admin- tier sleeper coach was launched Polytechnic, Broadway, in 1953, stock and so enable it to become Covansys a few years ago and pating in the community’s devel- all, its anti-telescoping construction. welded ‘integral’ shells were ac- istrative Officer. in October 1968 and coaches for did my one-year apprenticeship self-sufficient. Chittaranjan, the now earns Rs. 26,000. Last year, says Raghavan. “Maybe a com- opment.” This revolutionary design was developed by several manufacturers cepted. As Indian engineers had Production began in a modest Rajdhani superfast trains in No- in Sundaram Motors. When ICF of rolling stock in Europe and America, such as Metro-Camell, Breda, centre for steam locomotives, 28 girls passed out, trained in mon selection programme for all I met a confident Shanthi, a no experience of such coaches, a but steady manner in 1955 and vember. advertised for Trade Apprentices Alstom, Budd, Fiat, Swiss Car & Elevator Manufacturing Corpora- Perambur, for coaches, and Office Management and soft- the four Community Colleges ‘V Std pass’, who is the leader of technical aid agreement was en- seven third class coach shells On the export front, what to undergo training in its School, tion Ltd (Schlieren), Linke-Hofmann-Bush, St. Louis Car Co., Pull- Varanasi, for diesel locomotives, ware skills. Many are employed could ensure more opportuni- one of the 20 women self-help tered into with this firm on were flagged off from the shell started as mere two bogies to I joined the institution. man Wegmann and others. After negotiations with some of these were trailblazers. Among the at AVT Leather’s Quality Con- ties.” groups here. “Before this project 2.10.53 to provide assistance in division by the CAO, Sada- Thailand in 1967-68, and 113 76 of us reported to the Basic firms, the Government of India zeroed in on the Swiss Car & Elevator setting up the plant and training gopan, on February 22, 1956 for coaches to Taiwan in 1971-72, three, and in a comparative as- trol and Software Departments. At the Juvenile Home in began, we had miserable toilet Manufacturing Corporation Ltd., Schlieren-Zurich, for an Agreement Training Workshops on manpower. The agreement Central Railway. The first indig- “Most of the girls are from Purasawalkam, the RCME works facilities. We’d either use the va- of Technical Collaboration which would include initial supply of parts 15.3.1954. We were welcomed lower middle class families. For with the Corporation and Relief cant grounds nearby or walk a in CKD condition and eventual transfer of technology to the Indian ended on 27.5.61. enous coach was rolled out by by the Principal, U.A. Kamath. l by SHIVENDRA KUMAR six months they are taught inter- Foundation, an NGO into Child long distance to access a toilet. company. ICF opened for production in 1955. The Ministry of Railways de- the then President of India, Dr. There were two foreigners by his personal and life skills. The rest Welfare. The 300 girls in the And children used the thorough- I.C.F.’s initial production was a coach with a 70-foot body, cided to locate the Integral Rajendra Prasad, on August 14, General Manager, ICF side whom he introduced as of the year they are taught a com- Home have markedly improved fare for this purpose, adding to Schlieren coiled spring bogies (trucks) and increased use of plastics. Coach Factory in Perambur, 1956. Swiss instructors, and who would These vehicles offered passengers somewhat higher standards of safety bination of office management in their self-esteem and confi- the filth. The new toilets and northwestern suburb of Madras. The cost of production of impart practical training. We and comfort, well affording a higher passenger:ton ratio. It is true that now includes exports of various sessment, I would venture to sug- and software skills. Some other dence levels because of the im- pucca draingage connections The factory initially consisted of coaches had from the first batch were asked to give our prefer- First Class passengers had less space than in the older coaches, but types of coaches to Zambia, Phi- gest that ICF could well claim a community colleges offer Screen proved food, education skills and along with proper roads (laid by 10 shops with a covered area of itself registered a systematic ence: Fitting or Machining? this was in line with the policy of re-designating the former Second lippines, Tanzania, Uganda, little more glory for a variety of Printing, Tailoring and Nursing the periodic counselling sessions. the Corporation) have drastically 8,84,600 sq.ft. laid out on the downward trend. The cost of a Frei was the Swiss instructor Class as First Class. The First Class standard coach, unlike its prede- then most modern lines. This Schlieren shell received in Bangladesh and Vietnam, and reasons. It had to contend