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Vol. XXV No. 10 MUSINGS September 1-15, 2015 Investors arrive Know your Fort in a wonderland better hen they come, they will The late M.S.S. Pandian of- will have pedestrian and other Wbe taken through some ten referred to the three faces markings done in colour and carefully groomed areas. We re- of any urban settlement – exhi- also have stagnant water fer to the Global Investors who, bition, museum and backyard. drained. Though this is not when they land sometime next The authorities are now work- mentioned, we are fairly certain month for the much awaited ing overtime to take care of the that traffic lights on these “40 meet, will get to see certain first and second elements. If bus routes, 15 interior roads and parts of our city at their best and newspaper reports are to be be- ten highways” will also be work- brightest. Civic works are pro- lieved, 55 lucky roads are com- ing and there will be policemen gressing at a rapid pace to meet in attendance, all gleaming in the deadline. We are happy at uniform and waving lumines- this and agree that some by The Editor cent batons. No doubt, the in- amount of showcasing is neces- vestors on seeing all of this will sary to attract foreign business, ing in for some pampered treat- believe that the rest of Chennai but if all this is to be mere win- ment. These are the ones that is also just so. What more could dow dressing, will they not at lead to five star hotels, some we ask for? sometime wake up to the sham? heritage buildings (!!!) and the If that settles the exhibi- Wellesley House as seen from the Fort’s San Thomé Gate. Or is it that their money will be Trade Centre, tions, the museum part is al- committed by then and so it re- which is the venue for the G Charles Street, on which the Great House that we saw last fort- ready handled, for fifty heritage ally will not matter what they event. The select set of thor- night stands, also has some other stately buildings. Strolling fur- buildings have been selected, all think? oughfares is being re-laid; they ther south on it, pause at the last house on the right, just before the along the key roads, of course, erstwhile San Thomè Gate of the Fort that now leads to the Mili- for a facelift and illumination. It tary Police headquarters. One half of that stately home has com- is like dressing up grandfather pletely collapsed, while the other barely stands, held in place rather to meet your friends when they Smart cities – ironically by the roots of a huge banyan tree growing out of it. If come home. A quick nod of you peer closely at a slate panel on the extreme edge of the house greeting and then let us get on you can make out just three letters of an inscription. These read with the rest of the show. If at what price? ‘TON’ and they are all that remain of the full text that once read Bharat Insurance Building is “Colonel the Hon. Arthur Wellesley, later 1st Duke of Wellington, painted on the front and illumi- lived here – 1798.” Yes, this was indeed the residence of the man nated, it really will not matter he Centre’s deadline for the release of its first list of 100 smart who would one day defeat Napoleon and also become Prime Min- that the structure has been Tcities is rapidly approaching. Each State has been allotted a ister of England twice. without a roof for ten years, or certain number of towns that it can recommend for this tag. Tamil Arthur Wellesley was of aristocratic stock, for he was the fourth will it? And showcasing these Nadu, as one of the most urbanised States of the country, has the son of the Earl of Mornington, born to the latter’s Countess Anne structures will also conve- second largest number to identify – 12 – being next only to Uttar in 1769. In keeping with the choices open to all younger sons in niently hide the fact that we Pradesh which, owing to its size, has 13. The question uppermost the British aristocracy, especially those of highly placed but impov- have had a Heritage Act passed in the minds of urban planners and others interested in holistic erished families, he joined the army in 1787, being commissioned by the Assembly three years ago development is whether the race for being declared smart will mean as an ensign. His eldest brother Richard had succeeded to the title but we are yet to see any action sacrificing other and more pressing objectives. and was of great help, ensuring that Arthur was an aide de camp to on it. A smart city, to quote Wikipedia, “uses digital technologies or the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and also became a sitting member information and communication technologies (ICT) to enhance What if some of these inves- of Parliament. As time went on, Arthur, with financial assistance quality and performance of urban services, to reduce costs and re- tors want to see our backyard? from his brother, was to repeatedly purchase promotions in the source consumption, and to engage more effectively and actively You know the places where we army, though it cannot be denied that he did have a flair for mili- with its citizens.” The Centre considers this to be a highly desirable have hidden the garbage that tary matters. By 1796, he had become a full-fledged colonel and has been taken off the first 55 was then serving in the 33rd Regiment. That year, he set sail for roads? What if someone wants Calcutta. Having spent a few months there, he went on an expedi- G By A Special Correspondent to know what is our city’s gar- tion to the Philippines and returned in 1797, only to learn that the bage disposal policy? Can we say new Governor General of India was none other than his elder that all we have on the anvil are brother, Richard, the Earl of Mornington. national goal and had earlier this year announced that it wanted a set of disinterested conser- In the meanwhile, even before his brother took charge in 100 cities and towns to achieve this status in the next five years. vancy workers who come Calcutta, Arthur Wellesley had begun travelling around British Rs. 48,000 crore has been allotted for realising this target. Each around in badly maintained ve- possessions in India, his stature now considerably enhanced by his town will get Rs 100 crore a year for the next five years to help it hicles two or three times a day brother’s appointment. It is therefore in that light that we must get on with the activity. A matching grant will come from the State and in a half-hearted manner view his being allocated such a large and brand new house (it was and any additional requirements will have to be met by partner- clean up whatever they feel built in 1796) in the Fort when he reached Madras. According to ships with the private sector. The implementation will be in the needs to be removed? Can we Sir Charles Lawson in his Memories of Madras, Wellesley also “oc- hands of special purpose vehicles, each to be headed by a Chief also be open about the fact that cupied for many a day” a small house at , Madras “con- Executive Officer. As a first step, every State has been asked to we don’t know what to do with ducting incessant, and sanguinary warfare against the mosquitoes (Continued on page 2) (Continued on page 2) (Continued on page 12) CMYK 2 September 1-15, 2015 Investors in a Googling the school of wonderland (Continued from page 1) nomic opportunities. But the Handsome Charity latter term has long ceased to nd so, local boy Hand- sion in their favour. At one made with some white powder. our garbage after collecting it? mean just profits and growth potential. Today’s investors Asome Charity has made it stage, it almost appeared as A police patrol vehicle, hith- And that we top the country in big. The Man from Madras though Handsome Charity had erto gathering dust in front of garbage generation? What if look for the well-being of stake- holders, and that includes em- Musings waited to see how shifted institutions every day of MMM’s home, was going to they look at the Cooum, the long it would take for local his student life. Matters came and fro, siren blaring with an Adyar and the Buckingham Ca- ployees and also means the worthies to claim some form of to such a head that the admin- officer on a megaphone shout- nal and want to know why they quality of life in the city in kinship or the other. And istrators of the site had to lock ing at people to behave. are mere sewers? And what if which business is proposed. MMM was amply rewarded, the page to save it from further Chennai has long given up on It was almost as though someone quotes the latest sur- with several people telling him, mutation. It would appear that MMM had reached wonder- vey on cleanliness in India’s cit- improvement of its civic infra- in complete confidence, of the truth came out late in the land. Enquiries revealed that a structure. What little is being course (you know, my dear evening and the two schools road renaming ceremony was ies where Chennai did not even MMM, how I hate publicity of named above survived to tell feature? done is patently inadequate. to take place further south and Unless this changes, all these any kind), that they had a the tale. the road on which MMM lived Global investment these eyewash tactics are going to fool cousin’s brother-in-law who What MMM now expects is was en route to it. The accu- knew of someone who regu- a series of disclosures – ‘how I days has a lot to do with eco- no one. mulated work of centuries was larly bumped into someone gave Handsome Charity five of done in minutes. Even Metro- else who frequented the water- the best with a cane for not water, which had long ceased cooler just when Handsome turning up in the right shoes’ – giving MMM his daily supply, Charity also did. Even the lo- may not surface as Handsome delivered bountifully. In short, cal political hopeful who goes is now so exalted that many the lark was on the wing, the SMART CITIES by the nickname of a junior would want his Charity. But snail on the thorn, God in his army officer joined the band- there will be others – the ones heaven and all was right with wagon. He gave a statement to who taught him Maths, the one the world. (Continued from page 1) the effect that it was every that held his bicycle as he first Chennai person’s duty to con- wobbled on it, the ayah who… Came afternoon, and a con- voy whizzed past, scarcely no- identify a certain number of towns with potential and submit re- gratulate Handsome Charity. (but let us not get into that) Only he got the name wrong, and the uncle who told him ticing the welcoming hoardings spective vision documents for each. The Centre will then shortlist as is his wont. He kept refer- that a new world awaited on and banners, all put up in com- the first set of 20 towns that will receive the first round of funding ring to Handsome Victory. But the other side and our country memoration of the State Visit. at once. It is naturally a matter of prestige for each State to get in as many of its cities as possible in the first list. But is digital engagement a goal that is higher than many more pressing issues, is the question. It is certainly a laudable objective, SHORT ’N’ SNAPPY but are local bodies capable of executing them effectively? To quote Wikipedia