Prof. V.S. Kumar in conversation with Prof. C.S. Swamy
I Professor C. S. Swamy
retired from Department of Chemistry
have immense pleasure in welcoming
Professor V. S. Kumar from the Department of Humanities
my former colleague at the Heritage Centre.
Mr. Kumar, Professor Kumar
we would like to have some personal details of you
that is before you joined IIT Madras. Ok,
as soon as I finished my Honours course in English,
I worked in a college called Andhra Christian College in Guntur.
Prior to that, I had been in the Air Force.
So, I happened to come to Madras
by chance to visit somebody.
Somebody told me that one IIT is going to open,
so, you can try your luck there.
So, I went to CLRI campus and met
one special officer appointed, Chandrakanth
for IIT Madras.
So, I happened to go and meet him.
That must have been in 1959?
Yeah, actually 60.
60 is it? Ok .
So, he said we are looking for a English faculty,
right now we have two
principals from outside, Pachaiyappa College principal,
Professor Krishnamurthy and Professor Krishnan from Jain College.
They were doing part time teaching here for English.
So, Chandrakanth asked me to go and meet one of them
because they were already holding the Principal's post in their college
and they were complaining always that
they do not have time.
Both of them happen to be
Madras senate members, Madras University.
So, I went and met Professor Krishnan.
Unfortunately, they did not take any steps
to appoint a permanent staff.
The Director said two veterans are coming to teach,
there is no hurry to appoint
permanent members in your department.
So, I thought I gave up hope and went back to my place.
Suddenly, I get a letter saying
that you should appear for an interview.
When was this interview?
This was in 60 only. 61 .
And, who are the members of the selection committee and?
Father Murphy was there,
Mr. Natarajan IAS.
Yeah. Registrar was there.
And Professor Sengupto.
Sengupto did not come for this.
I see I see.
So, some twenty two of us appeared for the interview,
out of which they selected two.
One G. Viswanathan and myself. I see.
Frankly speaking, I think I got
the appointment order because of my
previous workshop experience in the Air Force.
I had undergone two years intensive workshop practice.
So, Professor Sengupto said
your knowledge of workshop will come in handy
to teach most of our B.Tech. students because
none of them would have handled handled any tools.
So, I think my appointment is almost
the chance appointment in the sense
there were people with higher qualifications
in the twenty two people selected for the interview,
but I was myself surprised that I got the appointment order.
But there was a hitch there also.
You know Dr. Mudaliar was the Chairman of the board here;
Dr. Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar
who was Vice Chancellor of Madras University.
He was the Chairman here also.
Somehow these two principals from outside,
they said that you need not appoint a permanent staff
and not only that they said
you need not go for a lecturer post immediately.
Give them JTA or STA post.
I do not if those ranks exist today?
No no no. Anyway, that maybe there as a project
project staff No, no JTA STA. I know I remember
we, it was there when I also joined.
So. Now, what were you appointed as?
JTA. You are appointed as JTA.
Yeah, not only me everybody, almost.
Mr. Viswanathan also.
Viswanathan quit after one month
saying you are asking us to teach classes,
but you don't give us the ranks.
I see. So, Viswanathan quit.
They said no no no we will make you Associate Lecturer immediately.
So, he got Associate Lecturer post.
But, you are a
Yeah yeah I still continued in the JTA.
I see I see . Now, you said you did B.A. Honors.
Yes. Was it from the University of Andhra?
Andhra University? Yes, was there.
You are student of Kasturirangan Iyengar?
Not with That famous English professor.
Professor Srinivas Iyengar. Srinivas sorry,
yeah Srinivas Iyengar.
Whose son joined our IIT afterwards.
Professor Ambirajan. Ambirajan.
Ambirajan, yes.
Ok yeah you you continued teaching from 1960 to 19
to 61. Right 61.
61 and you said that Viswanathan was your first colleague.
Yeah. But, then did anybody join later?
I mean immediately. Not in English, no.
I see. How long did professor Krishnamurthy and Krishnan continue?
They continued till almost 64.
I see I see, but you were also taking lectures.
Most of the time we were taking they used to phone
and say I have a senate meeting
please go and take my class.
I see. At least how it,
two years passed like that.
Where were you sitting at that time?
In 1961 BSB? All our departmental
officials were located in BSB.
I know where it will exactly,
first? In the ground floor.