with too. Classes generally go on from And it has shown in their 100% improved our hygiene and re- cessors, included a side corridor, which is why the space per passenger who came to impart fitting train- Malaya. greater skills in its manufacturing 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Application pass this year. The RCME is in duced illnesses. Garbage is now was reduced. There were five four-berth compartments and two twin- and other constructions were knocked down condition and as- ing. Ghalor was the Swiss in- K.P. Jayaram, who retired as practices, which called for more forms are available from the the process of setting up a Voca- collected at source. We’ve also berth coupes, making a total of 24 berths or 36 seats. The compart- completed in a record time of sembled in the factory was structor for the machinist group. three years. It was envisaged that Rs.1,65,000. However, then cost a Member of the Railway Board intensive apprenticeship skills Chennai Corporation.” tional Centre for them. About started to pay taxes. A new Com- ments no longer had their own lavatories, but one European style and The first instruction Frei gave 4000 persons would be em- of an indigenously manufactured adds: and training methods, and it had Shreen Raghavan, Director, 100 girls undergo training aided munity Hall has also been built three Indian style toilets were installed at the ends of the corridor. us was to take the brush and One fold-up seat was provided for the coach attendant. ployed. shell was only Rs. 89,000. Simi- I was a member of the 1942 to develop export potential. Vocational Services, of the by adult education software pro- so that we can hold our functions clean the vice, the table and the The corresponding third-class coach afforded 80 seats in the con- Identification and procure- larly, the cost of furnishing a batch of Special Class Appren- The formative stages were un- RCME for the last two years, vided by Tata Consultancy Ser- there. More important, the floor beneath it. It was too much ventional arrangement, but only four lavatories; one lavatory per 20 ment of modern plant and ma- coach dropped from Rs. 97,000 tices recruited by the Indian Rail- der K. Sadagopan. It was a col- says, “The concept of the Com- vices and C K Technology’s SHGs (there are four SHGs for some of the diploma-holders, passengers was not altogether agreeable, especially in the early morn- chinery was simultaneously to Rs. 76,000 in the second ways for management posts. I was laboration phase, with Swiss munity College was the Chennai Tamil Office software. Equip- formed by the men in the area) but we had no choice. Only later ing when the 70 gallon (315 litres) water tanks tended to run dry. taken up. Though machines of batch, thereby amply supporting on a two-year training stint in the guidance. In any organisation, Corporation’s. Basic infrastruc- ment for Screen Printing and have reduced our dependence on Later, two significant variants based on the standard underframe and I realised our workplace is our indigenous manufacture were the government’s policy of ‘self UK (1946-1948), when the Rail- this is a very crucial phase. It has ture, like land and building, be- Carpentry have been donated to moneylenders. The members shell were the two-tier and three-tier third-class sleeping cars. In the way Board deputed one of its se- its own intricacies and sensitivi- worship place and we have to longs to the Corporation, while the After Care Home for these who are behind this initiative two-tier version, there were upholstered upper berths so that in addi- considered, manufacturing ca- sufficiency’. nior mechanical engineers, B. ties; egos, jealousies, inter-rival- keep it clean and tidy. have even encouraged us to elect tion to the 80 sitting passengers, 24 sleeping passengers could be car- pacity in the country was not yet When the factory was initially Venkataraman, to attend the In- ries, carry their own risks and pit- Frei would demonstrate every a woman volunteer (who is pro- ried. In the three-tier sleeper, the middle berths formed backrests dur- fully developed and it became in- planned, it was decided that ternational Railway Congress in falls for acquisition of skills from skill and we had to follow suit. vided a uniform) on each street ing the day, and since there was sleeping accommmodation for 75 evitable to import the bulk of coach shells produced would be passengers there was no difference between night and day capacity. Europe in 1947. The Board also transferor to transferee. Devel- He would go to each apprentice who will look into civic and rel- them. However, the first ma- furnished in railway workshops. I.C.F. subsequently built integral coaches for metre gauge routes. wished him to study the produc- opment schedules are liable to be and