HAB Parpia, G T Naryana Rao, J R Lakshmana Rao, T S Satyan, K Srinivasan - activists all, Picture from Star of Mysore.
I had the good fortune of being
taught by four of the finest teachers in Mysore, of their respective subjects, during my
PUC days. For the uninitiated, PUC is pre university course. It was a one year
course between High school and college. Later, it was a two year course. One of
those teachers was Prof. K. Srinivasan and he taught me Physics. He was also my
father's classmate in Intermediate and B. Sc. classes. He entered active politics and
did his M. Sc. years later.
When I sit down to write about him,
it feels strange realising that I know him at two completely different planes.
One, as I knew him personally and the other, as I heard my father talk about
him. Here are my recollections as I saw him and also from what I had heard of
him.
His first class addressing the
new students in Yuvaraja's college was an experience in itself. There were
nearly hundred and twenty students in the main Physics lecture hall which was
huge. In comes this thin man in Khadi trousers and white Khadi shirt. When he
started talking, a hush descended on the class. His voice was commanding and
surprisingly loud and of a timbre that reminded me of a good temple bell. His
command over the language, clarity of thought and expression and confidence was
nothing less than awe inspiring. He did not teach anything that day but gave
the rules of the game governing the lecture classes and the practical classes.
Later, when he taught in the theory classes too, the same qualities were
evident in ample measure. In the practical classes, his familiarity with the
instruments appeared magical to me. The flow of thought and expression were so
good that I can't imagine anyone not understanding what he taught.
Maama was politically very active
in his student days. He entered active politics with M. N. Roy’s Radical Democratic People's Party. So, you could say that he was a Royist or a
radical humanist in those days. He was also influenced by Marxism and in later years turned a
Gandhian. I have heard him being referred to as a Gandhian in his later years.
I have heard my father talk of him with great admiration - that he had a
brilliant mind.
Though he always treated me with
great affection, I was in awe of him when I was young and perhaps was very
reserved and respectful. Only after I started working did it recede a little
and it was always a great pleasure talking to him. He would often talk to me
about work and what I did. One thread that was quite common was economics and
the management - labour relationship at my place. His insights and comments
were always enlightening.
Maama was a connoisseur of
Carnatic Classical music. The two families would often go to concerts together
and walking back from the concerts was always a pleasure since he would discuss
the concerts with my father and they would also talk of other things and what
an education that was.!
Maama took a great interest in
Philosophy once again and a special interest in the philosophy of science, if I
remember right, so much so that he registered for a PhD after he retired from
the university and worked on the subject a seriously for years. He never
completed it though. Even in his later years he remained a social, political
and environmental activist. He helped organise and participated in various
movements.
Apart from all this, visiting his
house was always a pleasure. Thanks to his wife, whom we referred to as
Subbulakshmi atte or Srinivasan maami and addressed her as atte*, the house was
always spotless, bright and cheerful. Maama would be ready for a good
conversation fueled, at the least, bya strong, aromatic cup of coffee
served with great care and affection by atte.
Both maama and atte were
excellent hosts - whatever the occasion. My eldest sister's first music concert
was organised at their home. This and many other things made his house a second
home. I have never learnt to cook. One of the people to be "blamed"
for this deficit is maama and atte. When I was alone at home with all the
others away from Mysore, it would be treated as a serious and personal affront
if it was even suggested that I ate elsewhere or cooked for myself. (The other party to be "blamed" is referred to here) It seems almost churlish
to use the term "blame" while talking about this but they would
understand. They had such a great sense of humour. It always fascinated me that
these people, with such serious interests and deep knowledge had such great
sense of humour and never ever took themselves seriously.
I will end this with just a
couple of anecdotes about how he allowed us to pull his leg. Maama had a large
imperious nose. Especially on such thin, frail looking man it really stood out.
Once when he was at our home, he was given a small glass of juice. The glass
was shaped like a wine barrel. Maama could not drink since the nose came in the
way. He loudly complained that we had chosen such a glass just for his
discomfiture. He questioned our hospitality. Whenever my mother offered him a
juice or something when he visited us later, he would say, "yes, but not
in that glass!" Another time, many of us were atop Chamundi hills on a
very windy day. Maama was wearing a Khadi coat. Every one of us was cautioning
him to keep the coat buttoned lest the wind would carry him away. We also advised
him that whenever he wanted to get home, all he had to do was unbutton the coat
and fly!
With those two anecdotes, I have
to come to the last and sad part of this piece. Maama passed away a couple of
weeks ago. When I attended the last rites, my mind kept on wandering and I
recalled my association with him a great sense of loss. I have put some of those
thoughts down here, with great affection and admiration, as a tribute to a very
special man.
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