once again, for a city to be declared smart, it needs MMM supposes that it is just has gone to the dogs anyway. And that was that. The parked to enhance digital technology in the areas of Government services, as well. Had Handsome re- Mind you, MMM is not com- vehicles came back, and so did transport and traffic management, healthcare, energy, water and mained just Charity without plaining. It is a time to cel- the 3Ds. The State-run bar fur- waste management. Taking Chennai as an example, how can this Victory, our city would ebrate and so let them all come ther north opened for business digital technology help? There will definitely be benefits in not have noticed. But MMM forth. It is just that nobody and the rubbish came back information dissemination – we will get to know of traffic loads, wishes the man well and hopes claimed kinship or acquain- with it. The wedding hall a the status of water resources, waste management infrastructure, to soon know someone who tance with Handsome Charity little abaft began playing rau- knows someone else who in or Truth What’s his name or cous music and, rather in the and energy usage. That means greater transparency certainly. But turn has some nodding ac- our girl who is the boss of the manner of a mythical film, the what are we going to do with this information? Taking into account quaintance with Handsome cold drink company till they garbage tip waddled back and our experience with the Right to Information Act, for instance, Charity’s charlady. became head honchos. settled with a contented sigh in which also aimed at greater transparency, we do know that when There are other aspects as front of MMM’s neighbour’s an administration wants to stonewall, it can do so very effectively. well. MMM has it from reliable house. By nightfall, the ban- The State Visit ners had all been removed, but Will the plethora of publicly available information mean greater sources that sabhas of Chennai are contemplating whether the footpath had become the pressure on the administration to act? The answer is an emphatic hose who follow the writ- worse for wear, the affixing of ‘Yes’. But does it have the wherewithal to act? Sadly, ‘No’. We are they could get Handsome ings of The Man from Ma- Charity to come down and in- T wooden poles having loosened aware that one of the biggest banes of Chennai is the tacit builder- dras Musings know that he lives its stones even further. Metro- augurate their December mu- in a neighbourhood that is not official nexus that allows encroachment of public space, sic festivals and also loosen the water, which had been avail- construction of illegal structures and the consequent degradation out of the ordinary for Chennai able on tap, was turned off at purse strings of his company in – you get the picture – en- of quality of urban life. We do know that our waste management their favour. But more impor- the main. Even the white mark- croached sidewalks, overflow- ings for the median appeared strategy is woefully inadequate and our civic body is still resorting tantly, MMM also under- ing garbage, mixed zoning, to outmoded techniques of landfills and non-segregated refuse. stands, his elevation has re- somewhat faded. It was almost noise pollution, haphazard as though nothing had hap- That our city is choked with slums is an open fact. How will all this sulted in a feverish search for parking, potholed roads and an old records in several schools pened in the interim. change by making our city smart? Are we not there already? indifferent administration. But What beats MMM is the of the city. The chain of insti- MMM awoke one recent night What is, therefore, needed is that the smart city initiative be tutions run by a powerful ma- alacrity with which officialdom rather in the manner of Abou moves when it has to and the combined with a strong effort to clean up the administration. It is triarch was the front-runner in Ben Adhem to find not one the claims made. But this was lethargy with which it exists for not enough that the technology becomes transparent; attitudes angel but several at work. The the rest of the time. If only they have to keep pace as well. soon shot to the ground, for it garbage tip fronting MMM’s appears that our Handsome could be as energetic for the neighbour’s house and which sake of us common folk. Charity changed schools some- they had unsuccessfully been what and the final honours trying for decades to shift to Tailpiece went to First Prime Minister front chez MMM had van- MADRAS MUSINGS ON THE WEB School at Violent Emperor ished. The haphazardly parked he Chief’s sidekicks have turned Buddhist Nagar, and a vehicles which no Corporation Tall been busy organising To reach out to as many readers as possible who Government run school inside official or policeman could heritage walks, talks and what the IIT campus with a forest shift, even when the road was have you. The chief factotum share our keen interest in Madras that is Chennai, deity kind of a name. being tarred, resulting in a among these did a tour of Fort St George. The night before, a and in response to requests from many well-wish- This was however not be- patchwork design, had all been fore an editing battle broke out moved. The footpath was lady who has long been resi- dent of this, our city, called The ers – especially from outside Chennai and abroad on the internet for changing cleared of the drunk, the desti- Handsome Charity’s public tute and the delinquent (the Man from Madras Musings. She who receive their postal copies very late – for an profile. This entry, which had 3Ds) and its loose stones had had booked for the tour, she remained unnoticed for been fixed. The road had been said, but could MMM advise online edition. Madras Musings is now on the web months, suddenly began to un- tarred overnight and, what’s her on where Fort St George dergo changes every minute, more, had a median marked in was. So much for heritage at www. madrasmusings.com with several schools getting white paint. The borders were awareness! THE EDITOR onto the site to make an inclu- all covered with floral patterns – MMM September 1-15, 2015 MADRAS MUSINGS 3

rupees (a Fiat or Ambassador was about twenty thousand ru- pees in those days); only my problem would be that the car More on talking mynas would give only two or three A Collector’s transport miles per gallon. used to have a myna (MM, August 16th) placed in its cage. It would soon dirty the place Itrained to talk for a long time. and more water needed to be kept so that it adras Month is crowded Dr. G. Sundaram I.A.S. I still remember the visit to the farm of could clean itself. Mwith so many programmes (RETD.) Duncan Gravy, Hobart, Tasmania, whose name Whenever the phone rang, it used to answer that it is a problem to pick and A-601, Dugar Apartments appears in the lovely magazine, Tasmania Re- ‘Hello, Hello’ and used to call out ‘Raju, Rajoo’, choose, and it is also difficult to Keshav Perumal Puram gions, a publication of the Department of Pri- ‘Krishna, Krishnaa’, calling my wife as ‘Raju, rush from, say, Taramani to the mary Industries. But, I am sorry to see that the Rajoo’ and me. And when the children came heart of the city. When I rushed Chennai 600 028 Indian mynas, which were introduced to Aus- home from school, it used to say ‘Ro, Ro’ or ‘Jo, to Savera to listen to the scin- The founders tralia to control insect pests, have now become Jo’, a short form of their names Rohini and tillating talk of Mohan Ram on invasive birds upsetting the eco-balance. Elimi- Jyotsna. This was a daily routine. We used to egarding the founding of nating the bird is one of the aims of the Depart- Sowcar Janaki, combined with say that this was a bird fit to be gifted to the the Jolly Rovers Club ment. then President of the US, Lyndon Johnson. a conversation with the highly R (MM, August 1st), V. Ram- Many years ago, we had a myna that was kept These intelligent birds are pets in India. talented 84-year-old Sowcar narayan sends us the following in a cage at a tea plantation in Vandiperiar, Kumily,the border town between Kerala and Janaki, the hotel’s front office which appeared in a column Kerala, where I worked as Manager. The myna Tamil Nadu, used to specialise in training and did not even know about the titled ‘Among the Clubs’ which soon learnt the local language and used to call selling mynas to talk in Malayalam. Once, the programme! Eventually I dis- our cook ‘Johnson, Johnson’ and went on to say Irish GM of Travancore Tea Estates bought a appeared in of Au- to him Shoodu vellam konduvaa (bring hot wa- covered it was on. gust 18, 1963: myna and he was proud of his myna till a Mala- Sowcar’s performances in all ter) and when the cook placed the water in a yalam-speaking Manager informed him that it The 1962-63 cricket season in bowl, the myna would have a bath, splashing was abusing people in Malayalam. He would her pictures were superb, par- ‘Madras was notable for the par- the water everywhere and dry itself for its morn- ticularly her role as a District thereafter not keep the myna and so the bird ticipation of S.A. Durrani, Test ing breakfast, It then ordered him Valapalam earned its freedom. Collector in Iru Kodugal. Direc- Cricketer, in the league cham- konduvaa (bring banana) a couple of times and tor K. Balachander, having pionship. The versatile all- chattered in anger if meeting its demand was K.V.S. Krishna been in the Accountant Gene- rounder played for Jolly Rovers delayed. Soon enough, the bananas would be [email protected] ral’s office, knew how to portray Cricket Club and the public a government official and the mustered in numbers to see With funding secured under the office. But in that picture, the him. Even without him Jolly Tribute to a colossus US-supported PL 480 program- Collector (Sowcar) goes on an Rovers had impressed with their me, he travelled the length and inspection of a slum in a limou- performances and with Durrani breadth of India and brought to sine, an Impala. At that time, I they were very much in the run in Indian biology light details of hundreds of was the Collector of Pondicher- for the championship. They had . N. Ananthakrishnan thrips, which indeed have ry and wrote to Balachander the distinction of being the only T[TNA] (b. December 15, changed our understanding of that I wished my government team to beat State Bank of In- 1925), who revolutionised In- this little-known group of had also given me an Impala in- dia Recreation Club ‘A’, the dian biology in general and In- insects. In essence, during 30- stead of a Jeep or, at the most, champions. dian entomology in particular, odd years of working at Loyola an Ambassador! Jolly Rovers was formed in T. passed away in New Jersey College, Ananthakrishnan He was a good friend of mine Nagar in 1945 by V. Prabhakar (U.S.A.) on August 7, 2015. made immense advances col- for long and used to reply to my and N. Narayanaswamy, two Close to 50 students got their lecting and describing scores of letters immediately. But he did cricket enthusiasts. PhDs working with him, when Indian thrips and their impor- not reply to this letter. He must In 1951-52 they dropped out he was at Loyola College, Ma- tance in agriculture, horticul- have