correct him. He would not evant health issues and approach chine to be installed was a With increasing production and The Third Class variant included 64 seats, six doors and three lavato- tion of a new design of integral hit sometimes and delayed if let any apprentice move on until the necessary authorities for Kirloskar 8½” centre lathe, consequent increase in the work- ries. The coach body could withstand a 120-ton compressive load. Leg- steel-bodied coaches in Switzer- these problems are not fully over- he had acquired satisfactory level help. We’ve even formed an which was inaugurated by the load in the railway workshops, room was increased from the previous 4’10” to the broad gauge stan- then Railway Minister, Lal Railway Board decided to set up land. Venkataraman, who retired come. Sadagopan, a finance in the skill. Our training com- Annai Sathya Nagar Residents’ dard of 5’ 7”. Designers appeared to have imagined at one time that pas- as Chief Mechanical Engineer, man, was indeed a shrewd cap- menced at 7 a.m. on dot and he Association!” she says proudly. sengers on the metre gauge lines were smaller than those on the broad Bahadur Shastri, on January 20, a furnishing annexe to ICF so Southern Railway, was greatly tain. He had an easy smile and would be there five minutes Her friends Chitra and Mallika gauge routes, and that only dwarfs travelled on the narrow gauge! 1955. that the factory could deliver impressed by what he saw in winning ways. He made this ahead of us at the workspot. affirm their collective sense of Subsequently, I.C.F. forayed into construction of air-conditioned A Technical Training School complete coaches ready for ser- Schlieren, Swizerland. He ad- phase a great success, smoothen- What a training we received at pride and confidence. “Our lives carriages, restaurant cars and pantry cars, chair cars, vestibuled (TTS) was inaugurated by O.V. vice. vised my batch in the UK to visit ing ruffled egos on all sides! The the hands of this dedicated Swiss have changed very much, thanks coaches, and many more innovations. The factory also began to build Alagesan, Dy. Minister for The first furnished coach was electric multiple unit rakes, with silicon rectifiers for operation on the plant and arranged with the fledgling ICF plant was laid on instructor! Thus was ICF made to this project. There is more Transport & Railways, on March flagged off on January 16, 1962. commuter networks electrified at AC of 25KV single-phase at 50Hz factory management to provide solid, firm foundations in his one of what Nehru called “the money to spend on what is prior- 20, 1954. Candidates were The division was formally de- per second, which sustained DC traction, and now it has started mak- us facilities. time, with technology transfers temples of modern India”. — ity.” Says K. Ananth of the trained both in the School and clared open by S.V. Ramaswamy, ing EMUs with AC traction as well. on the shop floor in trades like Dy. Minister for Railways, on Railway coaches at the time faithfully adopted and applied. (Courtesy : ICF Golden Jubilee A community classroom in progress. (Continued on page 7) G.D. Patwardhan welding, fitting and machining. October 2, 1962. were built with a wooden body, His successor, Iqbal Hydari, a Souvenir.) CMYK 6 MADRAS MUSINGS May 1-15, 2005

At 80 n.o., he recalls Yet another miss for a 50-year-old win Tamil Nadu he cup that missed the lip was let to slip. That was Tamil Nadu’s Tpredicament in the one-day Ranji Trophy championship that ifty years ago, in the 1954- Balu was again “forced” into recently concluded in Mumbai. F55 season, he was the cap- doing something, this time run- As one of the teams strongly fancied to win the tournament after tain of the first cricket team rep- ning commentary for All India impressive performances in the earlier rounds, the southern outfit resenting this State (then Ma- Radio. “I did commentaries for disappointed in the final against Uttar Pradesh. Tamil Nadu was all set to win the final, but the game ended in a tie. dras) to win the Ranji Trophy Ranji games as well as for Test A close finish will certainly enthrall the cricket spectator. But to championship Balu Alaganan, matches. I enjoyed working an ardent supporter of Tamil Nadu, it was a big disappointment. now at 80 n.o., wonders why with Ananda Rao and R.T. But for the cool display of two young players, Vidyut Tamil Nadu has not won the Parthasarathy. I have worked Sivaramakrishnan and Anirudha Srikkanth, the match could well Ranji Trophy more since then. with Vijay Merchant, Devraj have ended in a loss for the team. What made the outcome galling “Today, the State has a highly Puri and Berry Sarbadikary. I was that U.P. was on the mat, with nine wickets down and 34 runs talented lot of boys representing went to England in 1986 at the