Ground floor. And, who was the other officials?
Dr. Nicholas Klein.
He came to teach German. Yeah.
And, there was one Miss Mrs. Ziauddin.
She came from Max Mueller Bhavan to teach German.
What about the other subjects that came later? So
Economics. Yeah, Dr. Anantharaman V. Anantharaman for Economics.
When did he join?
He also he joined just before me one month before. I see
what about Professor Gupta, R. K. Gupta?
Gupta and others came much later.
I see. So, who was the head of the department?
There was no official head actually. I see.
At the time I joined. I see I see.
I think Anantharaman used to be called for any consultation.
But, right from the time you joined
in 61, you had to be associated with
say publications of the students? Yeah,
that was because Sengupto took it is for granted
if I am in the Humanities Department,
I should be able to edit and also know some Sanskrit.
I see. Yeah, that I know all the languages.
I see. And were you also writing I think we saw in
some of those magazines some poems. Yeah yeah.
And this was written by you
and there are one or two articles
that is written by Viswanathan also
Quite possible. I see.
Unfortunately, all the publications copies
and photographs were came and collected
I mean were collected by one Mr. Dubey .
I see. So, photographs also have been taken away so.
Yeah, I had because I was dealing with
publications all the time
including research publications.
So. You mean research publication means
colleagues used to come to you for.
There. Nothing there.
No no the annual research report.
Oh I see annual research reports Reports.
That is the annual number.
Yeah. They used to call it
I mean that also was edited by me
where I had doubts about technical information
I used to go and meet the head there
and find out seek clarification. I see I see, oh I see.
So, first research report was edited by me and published by me.
Ok, now try to whomsoever remember about
the faculty members who joined HSS,
we talked about Anantharaman.
You said about Gupta, can you remember?
Gupta came much later actually. Ok,
then what about others?
Say in in English? Ziauddin was there a German faculty.
And, you said about another English faculty member
who passed away who joined as associate lecturer Rama Rao.
Rama Rao also came much later.
Much later. Rama Rao also came much later Yes.
and then what about Mrs. Kurian? Mrs. Nainan Kurian?
Yeah, all these people were appointed much later .
But, Krishna Rao, A. V. Krishna Rao?
Krishna Rao came 3 years after me.
He came 3 years after you. Yeah .
He had finished his Ph.D. work in somewhere in Orissa.
Not with Srinivasa Iyengar? No.
I see I see.
Only thing was we were not Associate Lecturer or Lecturer.
So, certain even to get a table
Dr. Sengupto had specified
for Assistant Professor this much table,
for Associate Lecturer this much table,
for Professors very big table .
So, we were not even given a table in the beginning .
All kinds of things happened .
When did you move to HSB Humanities?
I do not remember date.
Yeah it is on 62 the.
In 62 – 63 we started moving
and you occupied. Between HSB and B.
MSB.
MSB, yeah. There used to be a canteen called Ashok Canteen.
Yeah yeah. The tiled.
I showed you. Kind of.
Shed Shed.
Actually the day I joined IIT
sometime June June 30th 1961
we reported to CLRI to join
and Natarajan used to pick up people in a jeep
and bring us to IIT.
We did not have pakka roads in those days.
So, only one building was functioning.
Even the classes were held there
and our classes were very big. 90 to 120 students.
In a way it gave me a good training
in addressing large audiences you know.
No, that was in the first two years.
Yeah. When I admitted large
smaller than apart. And English was taught first two years also.
I see. Humanities courses all ran for two years.
And. Later when they
it was 5-year course when I joined.
Yeah it was. B.Tech. was the 5-year course.
Yeah, it was there up to 80.
Yeah. So, almost
So, we were given many more classes
than it is possible now.
And, after you moved to HSB
I think it was in the second floor.
So, that is when Professor Vairanapillai.
In History Yeah, they all came in.
History. And that Ramachandran
they all joined. Yeah they all came in.
You remember Ramachandran of History? He is no more .
He is no more. It he taught History.
Who did Humanities at any time teach history of science?
There was a proposal to do that. I see but.
They wanted somebody who was
well versed with science and technology
to teach that course.
It was always in the drafting stage only
it never bore fruit that scheme.
But, you said you are teaching English.
But, did you have tutorial classes also. Yeah,
we had tutorials in those days.
At least two tutorials for each batch every week.