felt that it was a Directo- of the league. T.V. Girish, a dras. He was well known all ture, and forestry. He led his re- rial flaw. Had it been S.S. Vasan solid opening batsman, and N. over the world for his scientific search group with an open mind or A.V. Meiyappan, they would Balasubramaniam, wicket- contributions to Indian insects, and encouraged us to explore have re-shot the scene and re- keeper-batsman, who later especially to a group of poorly T.N. Ananthakrishnan. groups of economically impor- placed it with a Jeep or Ambas- played for the State, stood out known agricultural and horti- silent testimony to the hard tant insects in India such as sador. Within a few months by their performances. cultural crop pests called the labour TNA put in to build the grasshoppers and beetles. For thereafter, I met Balachander in The Club was, however, in thrips (Thysanoptera). department. three years (1977-1980) he was Madras. I did not, tactfully, existence with V.A. Parthasara- Ananthakrishnan’s journey Innumerable former stu- the Director of Zoological Sur- mention my letter. But he him- thy as Secretary, and after re- with insects commenced during dents of the Intermediate class vey of India (ZSI), Calcutta, the self broached the subject and entering the league in 1954-55 his short stay as an academic at (Natural Sciences) until the most exalted position an Indian told me that in the cinema he they made rapid strides... with early 1960s and the Pre-Univer- zoologist could ever dream of. had to add a bit of glamour to K Balakrishna Row leading it (MCC), , in the mid- sity class until the 1980s will re- He realigned the research direc- the character and hence the most of times... 1940s. Alexander Boyd, then tions at ZSI. limousine. member the powerful, content- Editor’s Note:’ In the picture principal of MCC, recom- rich lectures TNA delivered Having been associated with He also told me that, if I published last fortnight, both V. mended him to Jerome and the fascinating laboratory him for a little more than 25 wanted, he would get me a lim- Prabhakar and N. Narayana- D’Souza, SJ, then Principal of sessions he organised for them years, I can say that the most ousine for four or five thousand swamy are featured. Loyola College. Alfred Rapinat, on the biology of animals. His significant message he left us SJ, an Alsatian Jesuit, had just lectures on human anatomy was that good work could be CHENNAI HERITAGE then been transferred from and physiology were delightful, done anywhere and that too Trichy to establish the Depart- fascinating, and educative, with minimal external funding. No. 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, Westcott Road ment of Natural Sciences at when the pre-1960 Intermedi- This is particularly critical as , Chennai 600 014 Loyola. Ananthakrishnan ate class zoology syllabus in- Indian science managers gene- joined the Department to teach cluded elements of human rally assume that securing I am already on your mailing list (Mailing List Zoology, while Rapinat taught physiology and anatomy. Many massive funding is the norm. No...... ) / I have just seen Madras Musings and Botany. I am not sure whether of the leading surgeons of India, TNA was a brilliant speaker would like to receive it hereafter. Ananthakrishnan, at that point such as S.S. Badrinath and the and a fascinating writer. He was G I/We enclose cheque/demand draft/money order for Rs. of time, ever thought that his late N. Rangabashyam, be- one of those few highly regarded 100 (Rupees One hundred) payable to CHENNAI life at Loyola would go on till longed to early Intermediate and most-wanted science HERITAGE, MADRAS, as subscription to Madras 2005. (Natural Sciences) batches of speakers in various forums in Musings for the year 2015-16. He developed the Depart- Loyola College, when TNA India. He inspired us at every G As token of my support for the causes of heritage, envi- ment of Zoology from scratch. I taught them and I have heard level with his versatility and ronment and a better city that Madras Musings espouses, can say this confidently and them speak eloquently of TNA comprehensive knowledge. His I send Chennai Heritage an additional loudly because of my 25-year- and his classes. demands were indeed high and Rs...... long association with Loyola as He revolutionised research we struggled to meet his expec- (Rupees ...... ) an academic and also because I at Loyola. Research was the tations. However, looking back, Please keep/put me on your mailing list. am a TNA alumnus. The as- least heard term in colleges such I can confidently say that every Name : ...... tounding array of museum as Loyola, although a few stal- one of us thinks of him with ...... specimens of large-mammal warts such as Lourdu M Yedda- gratitude for the skills and Address: ...... skeletons (e.g. tiger), taxider- napalli, SJ, and Charles Racine, capacities he embedded in us by ...... mied birds, and an extraordi- SJ, were there. In the 1970s, awakening the joy of explora- ...... nary variety of snakes of south- after Yeddanapalli and Racine, tion and, thus, kindling the All cheques to ‘Chennai Heritage’. DD/Cheque should be ern India stand in Loyola’s TNA marshalled and led desire to know more. sent by Speed Post only. Zoology Department today in research in Loyola aggressively. (Continued on page 4) 4 MADRAS MUSINGS September 1-15, 2015 Meet Supdt. Le Fanu, a ’20s Madras ’tec

ecently discussed at the Sydney Golf Club, wrote so- RMadras Book Club was a me early stuff on sports, new detective story series of There politics, etc. special note because the stories really were Then Stoddart got into aca- are based in Madras, a first for a demic management and later foreign author and a first in a Le Fanu-s became a Vice-Chancellor of La Madras-based setting being Trobe University, Melbourne, Brian Stoddart and his first crime story, its setting Madras in the 1920s. published abroad. Brian Stod- he name Le Fanu is no but India and Madras always re- dart, the author, is an Austra- Tfigment of author Brian mained a great love, so he got lian academic, the detective is Stoddart’s imagination. He was Adyar, getting into the periences in which he comes to says he first came across it in around to writing a book on the Supdt. Christian Le Fanu, IPS, evolution of Andhra Pradesh, stacks at the Museum library, learn a lot more about the Indi- Madras Police, the setting is the Madras records, where walking through the markets ans under his command. This there was mention of an ICS and a biography of A.M.A.C. Madras in the 1920s, and the officer by that name. Galletti who was the classic and the business streets in gives him a greater sympathy for publisher is in Hong Kong. A square peg in the round hole of George Town, seeing what was the activities of the Indian Na- Madras Miasma is the first in the William Joseph Henry Le left of the mansions in the tional Congress and Mahatma Fanu was born in 1843, son the ICS. series, The Pallampur Predica- ‘name’ suburbs, going to the Gandhi. Those views also set Le of the Rev. William Le Fanu, Meanwhile, he was always a ment is the second, and a third temples and rummaging Fanu for clashes with many but Rector of St Paul’s in Dub- great crime fiction fan. About is on the way. through musical instrument not all his colleagues. lin, and grandson of the Rev. three years ago, while on a long- shops in and all the Stoddart came to Madras Peter Le Fanu who was a term assignment in Cambodia One of the aims here was to playwright among other rest. first in 1972 to research a PhD (he still does a lot of higher show that there were, in fact, thesis on nationalist politics in things. His uncle Sheridan He says, “I see my writing as people in the Raj who were Le Fanu was famous in his education reform work), he the old Presidency between the began thinking that crime ‘crime and place’, with the set- more progressive than others. Wars. That took him into the time for his horror stories. ting, Madras, as important as Henry’s great-grandfather fiction based in South India In the mid-1920s in Madras, as archives in and into Guillaume Philippe Le Fanu would allow him to tell some the characters and the plot, and I mention in the novels, an- interviewing people like Rajaji’s was a Huegenot who came stories in a different way, using the historical dimension adds to other ICS man called Hilton son. Among his first landlords over to Ireland from France. all the material he had, and that that.” Brown, who was also a writer, (in ) was a man Henry Le Fanu was a BA led to A Madras Miasma. His aim is to keep writing produced a couple of novels who became a policeman in the about Le Fanu and see him that seriously questioned the from Trinity College, Dub- “Le Fanu I wanted to be 1930s and an IGP later, V.R. lin, and a lawyer. He joined through his career, with some imperial project. Similar maver- different, so I gave him an Rajaratnam. Every day in the the ICS in 1865. As Collec- excursions – in the third book icks appeared all over India. Le exotic background. The whole archives, Stoddart would try tor of Salem District, he he gets to visit Penang as part of Fanu, then, reflects an alterna- aim was to see him out of the and find a case from where wrote the Salem District a case, so that puts him on the tive strand that was present in prism of the monolithic Raj, be- Rajaratnam had been in the Manual. He eventually went the Raj, but he does also have a 1930s, then they would sit out- on to serve as an Additional cause there were people who streak of humanity that is time- Member of the Madras Leg- side in the evenings and he were open to change and genu- less, hopefully. islative Council. He retired G would reminisce about arresting inely interested in India getting by in 1900 and moved to independence,” Stoddart says Le Fanu places a great deal people like Rajaji’s son, C.R. Hyderabad to practise Law. A Staff Writer of faith in the methods of Hans Narasimhan. about his India-sympathetic character. Gross, an Austrian researcher Stoddart waded through the regarded widely as one of the Balakrishna Shetty, who was So Stoddart came back to files, explored the Moore Mar- old British India line “which is pioneers of modern criminal in- VR’s successor.”) Madras while writing ket bookshops, like that of T.N. Miasma nice for me, because I first ar- vestigation methods, and his and buzzed around in an auto Jayavelu, and gathered a lot of He published a few things rived in Madras aboard the old Criminal Investigation and later with his camera and notebook, material on the ICS and the based on what he found in the Rajula that carried all the in- Criminal Psychology Theories British as well as on the nation- archives, but then became more taking in the living city, as it dentured labour for so many were taken up around the world alists. (Trying to find similar known as a pioneer in the aca- were, trying to imagine Le Fanu years. And as I lived and from the late 19th Century on- bookshops for police materials is demic study of sport: he wrote in that space. It was huge fun worked in Penang for three wards, having proved successful ‘rediscovering’ places he had now a mission, he says: “Got a one of the first accounts of