to make to win. Tamil Nadu simply could not separate the final pair it and I am amazed that we won instance of Jasbir Singh. I was till that brilliant throw by Srikkanth to Vidyut saved the team from the Trophy just once after the very reluctant, but he cajoled defeat. Thus concluded the 2004-05 cricket season rather disappoint- 1955 win, and that was in me to make the trip as a com- ingly, with the team unable to make it to the Ranji Trophy final 1988.” mentator. Only after he told me round because of its shoddy show in the field. And the tie in the that we would be taken care of Balu Alaganan’s innings as a Balu Alaganan. one-day tournament, which was played by the Subbiah Pillai tour- by the Indian High Commission player was much shorter than thought Kripal would score a lot nament winners, was a sad experience for Tamil Nadu supporters. his tenure as the game’s admin- in Britain was I convinced to However, the tournament had its heroes. Vidyut, who slammed of runs in international cricket,” make the trip”. But he refused a splendid 123 in the semi-final against Bengal and a breezy 41 in istrator in Tamil Nadu. Five he adds. years as President and 25 years to go to Pakistan on three occa- the final, did well with the bat. He was pretty useful with the ball Speaking of his stint as a sions when he was repeatedly too, as he bowled some tight spells at crucial moments and helped as Vice-President were indeed a his side win. barometer of his popularity in popular commentator with All- invited to go. India Radio, he recalls, “During I wonder when the national selectors are going to cast their eyes the cricketing circles in the As an able administrator, on this talented youngster. It’s thought by many that he is the ‘Salim State. He is also a respected the 1987 Bangalore Test against Balu managed Indian teams Pakistan, I was sure that India Durrani’ of the future. figure in Indian cricket too. within the country on several Skipper Hemang Badani fared well in the final, hitting 69 and would win the game and an- occasions. He also managed the showed that he had marvelously overcome the ill-effects of a broken Always modest, it’s hardly nounced my retirement on the surprising that he attributes that Indian side to Sri Lanka in 1974 arm. Former skipper S. Suresh came up with a good all-round per- microphone. But India lost the when Ajit Wadekar was the formance in the first game against Baroda. Ranji triumph to his team mates game by 16 runs. The AIR au- Sridharana Sriram gave a good all-round performance in the rather than to his role as Cap- captain. “Fortunately, India thorities asserted that I had never lost a single game when I tourney, which helped him earn an India recall for the Fifth One- tain. “You see, I was reluctant Dayer against the visiting Pakistanis. Who can forget that memo- not given my retirement in writ- was the manager,” he recalls. to play in the side and yet was ing and so I had to commentate rable hat-trick that he achieved with the ball at a crucial juncture in pushed in as player first and on the victorious January 1988 But he has bad memories of the match against Bengal. then made captain. The transi- Test against the West Indies his visit to the West Indies in Test wicket-keeper Dinesh Kaarthick made only small scores as tion was all like a trance,” he 1976 as Treasurer of the team. he ran himself out on a couple of occasions just when he was look- when Narender Hirwani took ing good. reminisces. 16 wickets in his debut match. After India savoured a win at Port of Spain, successfully chas- Badrinath and senior batsman Sridharan Sharath were disap- Going down memory lane, After this game, my retirement pointing because of getting themselves run out. Running between Balu justifies his statement became permanent.” ing a target of 403, it had a ter- wickets continued to be of great concern in the tournament and it about himself, saying how the rible match in the Test that fol- revealed that none in this country has mastered the art of running The reluctant cricketer’s in- lowed at Kingston, Jamaica. number 11 batsman of that vic- troduction to the game was in between wickets. torious Madras team, M.K. Ceylon where he had gone from After India was 178 for one Among the bowlers, left-arm spinner Ramkumar and paceman Murugesh, was the motivator. on the first day of the Test, the Jesuraj were as impressive as they were in the five-day Ranji version. his native Bodinaiyakanur, They showed excellent temperament and adapted themselves well “When Murugesh came to the where no one had ever heard West Indies selection panel, wicket,” he recalls, “the gutsy headed by Clyde Walcott, to the changed format. about cricket, for his schooling. Unfortunately, Vasudeva Das the batting find of the season for player inspired me and said, In 1934, he joined St. Thomas’ hatched a plot that night to at- Tamil Nadu, did not get any opportunities to play in the tourna- ‘Skipper, just feel that I am a College boarding in Colombo tack the Indian batsmen on the ment. He should be given more opportunities because he is an Number 3 and not a Number and got inducted into the game legside. Indian prospect in the not too distant project. 