So . And, who was the tutorial tutors?
We are all of us.
We have to take a small class.
I see. No, no.
You said you are only two people, so?
Yeah both of us shared
I see I see. So, there to.
Tutorial was a must in those days
and periodical periodical tests were
held in a surprising way.
It was not announced ahead. I see.
Once a students come to class
the teacher will go and say, today I am holding a test for you.
All subjects. That is how
our tutorial classes never exceeded a dozen students,
10 to 12 people.
So, in in a way we had very
close association with students,
the rapport between students and teachers were rather high.
I knew all the students by name.
Even my 100 strength class. Strengths
It was very. So
Very good talent you know
and do you remember any of those students
from the second batch and third batch who were.
Firstly very good in debates and all that. Second batch.
One Natarajan was there.
Was it from the? Yeah, yeah.
Of course, first batch you not on batch. Second batch
second batch Siddharth. Second batch
First Siddharth, then Venkatesan. Venkatesan.
They were all good debaters is it not.
They were good. Good debate, they were self motivated.
Yeah, because. I see from the reports. Yeah.
that they have won number of trophies. Yeah yes.
And, not only in Madras. IIT
holds IIT Madras holds a record for
winning the debate for a number of years. Yeah yeah
and not only that rolling trophies Yeah
and all that they have won.
So, Siddharth was actually if I remember right
he used to come with a suit and all all these. Yeah yeah.
Even for class I think he used to.
Remember any of those students from Punjab Singh?
Bawa was there. Bawa.
So, that was the Secretary of the hostel.
What about some other fellows
who used to do Bhangra dance and all that?
Don't remember?
I moved into Narmada hostel
as a first assistant warden
and that year one Sidhu. Yes.
was the all India number one rank.
Yeah that is yeah. Sidhu.
He. And, then
he got the president gold medal.
Yeah yeah. Short person
and according to Planning Commission members,
his son was here. I see.
I forget his name.
Chagla Chagla. Mr. Chagla?
And Kamali was the Education Minister?
Shrimali Shrimali. Shrimali.
Shrimali’s son. That is in centre.
Yeah Shrimali’s son. His son also got admission here.
Do you remember anything else regarding the initial years
say 6 we moved into the campus? Yeah
So, you stayed in Narmada hostel? Yeah.
For two years or how many year you stayed. One and half year.
One and a half years.
You got married and then moved to.
Yeah, yeah quarter.
You. I and Sharadindra Sur from Mechanical Engineering
we both were appointed Assistant Wardens.
I see. Each hostel used to have two Assistant Wardens
and we had a separate suite to live in.
Yeah . And, Dr P. M. Palani.
Yeah yeah. He used to come all the way.
So he was there. And one of the rooms in my hostel
was used as a consulting room.
The students were
that man used to prescribe only Codopyrin.
So I need to,
Now, we used call Codopyrin that students used to
students used to address him as Codopyrin
and they used to rag him left and right.
No, but they was very calm.
No no they used to take.
So, Palani came and said sir, whenever I come,
you come and sit with me.
I see I did not know.
Yeah I I was in Cauvery Hostel.
For 6 months and
he used to have his room next to mine so Yeah, yeah I know.
So, I remember and we used to always have a jeep
in front of the Cauvery Hostel for emergencies.
When a student has to admitted to hospital in the night
or we have to call Palani
so we used to use that jeep so.
Randhawa first batch.
Venkateshan Venkatesh. Yes.
And, Nagaraj. Yeah.
These were all talented
Natarajan in second batch
as you said Siddharth. Natarajan in second batch
as you said Siddharth.
Siddharth, yes. Of course, the second.
Actually when the second batch passed out
I brought a brought out a annual magazine
with photographs of all the students.
The annual only.
Because we have in the Heritage Centre
the the first batch which passed out,
department wise photographs are there
and also the combined photograph of
all the faculty, a teaching staff and the students
and that is there in the annual number,
but we do not have this second one
I think we have to sets maybe it was there.
So, you have brought out the magazine, is it?
You have brought out the. Yeah, yeah magazine
and also campastimes I used to edit
though Dr. Nicholas Klein’s name was.
Focus was do you remember? Focus came later I think.
Spectator? I do not know but, annual report yes,
chemical scientific research report.
I see I see
and did you have interests
in any other area other than English
in a specific area or in English itself
whether specifically in drama or?