the years back in the 1990s that al- in his home country. I discov- known before, he says, but in a lovely centenary history of the 1932-33 Bodyline tour, wrote lows me to give it a run as well.” ered that, early in the 20th Cen- different way: visiting the Justice Party last visit, and now some of the first cultural analy- In a subsequent note to me, tury, two European lawyers churches, sneaking into the have an autographed copy of ses of cricket in the Caribbean, Prof. Stoddart writes: based in Madras produced an grounds of the club that once the police history, signed by S. did a history of the Royal Supdt. Le Fanu won a Indian edition of Gross, and Military‘ Cross in the great war, that gave me the idea of intro- but the War changed him. He ducing another element into OUR ADDRESSES suffers nightmares and elements the crime books: the tension A colossus of what is now called post-trau- between old and new ap- For matters regarding subscriptions, donations, non-receipt of in Indian matic distress disorder. That is proaches to analysis in the receipts etc.: CHENNAI HERITAGE, 5, Bhattad Tower, 30, manifest in his phobia about middle of changing social and Westcott Road, Royapettah, Chennai 14. blood, an awkward problem for political contexts. biology a murder investigator required Madras Musings now has its own email ID. Letters to the edi- In the third Le Fanu mystery, to attend autopsies. tor can be sent via email to [email protected]. (Continued from page 3) he is the Acting Inspector-Gen- His father would rather have eral, the top cop as it were, and Those who wish to intimate change of address can also do been an academic than a finds it less satisfying than he so provided the subscription number is quoted. For non- The words of American schoolteacher, and expected his thought, so he is struggling with receipt of copies, change of address, and all other circulation author William Arthur Ward son to at least join the elite In- that. The political changes in matters: Madras Musings, C/o Lokavani Southern Printers “The mediocre teacher tells. dian Civil Service, and was seri- Madras continue to make his Pvt. Ltd., 122, Greames Road, Chennai 600 006. On edito- The good teacher explains. The ously displeased when Le Fanu life more complicated, and pos- superior teacher demonstrates. rial matters: The Editor, Madras Musings, No. 5, Bhattad set himself for the police. So Le sible changes in local Raj lead- The great teacher inspires” Fanu goes to Madras as some- Tower, 30, Westcott Road, Royapettah, Chennai 600 014. ership add a further element – come to my mind as I write this thing of a loner, makes a bad he might just lose a couple of his No personal visits or telephone calls, please. Letters received piece. TNA inspired us by his marriage that the War turns strongest supporters. Amidst will be sent from these addresses every couple of days to the life and actions by living a life of into a divorce, and when we this, an ICS officer goes missing persons concerned and you will get an answer from them to academic grandeur and ele- first encounter him he is in re- from a district in the Madras your queries reasonably quickly. Strange as it may seem, if gance. In the arena of Indian lationship with his house- Presidency, and that sets off a you adopt the ‘snail mail’ approach, we will be able to help you biology he strode like a colossus. keeper, an Anglo-Indian. chain of events that sends Le faster and disappoint you less. – Anantanarayanan Le Fanu is an able policeman Fanu to some different loca- ñ THE EDITOR Raman but an awkward person, and tions and makes him experience [email protected] that is aggravated by his war ex- some different tests.’ September 1-15, 2015 MADRAS MUSINGS 5 A 4-page special feature on Madras Week On the trail of T’Nagar textiles

here is so much more to a using carefully sourced cotton Tpetticoat than meets the grown without the use of any eye. A well-designed one allows chemical pesticides or fertilisers full freedom of movement, be it and dyed only with plant-based while sitting or climbing stairs. products such as an eye-catch- What’s in a name? Did you ing pink using banana flowers. know that Kanchi cotton sarees We could also see and feel a very are actually from Tiruvanna- special memo book prepared by malai? Or that only one solitary Co-optex for Jawaharlal Nehru, weaver family produces the who was most impressed with genuine handloom ones? An in- each leaf made of a characteris- formative primer to ethnic tex- tic Tamil Nadu fabric. tiles and these pieces of trivia Next, we headed for APCO were in store for the partici- whose staff showed us lovely pants of the Textile Walk in Pochampally Ikat (single and T’Nagar, led by Sreemathy double), Gadwal, Bandar, Ven- G The Vivanta by Taj-Connemara hosted the Press Meet held before Madras Week started and Chef Jaffar of the heritage Mohan (with inputs from katagiri, Mangalagiri, Narayan- hotel presented participants with a Madras birthday cake featuring The Marina. S. Muthiah, one of the co-ordinators of Sriram V.), as part of the pet and many other weaves Madras Week, cut the cake in the presence of Ahmar Siddique, General Manager of the Hotel (second from left), Vincent Madras Week celebrations. from Andhra Pradesh in silk D’ Souza (third from right) and Sashi Nair (right) who together got started, Mohan Raman, another co- The starting point was and cotton. Cotton ikat sarees ordinator, and Sanjukthaa Roy (left) of the Connemara. Co-optex, . Estab- lished in 1935, Co-optex has including innovative ones with translates directly to higher in- cacies and detail involved in over 100,000 weavers under its Velcro – was followed by a come for the weavers. If the af- every hand-made creation. wing and is one of the oldest peek-in at Kerala Saloon – an ter-walk conclave at Co-optex By the way, that petticoat? (and largest) handloom coop- old fashioned barber shop was any indication, such events M.G. Naidu of Naidu Hall de- eratives in the country. Displays where hair is cut to the accom- will go a long way to increase signed an 8 piece pattern, 75 of the myriad weaves of Tamil paniment of recorded prayer sales, raise awareness and fur- years ago, which continues to Nadu, including little known songs. Next on the tour was ther the cause – educating con- be a best-seller! Negamam, Aruppukkottai, Palam Silks where Proprietor sumers on the hard work, intri- Kodaalikaruppur, Woraiyur, Jeyashree Ravi expressed her – Lakshmi Anand Jayankondam, and the recently desire to spread a passion for rejuvenated silk and cotton sarees amongst college girls, blended Koorainaadu (from even as she showed us her inno- which the term koorai pudavai vative designs and colours. comes) gave us an instant un- Following a curbside tiffin of derstanding of the available va- sweet and savoury kozhakkattais riety. and coffee at Adyar Ananda We learned that tell-tale Bhavan, the last stop was at pin-holes at the edges distin- iconic Nalli’s. guish a handloom saree from its Sharing his experiences en- machine-made clones. Further, thusiastically, Nalli Kuppu- power loom fabric looks per- swami Chetty personally Nalli Kuppuswami Chetty tells the fectly uniform viewed in a single story of a saree. showed us some of the layer against light, whereas establishment’s pioneering handloom cloth has visible tex- are available at inexpensive sarees, including the Darbarpet, ture differences. Venkatesh rates as are beautiful sheet sets. uniquely designed and woven Narasimhan, IAS, Managing Di- After a brief stop at the Corpo- by his grandfather, Nalli The Chettinad Vidyashram team. rector, Co-optex, was on hand ration hawkers’ complex, it was Chinnasami Chetty, to present throughout and informed us on to Naidu Hall. to King George V at the 1911 that a handloom saree takes 24 Founded in 1939, the Darbar in Delhi. The distinct Winning the times longer to weave – hence founder, M.G. Naidu, was a zari design of this saree appears the higher price tag. Very trailblazer. When neither to mimic the pillars of the Col- Madras Quotient labour intensive, the weaver readymade blouses nor bras- osseum. He also explained how he 5th edition of the Madras Week Murugappa Madras moves his hands and legs over sieres were heard of, he created M.S. Subbulakshmi had pro- Quotient Quiz had 320 selected teams, with three students 16,000 times for one saree. the market and spearheaded vided a sample of thread re- T each, participating. At the end of the one-and-a-half-hour, six- Keeping up with the trends, the employment of female sales questing a saree to be woven in team grand finale, the team from Chettinad Vidyashram (Ashwin Co-optex has brought out a assistants. A quick halt at that colour, leading to the Senthil Kumar, Siddharth Pillai and Sethu Aswin) emerged cham- series of Organic Cotton sarees Ramraj – purveyors of dhotis eponymous MS Blue. Another pions. The team from AMM Matriculation HSS (Shubhankar recollection was Padma Srini- Agrawal, Sarvesh and Saikrishna) was runners up. The quizmaster vasan of the TVS family, stop- was once again Dr. Navin Jayakumar. The prizes were distributed ping by with a visitor from by L. Ramkumar, Managing Director Tube Investments of India, a abroad – who turned out to be unit of Murugappa Group. none other than Jacqueline Kennedy! Many handloom weavers are discouraging the next genera- tion from continuing in the business due to an uncertain future. By purchasing and flaunting handlooms, every in- dividual has an opportunity to make a difference and keep India’s rich textile heritage alive. More and more patronage At a T’Nagar textile shop. 6 MADRAS MUSINGS September 1-15, 2015 George Town from the air