11.’ I realised how valuable that — again reluctantly. “I hardly “First, Anshuman Gaekwad Only the Tamil Nadu and U.P. lads were outstanding in the advice was to me, for we got as- understood the game, yet began was seriously hurt and I had to tournament. Suresh Raina of U.P. is an exciting prospect and should sociated in a decisive 93-run playing for the school.” take him to hospital. Next, don an India cap soon. (Courtesy: Straight Bat) partnership that tilted the scales In 1942, he joined Madras Umrigar, the manager, brought A Special Correspondent against the more fancied G.R. Vishwanath to the hospi- Holkar, who had in their ranks Christian College, Tambaram, and played for the college team. tal with a fracture, then Ghulam Tony Greig made some uncom- vadanam, wicket-keeper D.L. players like Mushtaq Ali. It was Ahmed, who was on the trip as plimentary remarks and had to Chakravarthy, R.M. Perumal, J. a winning partnership made He played for Madras Univer- sity in his second year and be- Board Secretary, escorted face their wrath and rout on the Sydney, N. Krishnamurthy possible by the confidence Brijesh Patel to the hospital af- field.” (who scored six successive cen- Murugesh displayed.” came its captain the next year. At this time, he was called for ter he had been struck on the Reverting back to Madras turies in the league circuit), all Balu then adds, “I immedi- trials to select the Indian Com- mouth by Vanburn Holder. The cricket, Balu recalls with happi- of whom should have made it to ately announced my retirement bined Universities team. Balu’s nurses laughed at us and asked ness his 25-year stint as Vice- the higher grade. Another was on winning the Ranji Trophy. Ranji debut came in the 1947- whether the boys were hit by a President of the TNCA and his Edward Prabhakar, who would That was my motivation level!” 48 season. But he had to be ‘wet ball’!” Balu recalls sadly. five years as President and have definitely led the Madras he says with an expression of pushed to play for the State. “I “It was from my commenta- thereafterwards as Patron of the team if he had not joined the contentment in his style. “I never played continuously, but tor friend Tony Cozier that I Association. “I took over from Navy. He was a brilliant fielder have always been a reluctant the Madras Cricket Association learnt about the plot to maim M.A. Chidambaram just after at extra-cover and would set an customer,” he admits, and Secretary, Srinivasa Raghavan, the Indian batsmen. However, we had won the Ranji Trophy example on the field.” hence had to be forced into was very particular that I should one player defied the pace at- in 1988, but we never won after The reason for Balu’s reluc- playing from time to time. captain the State side and the tack with great guts and that that,” he says with a tinge of dis- tance to turn out in flannels was Balu regrets that some play- Chairman, C. Ramaswamy, was Dilip Vengsarkar”, he appointment in his voice. he was busy as a planter in Bodi- ers in that victorious side, like backed him.” Balu recalls a sad added. He has happy memories of naiyakanur. Besides, he also A.G. Kripal Singh and C.D. experience that occurred at At that time, some English rubbing shoulders with some loved playing tennis, a game Gopinath, did not play more of- that time. The Madras Cricket players, including the legendary ‘high class’ players in the Ma- that gave him tremendous ten for India. “They were the team left for Hyderabad by off spinner Jim Laker, were in dras league circuit when he physical fitness in later years. top batsmen in my team and I train. “That night, there was an Kingston. “They too laughed at played for the Egmore Recre- Today, at 80 n.o, he awaits unfortunate air crash and us and said that when the ation Club. “There was ‘Jaggu’ Tamil Nadu winning the Ranji Srinivasa Raghavan was one of Trophy again. — (Courtesy: Quizmaster V.V. Ramanan Windies came to England that (SR Jagannathan) who was sim- those killed. Imagine my men- summer, they would be given a ply outstanding as a leg spinner Straight Bat.) is on vacation. His column tal state at the time!” will resume on his return. dose of their own medicine. But and a dour bat, Murugesh, a After retiring from the game, it was different. Their captain great left-arm spinner, Sundara- Bhaskeran Thomas May 1-15, 2005 MADRAS MUSINGS 7