Yeah yeah. In fiction or anything like that?
Every year they used to have
Hostel Day or Institute Day. Yeah.
These were the times we arrange for music programmes
or students dramas.
I see you are. Yeah yeah I was there.
You are directed. Only in the background only.
How you are directed some dramas and all I see.
And you had language lab?
It is came much much later. And who developed it and
was it for the German teaching or English teaching? Yeah for
basically for German teaching.
But, were later used by Professor I I I used to use it for TSE –
Test of Spoken English. I see.
TOEFL I conducted for 10 years.
I see. Along with that some people used to take see TSE
that was done in the lab.
I see and Apart from TOEFL.
I see. TOEFL, GRE, SAT and TSE
all these were contracted at one time or the other.
Of course, TOEFL was a continuous affair.
I see. Every year.
And, you are paid by the TOEFL. Yeah yeah for that
organization in New Jersey.
They used to.
Yeah your exams through conduct in here, is it know. Yeah yeah.
TOEFL and all. I remember,
you used to tell me that it was .
It was all manual in those days,
now everything is on online I think.
Yeah, but you used to
to do. Yeah yeah all that we have to do.
I see, you have to do all.
We could do it only in weekend within institute. Yeah yeah.
And, you remember any of the brilliant speakers
who were invited to IIT?
English speakers or English language speakers ?
Not language specifically or in a
various subject we used to have a
what they used to call extracurricular lecture. Yes
Some mural lecture. Some mural lecture.
That was in Professor Indiresan’s time know? Yeah, yeah.
Before that Professor Narayanmurthy’s time also
he called Subramanian Swamy and some politicians.
So, you you remember all the Directors
till you left, is it not? Directors of course, I remember.
Because- How was your relation with
various Directors and all that?
Sengupto’s house was very informal
because Mrs. Sengupto was a very dynamic lady.
She is the sister of Humayun Kabir’s wife.
That is how.
Do you remember where the Shanti Kunj was?
It is somewhere next to- Near OAT.
near OAT. Yeah.
Because you cannot identify. Which tree,
it was under a tree. It is like a old-
You remember we used to
have the literary programmes there? I know, yes.
For the faculty and all that.
Do remember that once the-
I do not know where the institute organized it
or the cultural this one,
we had a series of dramas
in all the south Indian languages
also in Hindi in CLT.
In fact, in the Tamil drama,
the Dr. Jayavelan from.
From Medical. This all this might have come much later.
Later only around 80s or so.
Yeah yeah. 80s or so.
You you were there very much there right? No,
I was there till 94.
Yes yeah. But, I do not think I participated in all this.
And you are not you do not remember
Because do you remember?
We used to have lot of students
who used to come and say.
Professor Krishna Rao.
Did he guide any students for Ph.D.?
He started doing it,
but I do not think he completed.
Whom Doctor you know that the English as a
subject for JEE was abolished- Was dropped in 1980 or so.
88 I was the person I was I was there-
-since 98. Actually that year
I had gone to Bombay
to set the paper
and also to revise the syllabus. I see.
As soon as I came back from Bombay, they said
your subject is no longer there JEE. Yeah yeah.
Dropped it. It was in 88 or-
Yeah. Now, the new syllabus was drafted
and you you remember that
the the 3 year B.Tech. was there.
So that was So, it was called 'direct entry'.
Direct not direct entry .
That is was to the Indo – Chinese war they started
a condensed B.Tech.
that is the graduates who used to join for a
3 year B.Tech. programme.
Yeah, yeah I remember.
But I possibly- Our-
You have English- Patil Mothiram Patil.
Yeah yeah. M. R. Patil is here.
Yeah. He joined that course.
you mean the Biochemistry Biomechanic. Yeah yeah.
Biomechanic, that is correct. He, one Baswani
who became Chairman of Hindustan Unilever.
Yeah yeah yeah what about Radhakrishna?
Radhakrishna I do not remember Radhakrishna I think.
Quite a few joined that one.
Yeah, it was a small batch,
but they called they were
called 'direct entry students'. 'Direct entry students' three of them-
And do you remember Professor Kamalapathy of
say Trichy who was a mono actor?
He came once and then
Mr. Venkataraman Security Officer
he brought him and he gave a
mono acting programme in CLT.
This was in 76 or so.