n exhibition titled Madras ATransit: Contemporary Aerial Photographs of Chennai by Robert D. Stephens, featuring 25 colour photographs of Chennai taken from 10,000 ft. above sea level, was held at The Folly, Amethyst, as part of Ma- dras Week. One of the exhibits was this picture titled ‘George Town Grid’ which is featured alongside. Stephens is a Bombay-based architect, who regularly visits Chennai. He had long wanted to present a rather different view of the various parts of the City. And the results drew a great deal of attention at this week-long exhibition. A special cover for Madras Week – courtesy D.H. Rao Special Postal Cover for Madras Day 2015, with the theme ‘Coins of the AMadras Presidency’ was released on August 22nd at the Fort Museum by PMG Mervin Alexander and at centre by Nalli Kuppuswamy Chetti and Moortheeswari, of the ASI, who heads the Museum. The cover was designed and pro- duced by D.H. Rao (extreme right) for the Madras Heritage Lovers’ Forum. The Special Postal Cover is on sale at Amethyst, where Rao, a collector of stamps, postal stationery, currency and pictures of old Madras, spoke on Re-discovering having explored every metre of this canal that runs from Pedaganjam (A.P) to Marakkanam The picture on front of the Special Cover. Taking Madras Week to the Marina NTACH-Chennai, conducted a unique event on Madras Day, August 22nd, by screening on the Marina its Ifilm The Story of Madras – The First City of Modern India in association with the Corporation of Chennai. The narration for the film was by S. Muthiah, the chronicler of the City. The film aims at increasing the awareness and appreciation of local history and heritage among citizens, starting with children, so that they will be inspired to preserve and protect it for generations to come. Copies of the film were distributed free during Madras Week to schools that wanted them. They can now be got by schools for Rs. 150 each from [email protected]. The public screening of the film was viewed by hundreds on a large outdoor screen on the sands, recalling the times of yore when public gatherings on the beach, to listen to speeches, patriotic songs or radio programmes were common. The Prince of Arcot, Mohammed Abdul Ali (top left) who was present on the occasion, released a Heritage Map of Chennai, a guide to the landmarks of the city, compact and easy to carry in one’s wallet. The map, courtesy the TTK Group, was received by Ranee Vedamuthu of ’s School of Architecture. Sujatha Shankar nner Wheel Clubs of District 323 put up banners on the IMarina Beach in Tamil and English to highlight the history and heritage value of buildings in the vicinity of the Marina. Members were on the sands behind the Gandhi statue from 5.30 am. The response was excellent – they distributed 500 laddus to visitors! The State Health Secretary, Dr. Radhakrishnan (extreme right), who was the Chief Guest for another function nearby, dropped by even before going there and displayed consider- able interest in the display. Sushi Natraj [email protected] September 1-15, 2015 MADRAS MUSINGS 7 4-10s listen to the Madras Story adras Week 2015 saw a Mvery interesting variety of events, but while the majority of them targeted adult audiences there were a few that had chil- dren in mind. One was a storytelling session, The story of Madras, organised by Story- 1st Open. Monuments: Saravanan Varadharajan 1st Student. Monuments: and corner at Bookmine for children between the ages of 4 and 10 (Ed: Guess where?) Madras University. Jayasuriyan A (Ed: Taken from years. where?) “Children are key stakehold- ers in preserving history and heritage, which is why I thought that it was important to do a programme that brought alive these slices of history that tell us how Madras was born and how it grew. Otherwise all of this could easily be lost in the mists of time,” says Sudha Uma- shanker, journalist, storyteller and founder of Storycorner at Bookmine. Turning back the pages of history, she pieced together the story of Madras in a way that would appeal to children. Trac- ing the journey of the East In- 2nd Open. Unusual: Madras geese taking a stroll. Special Mention Open. Unusual Madras: Atreyo dia Company’s Francis Day Fabiola Jacob. (Ed: There’s road discipline for you!) Mukhopadhyay. (Ed: That’s friendship for you!) from Masulipatnam and Armagaon to Madraspatam by ship (not to forget the ride), the grant of the land, and the building of the factory etc. at Fort St George, with men A Madras eye view carrying loads of sand from the Cooum on their heads, to a dis- hoot Madras – Photography Contest was organised for Madras play of the cotton, silk, brocade SWeek by the Photographic Society of Madras. Participants and spices that earned the could choose from three themes: Company its wealth, the nu- My Madras – The photographer’s personal tribute to Chennai, merous attacks, a look back at depicting what it means to him or her, the spectacular growth of the Madras Monuments – Capturing the magnificence of the city’s city, and finally all the children architecture, and singing Happy Birthday and Unusual Madras – The unexpected that breaks tradition and signing a birthday card for Ma- contradicts stereotypes. Spl. Mention Open. Unusual Madras: Mrinal Basu. There were two sections: open or student. The best exhibits (Continued on page 8) were displayed at City Centre. Your Editor’s choice of the most Open ladder crossing. (Ed: Who needs overbridges?!) striking pictures was these five, above and on right.

he Cooum cultural Tmapping group believes Focus on the Cooum that “if we know the river bet- places, notable among them be- Lunch was organised for all the School, . The ride ter we will treat it better.” ing Sivapuram Sivan Temple participants at Sathyam Grand generated much camaraderie As a culmination of a year- and Kesavaram. To return, a Resorts, . army participants and spirit of long search and tabulation by The booklet. shuttle service was arranged Earlier, a special 25-page Madras Week. several cultural cartographers of (transport of the riders and booklet on Cooum history was Ramanujar M. historical events along the 70 he Heritage cycles by vehicles). Buffet released by S. Muthiah on Au- [email protected] km stretch of the terribly TRide was organised by the gust 14th at KRM Public abused Cooum river, a presen- Cycling Yogis as a part of Ma- tation was made to a gathering dras Week 2015 on Sunday, in a heritage building along the August 16th. The ride started Cooum – the Madras Literary from CISF Guest House, Port of Society. Chennai (where the Cooum Novelist R. Venketesh ex- river merges with the sea) with plained the various historical 79 cyclists pedalling their way in happenings on the Cooum the wee hours of the morning banks over several centuries, (5.15 am) to reach the river’s, ranging from a Rastrakuta- origin spot near Kesavaram via Chola war, the first plane in Poonamalle High Road, Tiru- Asia, and Burmese and a mazhisai, , and Map- Gaekwad exiled on College pedu. The Yogis reached the fi- Road to Shakesperean plays in nal destination, Koovam village Tamil staged on its banks. (distance: 72 km), by 11.00 am. After a brief interactive session, Venketesh Ramakrishnan the group visited important The Cycling Yogis. [email protected] 8 MADRAS MUSINGS September 1-15, 2015

May we have the pleasure of your company... – A Madras Week exhibition at RMRL

s part of its Madras Week celebrations, the Roja the title Khan Bahadur. He was also the President of AMuthiah Research Library, Taramani, organised the Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Indus- ‘History through invitations’, an exhibition of invita- try. tions received over the years by the late M.H. Cassim Janab Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed Sahib: He Sait. played a significant role in promoting education in the Cassim Sait was a businessman and a landlord. He community, both as secretary of MEASI and, later, as and his maternal uncle Zackria Ismail Sait were in- founder of SIET Women’s College, now renamed Jus- volved in the surveying and sale of large plots of land in tice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed Women’s College. He was and around Madras. Some of the areas where they had a Judge of the High Court of Madras. development plots were Haddow’s Road, Rutland Gate, Khan Bahadur Yusuf Sait: A Sheriff of Madras, he Mount Road, Perambur, etc. A layout in also served as President of the Madras Chamber of is called Zackaria Colony. Commerce, President of the Cutchi Memon Union, Cassim Sait was a Member, Board of Industries, and President of Hajee Essa Abba Sait Endowments. Madras; Member of the Senate, ; He was one of the partners in Joonus Sait & Sons. Af- Councillor, Corporation of Madras; Chairman of the ter his retirement from this firm he started Yusuf Sait & Sons. He was conferred the title Khan Bahadur. Town Planning Committee, Corporation of Madras; connected with the founding of SIET College, teaming Honorary Presidency Magistrate; and District Gover- Janab Hakim Syed Niamathullah Sahib: A Cor- with its founder, Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed Sahib. poration Councillor for many years, he became Mayor nor, Lions International. He was also involved with Janab T. Abdul Wahid Sahib: A member of New College, SIET College, the Anjuman, the Muslim of Madras. He served as Treasurer and Acting Secre- MEASI, he was one of the members of the Managing tary of MEASI. Chamber of Commerce and serving other institutions. Committee of New College for several years. He His wife, Sarah Cassim Sait, was also involved with Khan Bahadur Sir Mohammad Usman, KCSI, KCIE: became the President of MEASI. He was also the Presi- He served as Minister of Home of Madras Province and various educational and charitable institutions. She dent of Anjuman-E-Himayath-E-Islam and also the was Vice-President of the M.W.A. Matriculation as acting Governor of Madras, the first Indian to act as Anjuman-E-Mufidul-E-Ahle-Islam. A leading member Governor (1934). He was the first Indian President of School, Gopalapuram, and Vice-Chairman of the of the leather industry, he was the Secretary of the as- Board of SIET College (now Justice Basheer Ahmed the Rotary Club of Madras. Usman Road in sociation of hides and skins merchants – AISHTMA. T’Nagar is named after him. Sayeed College). He was a Lok Sabha member from Vellore. The invitations received by Cassim Sait offer an in- Janab Ameen Khaleeli Sahib: Scion of a Persian Janab Abdul Hameed Khan Sahib, M.L.C.: He was family settled in Madras, he was a leading businessman. sight into the Muslim leadership in . a member of the Legislative Council and the Corpora- One of the invitations indicates that Lions Interna- He was a Vice President of MEASI. His son, tion of Madras. He was also the Dewan of the Prince of Akbar Khaleeli, a member of the Indian Foreign Ser- tional established its first club in South India in 1959 Arcot. A Vice President of MEASI, he was also con- with The Lions Club of Madras. The complete vice, served as Ambassador to Italy and High Commis- nected with the University of Madras and Annamalai sioner to Australia. organisation work was done at Cassim Sait’s residence University. in Haddow’s Road. Cassim Sait and his son Mahmood Janab A. M. Ubaidullah Sahib: He was the first Janab Moulvi M. Nazir Hussain Sahib: A Presi- Muslim chartered accountant. He played a significant Cassim were among the founder members of the Club. dent of MEASI, it was during his Presidentship (1947) Cassim Sait was elected the District Governor of Lions role in not only MEASI, but also in founding the South- that New College was started. He served as the Sheriff ern India Education Trust and SIET Women’s College, District 304S in 1965. This District covered the south- of Madras. He was a major dealer in hides and skins. ern States of Madras, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and ultimately becoming its Chairman. Khan Bahadur Khader Nawaz Khan: A leading Janab C.H. Sibghatullah Sahib: Long a member of Kerala and also Sri Lanka. businessman, educationist and philanthropist, he was Many of the invitations are to celebrations held each the Madras Corporation, he later became the Mayor. conferred the title of Khan Bahadur by the Govern- He was a businessman. year during Meelad Un Nabi. This function was hosted ment. Khader Nawaz Khan Road in Nungambakkam is by a committee of hosts comprising some of the leading named after him. – Subbu Muslim luminaries and businessmen of the day. The Janab Khan Bhadur A. Abdul Kareem Sahib: A Governor of Madras was often the chief guest at this pioneer of the beedi industry in Madras. A great donor function, which was often held at the Connemara Ho- for MEASI projects. He