Polluting Cuddalore A reminder to our readers l It’s a year since Madras Musings began being a priced journal, offering readers a special annual sub- (Continued from Page 1) protection when chemicals de- ried because of their deteriorat- scription rate of Rs.100. It is now time to remind sub- stroy agricultural land. ing health and because they are scribers to renew their subscriptions and readers who “Villagers have for years com- labelled as SIPCOT women. Narayan who probed the have not yet sent in their subscriptions to do so. plained about the intense gender dimensions said that Residents complain about inad- chemical odours that pervade women in the villages of equate hospital facilities, with All subscriptions acknowledged by us from January their homes at all times of the Semankuppam and Sangoli- the nearest government hospi- 1, 2005 and subscriptions that we receive between now day. Villages like Kudikadu, kuppam have undergone mis- tal being 12 km away. SIPCOT and April 16th will be considered as annual subscrip- Thaikal, Eachaangadu and carriages and stillbirths apart villagers in Cuddalore have pe- tions for the year April 16, 2005 to April 15, 2006, titioned for continuous air Sonnachavadi lie in a virtual gas from bearing deformed babies. Volume XV. As for those who have sent in their chamber with chemical facto- Girls attain early puberty, while monitoring, long-term health ries on three sides and the river supervision and a ban on ex- subscriptions between April 16, 2004 and December women complain of high mor- 15, 2004, please renew your subscriptions as and on the fourth.” While fishermen bidity levels of children in this panding the industrial area. frequently develop rashes, resi- area. Chemicals like hydrogen Narayan says, “What is ap- when they fall due. Madras Musings, unfortunately, dents in general have nausea, sulphide affect the central ner- palling is that the government does not have any staff, but only a couple of part-time eye-irritation, muscle fatigue, vous system and retard mental has authorised the setting up of volunteers to help and, hence, is in no position to send narcosis and cyanosis. growth of children. more industries which use vola- you reminders. Both the Tamil Nadu Pollu- Mothers inhaling gases and tile chemicals.” Since some of When sending in your subscription, please send it to tion Control Board and the Fac- chemicals can transmit toxic ef- these are small companies, they Chennai Heritage together with the coupon that ap- tories Inspectorate, which do not fall under the purview of fects to their children, through pears on this page, duly filled in, in full (including monitor the environment, have breast milk, affecting the brain the Environment Impact As- not conducted any scientific sessment (EIA). – (Courtesy: quoting your Mailing List number). We look forward development of the child. to an enthusiastic response from readers old and new. study to identify the toxic Women from the SIPCOT In- The Word, journal of the Asian College of Journalism.) chemicals. Farmers are given no dustrial Area cannot get mar- — THE EDITOR

Subscriptions and A COMMUNITY COLLEGE (Continued from Page 4) overnight, but positive change Eighty students will be trained contributions is bound to happen,” says R. in each batch and Hot Breads RCME, “Once they stand on l As readers are already aware — and hundreds have responded Venkatakrishnan, currently has already imported Rs. 20 positively — we have no other alternative but to price Madras their own, we can move on to President, RCME. lakh worth bakery infrastruc- Musings. From April 16th (Volume XIV, No.1), Madras Musings has creating more Sathya Nagars.” To take off shortly is another ture. Students who pass out – been priced at Rs.5 a copy, ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: Rs.100/-. “We’re now reaching a very ambitious initiative where the 50% of them drop-outs from Please make out your cheque only to ‘Chennai Heritage’ and send it, critical segment of the project, RCME teams up with ‘Hot Corporation schools and the together with the COUPON BELOW, to CHENNAI HERITAGE, 260-A, going from infrastructural com- Breads’ Mahadevan, who has rest from economically weaker TTK ROAD, CHENNAI 600 018 or C/O LOKAVANI-HALL MARK munity development – facili- opened outlets across the world. sections – will find placement PRESS PVT. LTD., 122, GREAMES ROAD, CHENNAI 600 006. tated over the last 3 years to the An existing building within the within the Hot Breads chain of An ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION of just Rs.100 covers only a part of community’s emotional and so- same Community College cam- bakeries. Says S.S. Rajsekar of our costs. Corporate support and YOUR support will continue to be cial development – yoga classes, pus will be used for Practical the RCME, “Giving exposure to essential for Chennai Heritage and Madras