Because it was after we
this one I took him home myself
because he wanted to see some mother-in-law in-
You do not remember? I mean he was a-
He was a well known person I was to- I am with the-
give programmes AIR in Trichy and all that
and he has participated in Tamil
dramas also. He used to know
quite a few Tamil actors and all.
And, one more things from the campus life
you stayed in the E type quarters.
E, D and C1. D
for a number of years,
then you moved to C1.
Not many year, 2 not even 2 years in E. I see.
Because these other houses were getting ready. Yeah yeah.
So, then you moved to D.
And, you remember the Superintending Engineer.
Ramaswamy. Yes.
So, he told me as soon as it is ready,
I will give you one flat in D.
So, from D you moved to C1. Yeah.
As. That was much later.
Much later and how were you
how are you keeping your busy after the retirement?
I I solve all the crossword
which whichever paper it comes in.
No, I am talking of.
Your relationship with IIT-
Have been visiting? I think, no.
The campus and I was- Yeah
at least once a month to collect my pension.
So, incidentally I will go and visit the department.
Now that. Now, most of the people who worked with me are
either gone forever or retired.
So, I do not have much I think last one was
Evangeline Manickam is it, she has retired?
Uh that is what I was we were told about it,
but you don't know anybody in English staff.
Rajagopal’s daughter is there she.
I see now that you talk about Rajagopal.
You are talking about that Industrial Management. Yeah.
Now, Rajagopalan. When did he joined?
During your time?
He, Deepak Choudhary. Yes.
They all came for Industrial Engineering.
Deepak Choudhary left back.
Yeah yeah yeah. For I think went back to IIT
Kharagpur. I do not remember the year but-
Rajagopal retired from here? Yeah.
His wife was in the Computer Centre programme.
No no no. His not wife, sister.
His sister, correct.
Her daughter is here now in English department .
In which department?
Sheelu we call Sheelu Sheela.
Which department? English department.
Physics department. English.
I see. Is it Shrilatha?
And- Shrilatha?
Sheela. Shrilatha.
Yeah yeah Shrilu Shrilatha, correct. Shrilu.
And- Also Rajagopalan I mean.
Sorry Thyagarajan in Mechanical Engineering.
You remember him?
I do not remember.
What what is the name?
Thyagarajan K. T. I know I remember
K. T. Thyagarajan Thyagarajan I I remember that.
His brother’s daughter is now in the faculty here. K. T. Thyagarajan. Thyagarajan I-I remember that.
His brother’s daughter is now in the faculty here.
Mathangi. Mathangi I see.
There were quite a few a quite a few. Mathangi is there.
And you you will start telling may-
Professor Rayudu son.
He is in Civil Engineering I was told.
Subbaraju’s son is- Sathyanarayan he is.
Sathyanarayan is Thirupathi Director. Now gone to Thirupathi.
Yeah yeah I know him.
And Professor Verghese son is
the Dean of Administration now,
Dr. Koshy Verghese
Professor Koshy Verghese Civil Engineering.
Of course, you would not have known him.
So. Bhaskar Ramamurthi Raman
I think now a Dean for something.
What you see?
Raman Aeronautics man .
He is now acting register I think. Sriram Sriram.
No no. Sriram.
Yes. Sriram.
These were all my students. Yes.
Sriram, correct. Sriram he was Aeronautics.
I- Because the earlier groups also you must be knowing.
Sathyanarayan’s father Subbaraj.
Subbaraj yes. Chemical Engineering .
Yeah. He and I were colleagues in the university
colleagues means contemporary.
Where? Andhra University.
Oh I see I see Andhra University. I knew
Subbaraj before he came here. Yeah,
Gopichand also might have know.
Gopichand I knew because their guide
M. N. Rao was in Kharagpur IIT. I see.
That is how most of them came Sathyanarayana.
Sathyanarayana, yes. Gopichand.
And from the Physics Department of they have you know
YVGS Murthy and Bheemashankar Shastri.
Bheemashankar Shastri, yes.
Gopalam. Gopalam I did not know.
Ramashastri Professor Ramashastri. Bheemashankar Shastri.
Anyway you you must have known as a-
Ramashastri I know because
Rama Ramashastri’s brother married
my cousin sister in Vizag.
I see I see. I know them very well.
I think Ramashastri's sister was also
a Professor there-
here- -as you told yeah yeah one.