was one of the Vice-Presidents tel. Dr. S.K. Khadri is probably the only person to have of MEASI and later its Treasurer. been a host of the earlier version as well as of the cur- Janab Malang Ahmed Batcha Sahib: An impor- 4-10s listen to the rent Eid Milan that is hosted by the committee of hosts. tant member of the leather trade, he was the first gradu- He continues to be a convener of this initiative com- ate from Vaniyambadi. He was a Secretary of MEASI Madras Story munal command harmony. and later its President. Other noteworthy hosts the invitations indicate are: Janab Jamal Mohamed Sahib: A leader of the (Continued from page 7) Janab K.T. Sheriff Sahib: He was the Honorary leather industry, he was a President of MEASI. The Secretary of Anjuman-E-Himayath-E-Islam and the Jamal Mohamed College at Trichinopoly is named af- dras were what the session at Storycorner at Bookmine Anjuman-E-Mufid-E-Ahle-Islam. His son, Dr. Kamal ter him and his family is involved in its running. was all about. The use of props, songs, a map (how im- Sheriff, was the first Vice-Chancellor of the Dr. M.G.R. Moulvi Syed Abdul Wahab Bukhari Sahib: A per- portant it is to encourage children to use a map and Medical University. He also served as the Chairman of son of the highest Islamic scholarship, he was a great find places on it!) and getting them to visualise what the Tamil Nadu State Minorities Commission. teacher, who served as the Professor of Islamic Studies life must have been like then made it a riveting experi- Janab M .S. Abdul Majeed Sahib: A member of at Presidency College, Madras. He was later the Princi- ence. the Muslim Educational Association of Southern India pal of New College and still later the Rector of the Viji Varadarajan, well-known cookbook author who (MEASI), he was a major figure in the founding of New Jamalia Arabic College, Perambur. attended the event, posted on social media. “Sudha College. He was the secretary of MEASI in 1949 and Khan Bahadur Mohammed Musa Sait: A leading Umashanker’s storytelling was inimitable. The excite- President in 1963. He was a member of the Madras Leg- businessman, he was a Sheriff of Madras and received ment of the children was palpable. It was a great show islature. He was connected with the handloom trade the title Khan Bahadur. and I was as delighted as the kids themselves”. and industry. Khan Bahadur Adam Hajee Mohomed Sait: He Does History have to be a yawn? Kanchana, who Janab M.J. Jamal Mohideen, M.P.: He was a Presi- came to Madras to get his mother’s eyes treated around didn’t think her four-year-old son would sit through dent of MEASI and the founder secretary of Jamal 1908. He started as a hawker in George Town, but the programme, said, “I was surprised that he was com- Mohamed College, Trichinopoly. He was an MLA and proved so successful he purchased a building in Bunder pletely absorbed and participated so keenly. Usually he also served as a Rajya Sabha M.P. Street that became his residence as well as his business takes a little time to warm up, but here he just got into Janab C. A. Mohamed Ibrahim: He served MEASI place, where he developed an import-export business. it from the word ‘go’.” in several capacities. He was the Honorary Warden of He was a Director of the Imperial Bank for 14 years, Boddam Hostel run by the Association. He was also became Sheriff of Madras in 1933 and was awarded – A Staff Reporter September 1-15, 2015 MADRAS MUSINGS 9 Funding the small transporters

Rivers themselves do not drink of the face of SFL, Santhanam was the water they carry to be it. Cheques sometimes ar- Trees do not eat of the fruits they rived simply addressed to bear ‘Santhanam Company’!” Clouds do not partake of the rains The South India Hire Pur- they produce chase Association (SIHPA) came into existence in 1967, For, the riches of the good are with the Sundaram Finance of- utilised for the welfare of fice as its registered address. It others. was an organisation that was riram V, the author of this very close to Santhanam’s Sbook* on Sundaram Finance heart. In 1975, with the coun- Limited (SFL), brought out on try having over a dozen regional the occasion of the Diamond hire purchase associations, Jubilee of the Company, quotes there was born the Federation the above translation of a San- of Indian Hire Purchase Asso- skrit verse to describe the man- ciations (FIHPA) with its head- ner in which T.S. Santhanam quarters in Delhi. led his life and steered Sunda- This was also the time when ram Finance Ltd. of the TVS T.S. Santhanam the TVS Group entered the Group. manufacturing field, with the finance business. Till the The book is in many ways SFL, in particular, providing end of his life he would always the history of growth and financial support during the maintain that Sundaram development of the road setting up of the various Finance was established for the transport industry in India and companies. welfare of truck and bus the efforts of T.S. Santhanam In order to run the business operators. and SFL to make affordable on professional lines, right from Sundaram Towers, designed by Charles Correa. finance available to a vital but Sundaram Finance came the beginning Santhanam vulnerable section of a newly into existence on August 11, focussed on systems. To cut independent nation. It is also a 1954 as a subsidiary of MMGI. down on delays occurring from branches and 2 lakh depositors development, through year- story of entrepreneurship, Among the first loans from the unnecessary paper work, SFL and borrowers. Apart from round programmes. Chief of innovation and pioneering company was one to a VIP cus- was computerised way back in vehicle finance, the Company these is the ‘Concert at the spirit, says T.T. Srinivasaragha- tomer, M. G. Ramachandran, 1968. According to an IIMB now offers loans through its Park‘ series wherein young van, the present MD of SFL in who received a loan of Rs. case study done at the time, the subsidiaries to finance homes, children who are proficient in his Foreword. 66,000 at 7.5 per cent interest backbone of SFL was its tractors, etc. Carnatic music are encouraged for the purchase of a new Fiat to perform at the Nageswara The story begins with several personalised intelligence net- Quoting Srinivasaraghavan, car. work. who joined the company in Rao Pantulu Park in Mylapore businesses being carried forward on Sunday mornings. in the name of T.V.Sundaram “Due to Sundaram Finance Iyengar, the founder of the loaning money at reasonable Perhaps a more visible sign of rates, cleaners and drivers could the Company’s involvement Group. These were related to G auto component manufacture realise their dreams of becoming by R. V. Rajan with culture and local traditions and the retailing of automobiles vehicle owners. Single vehicle is the Sundaram Finance and spares. Venturing into the operators began to aim at main- Mylapore Festival, started by area of automobile finance was taining a fleet. To every one of the weekly tabloid, Mylapore left to his fourth son, T S them, Santhanam became an It was in the 1980s that SFL 1983, Sriram says, “The reason Times. Celebrated every Santhanam. icon to be looked up to. And as began venturing north of the for the success of SFL is that the January, it is a people’s festival he studied the business with Vindhyas for the first time. As organisation functioned as a that is marked by the enthusi- As early as 1948 Madras increased focus, he was to see SFL spread its network in the kind of gurukulam – the tradi- astic participation of the Motor Insurance Company that both the road transport in- North, its business methods tional Indian way of learning, community. (MMI) came into existence dustry and its financing were to were to give rise to slogans like where the student is a disciple- with Santhanam as its MD. The SFL began its journey chiefly go hand in hand,” says Sriram. Sundaram ka paisa Balaji ka paisa in-residence with the Guru and Company branched into other as Santhanam’s dream. The He adds, “Santhanam envis- (meaning money loaned by SFL imbibes what he has to teach areas of general insurance, fire naysayers were plenty, but he aged SFL to be a bank in every- was God’s money). The other through a kind of mental and marine in 1960, when it alone saw what others did not – thing but name and that meant popular expression was Sunda- osmosis. The teacher in ques- changed its name to Madras that there existed a space for a welcoming depositors. At SFL, ram ka paisa phulta hai – borrow- tion was Santhanam. Others Motor and General Insurance company that would handle ve- depositors were handled with ing money from SFL brought ensured that his philosophy and Company (MMGI). While this hicle finance on professional kid gloves. There were all kinds prosperity. By early 2000 SFL way of doing business were kept business was doing well, San- and ethical terms. He also envi- of things SFL did for its deposi- had spread across the length intact and continued forward. thanam was already looking at sioned it as a safe investment tors, long before customer de- and breadth of the country. Not that Santhanam ever really growing his pet project, Sun- opportunity for countless light became a buzzword. As for SFL, today, has over 500 took a back seat. Almost till daram Finance. people of India who brought all the very end, and he was to live their little to him and his com- Thanks to his involvement well into his nineties, he was pany. He considered himself an- with the Motor Vehicle & very much a presence at the swerable to each of them and it Allied Industries Association, office.” was this trust and goodwill that he was aware of the non-avail- While SFL has been known enabled the Company to grow. ability of easy finance for opera- since its inception for the best That the banks and financial tors and fleet owners. While practices it follows like knowing institutions came forward to banks dealt only with large the customer, not compromis- fund the growth of SFL is really commercial establishments, the ing on principles, remaining an outcome of the way SFL small fleet owners were left high close to core strength, another stood by its depositors and cus- and dry. According to Santha- constant is one of support to tomers. It was the value system nam, it was these transporters organisations connected with of the Company that enabled its who persuaded him to get into art and culture, healthcare and growth and which has remained heritage. Apart from major constant over time. Today, Viji institutions, SFL encourages Santhanam, the youngest son of * Sixty Years of Trust – The Sundaram children’s participation in art Santhanam, heads the Com- Finance Story by Sriram V. A Sunday concert at Nageswara Rao Park, courtesy Sundaram Finance. and craft, music and personality pany. 10 MADRAS MUSINGS September 1-15, 2015 Saved by the