Musings to play a greater de-addiction camps, special tu- Classes for the Chennai Culi- children in different industries role in creating awareness about the city, its heritage and its envi- ition for middle school and pri- nary Institute which is on the is so important. Not only the ronment. We therefore look forward to your sending us your contri- mary schools (with the aid of anvil. Another building will kind of intervention, but the butions IN ADDITION TO your subscriptions. Pratham, a Mumbai-based orga- come up in 5-6 months for the right timing is crucial. Not to If in the coming year Chennai Heritage receives repeated sup- nisation in the field of primary Theory Classes that will be con- mention the spark from the stu- port from those of you who have already made contributions, and if education which works with ducted by the well-known culi- dent that matches the interven- many more supporters join the bandwagon, we will not only be able us). We don’t expect miracles nary expert Chandri Bhat. tion!” to keep Madras Musings going, but also be able to continue aware- ness-building exercises on on-going projects as well as undertake one or two more such exercises. What’s Therefore, please keep your contributions coming IN ADDITION Senate House TO YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS. If, say, you send in a cheque for Rs.500, wrong we will treat Rs.100 of it towards subscription to Madras Musings for Conservation Fund 2004-5 and the remaining Rs.400 as contribution towards the causes with us in Chennai Heritage espouses. l The Senate House Restoration and Management Trust appeals to We look forward to all readers of Madras Musings, and those Madras? all alumni of the University of Madras and heritage lovers every- newcomers who want to receive copies, sending in their subscrip- where to contribute to the Senate House Conservation Fund which (Continued from Page 2) tions. We are indeed sorry we can no longer remain a free mailer. the Trust is managing for the purpose of restoring Senate House to its old glory by December 2005 and maintaining it thereafter in the — The Editor Women’s Civic group realises same condition. that Members of the Chambers CHENNAI HERITAGE of Commerce, Trades Associa- Cheques should be made out to the Senate House Conservation tion, European Association, Account and sent to the Registrar, University of Madras, Chennai 260-A T.T.K. ROAD, ALWARPET, CHENNAI 600 018. 600 005. Contributions are eligible for benefits under Section 80-G Rotary Club, etc. are busy men. of the Income Tax Act. But members of these / I am already on your mailing list (Mailing List No...... ) I have organisations can use their in- Dear Registrar, just seen Madras Musings and would like to receive it hereafter. fluence to improve Mount Road I am pleased to enclose a cheque for Rs...... as my contribution to the restoration and maintenance of Senate House. l I/We enclose cheque/demand draft/money order for Rs. 100 (Rupees One if they wish. In other cities, and Kindly acknowledge receipt. hundred) payable to CHENNAI HERITAGE, MADRAS, as subscription to other countries, such groups of Madras Musings for the year 2004-05. businessmen unite in continued Name: ...... efforts to improve the appear- l As token of my support for the causes of heritage, environment and a better Address: ...... city that Madras Musings espouses, I send Chennai Heritage an additional Rs ance of their cities. They do this ...... (Rupees ...... ) because it is good business and ...... because they wish to be proud ...... Please keep/put me on your mailing list. of the city in which they live. Name : ...... The women have no power to ...... Address: ...... act. They can only appeal to the ...... men to consider their sugges- I am an alumnus/alumna/heritage lover and wish the project all Note: Overseas postage Rs. 550/year extra. Cheques for overseas postage tions, to improve upon them, success. My college was ...... alone payable to M/s. Lokavani Hall-Mark Press Pvt. Ltd.. All other cheques to and then to act before our main ‘Chennai Heritage’. thoroughfare becomes a hope- Date: ...... Signature: ...... less mess. 8 MADRAS MUSINGS May 1-15, 2005 A Gond in the London Jungle