Sister no. Ramashastri sister.
Something like that. No no.
Somebody was telling me I do not know.
Chilukuri Ramashastri.
His sister was nowhere in the picture. I see I see.
You are you are in touch with any other faculty of IIT now?
Velachery there are quite a few number of faculty. Yeah yeah.
Yeah whenever they come to Madras
sometimes some of them phone and come. Who are-
who are the people let me know.
I remember last was Rajagopalan only.
Professor Kalidas Professor. Kalidas lives near my house.
Professor Veluswamy. Veluswamy lives opposite me,
right now he is in Coimbatore.
Yeah yeah. He is going to move here.
His son is on the faculty in Buffalo.
Yeah yeah he is a-
You have any remembrance of the campus?
Whatever you remember about the campus in those days?
Can you please some so-
Yeah, I remember meeting lot of snakes near ESB.
When we joined there were no pakka roads.
So, all of us used to go and eat in the hostel.
In the beginning 61
we used to see lot of snakes,
Gradually as people moved in,
all the wildlife moved away.
But, you said that you joined in 61. 61.
But where would you staying in 61?
61 I was staying in Sriram Nagar outsides the gate.
Sriram Nagar. Before my quarters in the hostel got ready
I was living outside. I see.
Because I moved
straight away into Cauvery hostel. That is why.
Do you remember any of the staff students
sports that were played in played in 62 or 63?
I thought they were getting
first prize every year they went,
IIT Madras Guwahati.
No no not but the inter hostel.
Inter-IIT I mean.
I am talk of the staff students sports.
You remember we we we did play
in 62 staff versus student cricket
matches and all that.
Natarajan, Dubey, they all play Yeah yeah I know.
You remember you remember some match? Vaguely very vaguely.
You were not very interested in
I mean 63 also it was played
when you were in Narmada Hostel.
Yeah because I had so many other duties
apart from that Do you remember any of those
people who was joined at that time and left?
The faculty who were there.
Your department Dr. K. Krishnamurthy.
K. V. Krishnamurthy he is was there only
for 6 month. Yeah 6 months.
And, what about Mechanical?
Majumdar Swamynathan in Civil.
Swamynathan in Civil is it? Civil Engineering.
Padmanabhan. Padmanabhan.
Civil. He is much later.
Mechanical Mechanical. Mechanical.
You remember him? Yes
He was also in D type quarters.
This Swamynathan was the
senior most in Civil at the time
before Dr. Verghese came.
Swamynathan Yes. I see.
He was not there for long.
You remember Sankaran, K. S. Sankaran? Yes yes.
They all came later.
Sankaran I remember. Yes, Sankaran
Sankaran. Radhakrishnan I remember
Professor Radhakrishnan R. Radhaksrishnan
who is now stays in
that behind Padmanabhanagar so.
There Sobhanadri use to live.
Sobhanadri is in Padmanabhanagar.
I mean he has the house in Sobhanadri. Yeah.
Padmanabhanagar E. G. Ramachandran lives behind.
Yeah E. G. Ramachandran. Yeah obvious I-
We have a-
You had some photograph? .
This is the-
Can you show it on some case? Yeah.
See it again. Yeah.
This is the- we will keep it with you.
We will- This is the photograph.
It was Ramachandran. This was the first
Alumni Association Executive Committee. Yes.
Yeah. Yes.
How does that come there? Ok yes.
the Alumni Association yeah,
yeah I think Alumni Executive Committee.
Yeah. That means, Dr. Ramachandran.
it was it was started sometime in
66 or 67 may be. Yeah 66 only.
I see 66.
You remember this one?
Srinivas Murthy. Srinivas Murthy.
Srinivas- He became a Dean later.
Yeah was he- He was doing Ph.D. at that time.
Yeah Srinivas Murthy correct-
and- The thing-
Who is this? This fellow was from your
department I think Chemistry.
No. Or one of these people.
E. G., E. G. Ramachandran . Yeah, I think
this man was in your department. No no.
One Chemistry guy was this is Rayudu,
this gentleman from Metallurgy .
So, the Sundaresan. E. G. Ramachandran.
Sundaresan. Director Ramachandran,
myself and Deputy Director Prof. Sampath. Sampath
Yeah yeah yeah I remember.
I am not able to make yeah this is correct
Krishna yeah yeah.