(Current Affairs questions are mobile canteen from the period July 1st to 15th. Questions 11 to 20 pertain to (Continued from last fortnight) Chennai and Tamil Nadu.) hen, during my first days, I found the food in the hostel 1. Which Asian country on August unappetising and often made only a pretence of eating it, Juliet, a prag- 15th changed its time zone to 8.5 W hours ahead of GMT to mark its matic person, advised, “Don’t sit and moan; do something to improve matters.” liberation from the Japanese at the She suggested that I buy a tiffin carrier, so I could get snacks or food from the end of World War II? mobile canteen which parked right opposite the college every evening between 2. Which Chennai-born Indian is four and nine o’clock. In a few days, I became an ardent devotee of the red and the new CEO of online giant blue van that provided me with my daily tiffin favourites. Google? The mobile canteen arrived with great fanfare on the Beach Road, playing 3. Narendra Modi’s new inititaitve loud and cheerful music. Cloth banners displaying the mouth- Rukmini Srinivas (dark saree) and her colleagues in Queen to promote bank finance for start- watering fare fluttered from the front and back of the van, tempting the beach Mary’s College. ups (an entrepreneurial venture) crowd with crisp brown bondas, Mangalore bonda, medu vadai, the interview. But my father’s taught two courses to students announced recently is called…? golden dosai, bowls of fruit salad masala rice, and packets of co- advice in his letter to me was: in the first and second year 4. Which nation-wide scheme has and ice cream, and rich brown conut barfi, peanut brittle and “Just be younself. If one door intermediate classes, and one been acknowledged as the world’s coffee. semolina fudge would be spread closes, there will be others that course for each of the three-year largest cash transfer programme By four o’clock every even- out before us. open.” Bachelor of Science and (households) by the Guinness Book of World Records? ing, my thoughts and senses I do not know how much the The interviewing board con- Bachelor of Arts students. 5. Which former Karnataka Chief wandered to the aromatic, hot others spent each evening on sisted of an all-male committee Within a few weeks of join- Minister, and a Former Union Min- and crunchy Mangalore bondas their tiffin from the mobile can- of eight members, three of ing the department, I was ister and a noted litterateur has and hot coffee that were served teen. I remember, we were six whom were geographers from invited to fill a vacancy in the been conferred with the prestigious from the van window. My dorm of us in the group who shared other universities; the five oth- staff committee of the college Saraswathi Samman award? mates and I preferred to enjoy our snacks on most evenings. ers were administrators and dramatics association and the 6. In which famous city in eating the snacks leisurely in And there was quite a variety government officials from Ma- debating society – I had been an Rajasthan was India’s biggest tele- our rooms. and plenty to go round. My dras, as I learnt later. The five active student member of both scope, the Multi Application Solar Buying food from outside societies, and this was a Telescope (MAST), inaugurated was not new for the hostelites, G As Queen Mary’s College celebrates its Cente- welcome diversion and thera- recently? and this need was acknow- nary, we came across this recollection of the peutic in many ways for me. My 7. Name the only two Indians in ledged and accepted by the hos- College and its hostel food in the 1940s. This is enjoyment of acting and the top 20 of the first-ever list of tel tutors as long as no outsiders in a memoir titled Tiffin* (a recollection of her playwriting started as a school 100 Richest People In Technology, entered the hostel rooms. The life as well as recipes of the tiffin items she had student and continued through released by Forbes recently. hostel rules were very clear, es- enjoyed) by RUKMINI SRINIVAS. These excerpts my college days. 8. Name the seven-pronged plan are published with her permission. launched by the Union Finance pecially ones that pertained to When I wanted to unwind, I Minister on August 14th to revamp banning of entry of males to the went home to Tanjore over the functioning of public sector banks. first and second floors, the resi- guess is, each of us would have non-geographers set the tone weekend. And my father, as 9. The 40th anniversary of the dential section of the hostel. spent about five rupees. Three for the interview, and when the always, would be awaiting my release of the biggest Hindi block- The ferrying of food from the of our groupmates were Tamil oldest of them, the one with a arrival with eager anticipation buster was celebrated on August mobile canteen to the hostel fell movie buffs, who divided their shaggy walrus moustache and to listen to my stories of college 15th. Name the flim. to the lot of the ‘chhokras’, the personal expenses between film navy-blue jacket adorned with life, prodding me for my ob- 10. What major shift did Twitter young ‘ball picker’ lads in the tickets on weekends and the an impressive and colourful col- servations and more details of do on August 14th? tennis courts of the college. By mobile canteen on some week- lection of medals, bellowed as I the student community, my * * * four o’clock every evening, half days. As for me, I felt no guilt in walked in, tripping over the car- friends, the staff and college 11. Which Governor of Madras a dozen of them would hang spending on tiffin since I rarely pet, “Come in, young lady, sit events. was responsible for converting the about the staircase, knowing went to the movies. down, relax and tell us about Queen Mary’s College was campus of the College of Fort St. well that their services would be I graduated with a master’s yourself. We are not here to dis- established for the higher edu- George into the Department of needed. degree in Human Geography embowel you...” I felt less in- cation of women, and though I Public Instruction in Egmore? This Pavlovian conditioning from the University of Madras timidated. The remaining half found many of my fellow stu- 12. After whom is the multi-sto- dents meek and mild, the all- reyed edifice, housing various gov- ernment departments inside Fort women teaching faculty was St. George, named? spirited and independent. I 13. Name the non-Muslim who realised early on that here was created the chronogram engraved an anomaly. In an otherwise in stone and fixed inside the west- conservative society such as I ern wall of the big mosque in found in Madras, these women . held liberal views, whether in 14. Which popular restaurant social behaviour or politics, and chain in Chennai was started in that was refreshing. I enjoyed 1948 by a man from Mathura, my three years as lecturer in Triloknath Gupta? Queen Mary’s. 15. Name the son of one of the co- While I thought of myself as founders of The Hindu who went on an educated, independent to become a Union Minister. woman, the stark reality was 16. ABP were three companies re- that I continued to depend fi- sponsible for the growth of Madras’ nancially on my father. I must commerce. If P was Parry, what were A and B? add that the state pay scale was miserable, and my starting sal- 17. With what historic first are was not peculiar to me alone. I in 1952, and the same year I hour in the company of these child widows Ammakutty, Lakshmi ary was less than hundred ru- was not the only famished slave joined Queen Mary’s College as august men was spent in pleas- pees per month, which was a and Parvathi credited with nearly a of the mobile canteen. Soon, a a junior faculty member. It was ant conversation. It did not century back? pittance compared to my living group of my dorm mates as- my good fortune that there was matter that not much of it had 18. If the Cooum has its mouth expenses even as a student in near the Napier Bridge, where is its sembled on the wide verandah a vacancy in my own college, to do with what I thought I was the same institution. outside our rooms facing the but the competition for that there for, but I left them feeling source? I was allotted a room in the 19. Which educational institution front garden of the college, each one vacancy was tough. I went good. I dit not have to prove with her favourite snack for the with trepidation to the Madras myself. Beach House, one of the staff started functioning on July 2, 1948 quarters on the college campus in premises leased from Hobart evening and ready for an im- Public Service Commission in- I was delighted when ten School, Royapettah? promptu party. Masala dosai, terview where fifteen other days later I received a letter of facing the Marina, and that was home to me till I resigned my 20. There are four restaurants in qualified aspirants had been in- appointment, and my former lecturership in 1955 when I Vivanta by . If one * Tiffin by Rukmini Srinivas vited. This was my first job in- teachers were happy to wel- married Chamu. is Distil, name the other three. (Rupa Publications India Pvt. terview. I was both nervous and come me as a colleague. My (Answers on page 12) Ltd., 2015) anxious about the outcome of teaching duties were heavy, as I (Concluded) September 1-15, 2015 MADRAS MUSINGS 11

G The indomitable Mrs. YGP A life of contribution

(Continued from last fortnight) – to the stage ut on seeing Under Secre Btary, a script written by Poornam in Swadesamitran, – to schools Rajamma sought his permission to enact it as a play for UAA in 1964. The play was successful, – to the arts staging fifty shows, and also school, she was still a vibrant and Y.G. Mahendra, and di- marked Jayalalithaa’s stage en- part of UAA. She would suggest rected by Y.G. Mahendra) and try as the heroine. UAA was the changes even after rehearsals Rajapaarvai (starring Kamal Mrs. YGP receives the Stree Shakti Puraskar from Chief Minister only drama troupe she acted for and the first show. In one of the Hasan, Madhavi and L.V. J. Jayalalithaa who has called Mrs. YGP her “second mother”. and, from there, she went on to Chinmaya Mission’s plays, Prasad, and directed by Sin- make a mark on the big screen. Kamban Tharum Katchi, she geetham Srinivasa Rao) – not to Apart from the curriculum, and financial, to help restore 40 Rajamma impressed upon her donned the role of Soorpa- mention a fleeting appearance the schools today provide op- Vaishnavite temples across to concentrate on her studies nakha, when the organisers in Tein Nilavu with Vyjayanthi- portunities for students to pur- Tamil Nadu. even while she was acting. could not find anyone to play mala Bali, a distant cousin of sue their cultural interests. A Aghast on hearing that Jayalalithaa is grateful for Raj- that role. She says, “No one was YGP. dramatics workshop conducted promising artistes had to pay to amma’s encouragement and willing to play that villainous Just before YGP passed away by Madras Players is run as a 24- perform on stage, Mrs. YGP ini- care; she calls her her ‘second character. I accepted it and it in 1991, he handed over four session programme every year tiated Bharat Kalachar (Culture mother’. to encourage children develop of India). It was inaugurated in Plays were staged by UAA to a flair for theatre. Art forms 1987 by the doyen of Carnatic G raise funds for the fledgling by Venkatesh Krishnamoorthi which impressed her on her vis- music, Semmangudi Srinivasa school. In Pavam Balaraman, its abroad get woven into the Iyer. The main objective of Rajalakshmi donned the lead