hese were some of the com- they worked with him over the journey had really come full Tments that The London next few months – and The circle. Jungle Book, by a tribal artist and London Jungle Book was born. The exhibition, which was in published by Tara Publishing, Combining innocence and great demand, had two more received when it was launched sophistication, Bhajju had suc- stops in the UK – the Museum in London. ceeded in turning London into in the Docklands and the Bhajju Shyam, a brilliant an exotic bestiary: the Under- Horniman Museum – before it young artist from the Gond ground was a giant earthworm, continues on a tour through tribe in Central India, was in- Big Ben merged with a giant Europe and the US. In India, vited to London two yeas ago to rooster, and English people the book was released in col- paint the interiors of an Indian were bats that came out to play laboration with the British restaurant. Tara Publishing first at night. Council in Bangalore in March met him in November 2003, at 2005, with the noted art critic an illustrators’ workshop that it and curator Jyotindra Jain as a “I would like to give it to every had organised. one I love, when they are travel- special guest. Bhajju entertained the Tara ling by choice or necessity.” — The London Jungle Book has team for a whole week with sto- John Berger. already been translated into two ries of his travels, and they were “Delightful a travel book foreign languages – Italian and completely charmed. What with a difference”— Time Out, Dutch. Tara will also be launch- struck them was not just the London. ing the book in the US in Octo- originality of his view, but also “A startlingly generous and ber this year. the lightness with which he was colourful collection of image, ca- The Miracle of Flight: The heaviest animal I have ever seen is an elephant. The Artist able to make acutely profound pable of making the most jaded So, that is the creature that came to my mind when I painted the plane. A plane 33-year-old Bhajju Shyam metropolitan refocus and taking off is as much of a miracle as an elephant flying. I have put the trees upside observations. They were con- lives and works in Bhopal. Like down in the sky, and the clouds below, because flying turned my world upside- vinced that there was a brilliant smile.”— The Independent . most Gond children he grew up down. visual travelogue in there. So helping his mother paint the Tara felt right away that this walls of their village home. ‘Tiger on a Tree’: 6th Award was a very important book. It Bhajju’s family was too poor to was both an extraordinarily cre- keep him in school, and so iger on a Tree (Anushka Ravishankar/Pulak ative leap in the life of a tradi- when he turned 16 he came to TBiswas), Tara Publishing’s successful title, has received tional artist, as well as a decep- Bhopal in search of work. He another important international award: inclusion in the 2005 tively light and playful reversal worked at several odd jobs, be- American Library Association’s Notable Children’s Book of the anthropological gaze. fore becoming an artist’s ap- List. It is the first Indian children’s book to have made it into The book was co-published prentice. Bhajju’s prowess as an this prestigious list. The ALA chooses books on the basis of with the Museum of London independent artist grew quickly, overall literary quality, originality of text and illustrations, and released there with an ex- and in 2001 he received a State use of language, excellence of illustration and design, and hibition of original art in No- award for Best Indigenous Art- the likelihood of acceptance by children. vember 2004. Bhajju’s return to ist. His work has since been ex- This is the sixth international award for Tiger. Earlier in London for the release of his hibited in the UK, Germany, the year, it won the 2005 New York Book Show Award in book was a very proud moment Holland and Russia. Now, fif- the category of Children’s fiction. Other award, for this hand- for him. He was completely teen years after he set out to made children’s classic include the Andersen Award, Italy; overjoyed at the reception his seek his fortune in the city, the Book of the Week, CCBC; Biennale of Illustrations, work was receiving and amazed Bhajju has truly arrived. His has Bratislava; and the Star of Excellence, French Union of at the variety of merchandise been an incredible creative Culture. that the museum had created. journey: from decorating the Originally published by Tara in India, the US version has He spent a week in the foyer walls of his village home to been brought out by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Tara has also signing books, meeting fans, changing the way we see one of sold rights to the book to publishers in France, Germany, and painting a mural specially the greatest and most loved me- Italy, Japan and Korea. Locally, a version in Tamil is forth- Sport on page 6 commissioned by the museum tropolises of the world. (Cour- coming. (Courtesy: News from Tara) for its collection. For Bhajju, his tesy: News from Tara)

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Published by S. Muthiah for ‘Chennai Heritage’, 260-A, TTK Road, Chennai 600 018 and printed byby TT JJ GeorgeGeorge atat Lokavani-HallLokavani-Hallmark Mark PressPress Pvt.Pvt. Ltd.,Ltd., 122,122, GreamsGreams Road,Road, ChennaiChennai 600600 006.006. EditedEdited byby S.S. MUTHIAH.