school’s programme. Bharat Kalachar is to encourage male character opposite the sealed covers to his daughter- * * * up-and-coming performers by much-acclaimed film heroine became a big hit.” Persuaded by in-law Sheela Rajendra, to be She realised how little she providing them with a stage Savithri. She also presented all- students and teachers, she opened after his death. One knew about Vaishnavism and opportunity and also expose the women plays as fund-raisers. donned the role of Avvaiyar in cover had a message for Raja- heritage when she took her two students to performances of These were usually UAA pro- one of the PSBB annual day cel- mma that she should not stop nephews from the U.S.A. to leading artistes. “Students ductions and she credits Pattu ebrations much later. She has wearing the kumkumam and temples around Madras. This writing a review of a perfor- with choosing the appropriate also taken to the big screen in flowers after his death. kindled her interest under- mance got two marks added to scripts for them. Despite her two movies – Kathai Kathaiaam * * * standing the faith and its their weak subject,” she says full-fledged involvement in the Kaaranamaam (starring YGP Social causes also brought a practices. She enrolled for a with pride. Young talented public standing for Mrs. YGP, diploma course in Vaishnavism artistes who impressed her were the name she assumed on be- at the University of Madras, given a stage at Bharat Kala- coming popular. In memory of which she completed when she char. It has gone on to become Mrs. Padama Seshadri, who was 66. one of the well known sabhas of cherished a dream of starting While on a visit to Tiruko- the city. her own school, Bala Bhavan shtiyur she was shocked to see Mrs. YGP’s major contribu- was renamed Padma Seshadri the temple in a state of neglect. tion is that she has developed a Bala Bhavan in 1973, to fulfil When she asked the people holistic approach to education the wishes of R.M. Seshadri, around why they had kept the with emphasis on all-round per- Padma‘s husband, who donated temple in such disastrous con- sonality developement. In the Rs. 30,000 to the school. Mrs. dition, a volunteer, called process, she has propagated art YGP led from the front as its Madhavan in the crowd, offered and culture among the young in Principal and later became the to restore the temple and even- a big way. The Grand Old Lady Dean & Director of the PSBB tually became part of the completes ninety this year. She group of schools. The schools Mangalasasana Divyadesam says, “I didn’t do anything for are a manifestation of her own Trust, which took shape on her fame. I just wanted to do some- firm belief in adhering to Indian initiative for restoring Vaish- thing about what I saw.” And tradition as a way of life while navite temples in a state of ruin. she did with a Midas touch. (Courtesy: Sruti) Then US Consul-General Jennifer McIntyre and Mrs. YGP at the qua- getting educated in the modern As secretary of the trust, she drennial education project at PSBB. Western way. mobilised resources, human (Concluded)

G Out of station We’re like that only... ‘Out of town’. I’m out of station means I'm on a vacation or not in town. It does not I know such English that I will leave the British behind. You see, sir, I can talk mean you are out of a particular station or inside a particular station, like Harry English, I can walk English, I can laugh English, I can run English, because English Potter on Platform 9¾. is such a funny language... G Prepone Amitabh Bachchan in Namak Halal... What do you do when you do not want to postpone a meeting but reschedule it G What is your good name? ahead of its intended time? Simple. You prepone it! Literally using the antonym for One of the most common usages, this simply means ‘What’s your name?’ Perhaps this is a post-, Indians derived this simple way of stating something will happen ahead of direct translation of the same phrase in Hindi, Aapka shubh naam? Shubh translates to time. (It is now in the Oxford dictionary.) good and most Indians translate the phrase without bothering to make alterations. G G I have a doubt. Mother promise, father promise, God promise While in the rest of the English world, to harbour a doubt is generally associated with Used mostly by youngsters, these phrases offer a convenient way out of any tricky doubting someone’s ability, in India it means you have a question about something. situation where the speaker does not really want to put himself/herself in danger by ‘crossing his heart and dying’. G Passing out of college The normal world uses ‘graduation’ or ‘convocation’. Indian English makes it “I passed G Doing the needful out of my college.” If you pass out in the US or Australia or the UK, you would probably We will do the needful. Only and only the needful. Nothing more, nothing less. be rushed to a hospital, not lauded. ‘Please do the needful’ is a common request which simply asks the person to finish G First-Class! the task. Indians refer to anything they like or that is really good as being ‘first-class’. So anything G Like that only from a movie to a pani-puri could be ‘first-class’ in the country. We might be punny or phunny but we are like that only! We only add only at the G Do one thing end of sentences. Or at the start of them. Or anywhere we want. So we will talk like Once again, literally translated from ek kaam kar, the phrase is used by Indians whenever that only. Problem much? they want someone to act in a particular way on their instructions. For example: Do one thing, cook cabbage soup for lunch today. – Rangaswami Badrinarayanan 12 MADRAS MUSINGS September 1-15, 2015 KNOW YOUR FORT BETTER (Continued from page 1) of Mornington and Governor General of India, decided to bred in the adjacent Long take a leaf out of a predecessor’s Tank.” Governor Lord Hobart book. In 1792, Lord Cornwallis had left the city by then leaving shifted his office from Calcutta General Medows as the acting to Madras to wage the Third head of the administration. In Mysore War. Now, Richard 1798, Madras got its next Gov- Wellesley would do the same. ernor in Edward, the Second Lord Clive, son of Robert, the Madras was however not en- man who got for the Company thusiastic about battle with much of its dominance over the Tipu. The Chief Secretary, Carnatic and its possession of Josiah Webbe (who has a me- Bengal. But Edward was not a morial for himself in St Mary’s patch on his father, preferring Church), remonstrated stating to lead a life of luxury and that the Government was un- pomp. The Wellesleys, Richard prepared – the deficit stood at and Arthur, did not think much eighteen lac pagodas and the of him. Government’s 8 per cent bond This was partly the reason carried a 20 per cent discount Arthur Wellesley being received by the Nawab Azim Ud Daulah at Palace (by George Chinnery). why they chose to largely bypass on it. But the Governor General him when it came to the final would have none of it. Fortu- matter of controversy. He cer- Maratha war in 1803 where he Packenham – the union was, war with Tipu Sultan. The con- nately for him, the Com- tainly lost his way and on April scored significant wins at however, not happy. flict became urgent when news mander-in-Chief, George Har- 6th entered a dark grove at Assaye, rising to the level of He was however destined for came of Napoleon landing in ris, was of the same view and it Sultanpettah where, in the con- Major General. In 1804, he ap- greater glory. He scored several Egypt. It was believed that he was decided that battle would fusion, troops of his regiment plied for home leave and when victories for England, rising would soon be on his way to In- commence. Arthur Wellesley probably shot at each other. Be this was not forthcoming, re- steadily in rank and title. In dia. Rumours gained ground and his 33rd would be a part of that as it may, the assault on signed his commission. He 1815, he defeated Napoleon at about Tipu being in correspon- the force. Tipu, led by Sir David Baird, came to Madras en route to En- Waterloo and earned his dence with him. The British The march to Srirangapat- was successful and Mysore soon gland where a glittering recep- nation’s eternal gratitude. He were also worried about a large nam began in February 1799, fell. Rather interestingly, and tion awaited him. It was re- was elevated to the highest rank French presence in the court of the Governor General remain- perhaps not surprisingly, it was solved by the European resi- in the peerage, becoming the the Nizam of Hyderabad. Fear- ing behind in Madras and keep- Arthur Wellesley who was now dents that a portrait of his be Duke of Wellington. He also ing quite correctly that Lord ing a close watch from there. given the command of Mysore, commissioned for the Long became Prime Minister of En- Clive would do nothing about His brother’s role in the war much to Baird’s disgust. In all Room of the Fort Exchange gland twice, his first tenure be- it, Richard Wellesley, the Earl against Tipu always remained a the jubilation over Tipu’s building. He was received in a ing from 1828 to 1830 and his death, this was forgotten. grand durbar at Chepauk Pal- second for a brief while in 1834. There were promotions all ace on February 18, 1805 by In 1808, the European resi- around. Harris became Lieuten- Nawab Azim Ud Daulah, the dents of Madras, acquired by Answers to Quiz ant General and several years scene being the subject of a public subscription, a portrait of 1. North Korea; 2. Sundar Pichai; 3. ‘Start-up India, Stand up later would be elevated to the sketch by George Chinnery for his. This had been executed a India’; 4. The Pratyaksha Hastaantarit Laabh (PAHAL) scheme for peerage, becoming 1st Baron a full length painting that was year earlier by John Hoppner of LPG subsidy; 5. M. Veerappa Moily; 6. Udaipur; 7. Azim Premji and Harris of Seringapatam and never done. On March 2nd, he the Royal Academy. The por- Shiv Nadar; 8. ‘Indradhansuh’; 9. Sholay; 10. It lifted the 140- Mysore. Lord Mornington be- was given a grand farewell din- trait hung for several years at character limit for users to send direct messages. came the Marquis of Wellesley ner at the Pantheon, Egmore. A the Banqueting (now Rajaji) * * * and left for Calcutta, but not full-length portrait of his was Hall and after Independence 11. Thomas Munro; 12. Namakkal Kavignar Maligai; 13. Rajah before sitting down for a por- unveiled on the occasion, as re- was quietly consigned to the Makkan Lal Khirad; 14. Ratna Cafe; 15. T.T. Krishnamachariar, son trait of himself, depicted against ported by the Madras Gazette. storerooms of the Madras Mu- of T.T. Rangachariar; 16. Arbuthnot and Binny, 17. They were the a backdrop of the flagstaff of Wellesley returned to England seum. His house in the Fort is first three child widows to graduate from Queen Mary’s College; 18. Sattarai village; 19. Ethiraj College; 20. Raintree, The Verandah Fort St George. Arthur with a large fortune, chiefly now coming apart, brick by and Hip Asia. Wellesley went on to partici- prize money. There he married brick. pate in the second Anglo- his childhood flame, Kitty – Sriram V.

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