Correct, he was a research scholar
he he was did M.Sc. and then research he joined
faculty. I think this was the first.
Faculty. I mean last advisory post I had after this.
Yeah that is right.
So, this is the-
I do not know if you can remember any of it? Yeah.
What is this about?
Remember this one?
That was our Humanities Department Humanities.
I see, the Humanities Department the photograph.
You can later take it?
I can see Prof. Krishna Rao here
in the front row sitting.
Narendran. This must be in in the 80s then. Yeah yeah.
80s. I forget this lady was teaching Psychology.
Oh Psychology? This was the first Industrial Engineering batch.
Yeah. Students also are there.
Yeah, Industrial Engineering Professor.
Professor Amith sir. And the-
This is with Prof. R. K. Gupta.
There and Ambhirajan is here. Yes.
When did Ambhirajan join and he? Ambhirajan
came much I think I think
late 70s or 80s. 80s 80s he came
and he was there till you retired?
Ambhirajan passed away after I retired.
I yeah in the 90s
there were some problem and-
This was the Krishna Hostel.
There your manager hostel.
This is not Krishna hostel,
but then the manager is the Krishnaswamy.
Yeah Krishnaswamy is there.
He is- That is yeah, but-
He was originally in Cauvery hostel,
then he went back,
he went to gymkhana and came back.
This is Prof. Krishnamurthy.
What is this the table?
This is the Hostel Day. Hostel Day.
Hostel Day. This is the Hostel Day celebration.
Krishna Hostel. You can see the some of the
German, German professors along with-
Professor Krishnamurthy’s back can be seen.
His back only you see in here
that is Krishnamurthy. And I am here,
somewhere here. Yeah yeah yeah yeah.
Yeah this was used to be
groups used to say the students used to I remember.
Every hostel used to have a
Hostel Day in those days. We would we would like
take it and then make copies and give it back to you. Which one?
These things. I will pass it on to you.
Sir, I have a question. Yeah yeah.
I mean sir Professor Kumar had said that
he joined with Mr. Chandrakanth. Yeah.
I was under the impression Mr. Chandrakanth
had left immediately after the institute of- Yeah as soon as
Sengupto. But how did he came back sir
You joined in 60 or 61. 61.
So, how was he here then sir?
I had a interview in 60.
No, but I think.
It was put off.
They did not recruit anybody till 61
because those two gentlemen from the local colleges
who are coming and supposed to take classes. Yes yes.
So. But still it's 1960.
No no. Mr. Chandrakanth was here then
Yeah. In 19.
Office was in CLRI.
I think. CLRI was where Madras IIT office opened first.
Yes yes. After the CSR Central Leather Research
CLRI they gave a few rooms. Yes.
That is where I met them. That is where
Prof. Kumar what he is, he is Mr. Kumaran.
So, what he is asking is as per our information
Chandrakanth Chandrakanth was here only in 59
till the Director till the Register joined.
No not only 59,
he was there for 1960 also for a few months.
Few months maybe he was there
I cannot verify from everybody
possibly because he tried to
because Sengupto joined in 59
August or something like that.
So, he the special officers
You remember that [inaudible]
Sanskrit saying is there know you know. Yes yes.
Siddhirbhavati. Yeah that was coined by Professor Sengupto.
One day he came into our department,
he said Kumar, you are Humanities man,
you should know this.
Give me a good Sanskrit quotation.
Fortunately, I read that somewhere,
I repeated it
and he said very good and
he went and put the lamp.
Ok. Which one that lamp is it?
The lamp under Sanskrit saying.
Siddhirbhavati. Siddhirbhavati karmaaja.
I see I know it was your idea is it?
It was I remembered from some book. Right.
He- Right it is in in front of the BSB.
Yeah. Here on this ok.
So, and so- Yes sir.
Professor Sengupto took it for granted that way
he will know anything connected with any language. Yeah.
He is some, he used to bring some Sanskrit quotation
and say: what does this mean?
So, if if we are not told
we used to have a tough time.
Humanities means that we should know
everything about Humanities. I see.
Sir one more question sir.
Professor Swamy. One more question sir.
Professor Kumar had mentioned Father Murphy.
Maybe we can ask him
more about his association
with us with us and with the Vanavani?
Yeah. Father Murphy who was a teacher
for IAS Natarajan Registrar.
Ok. That is how he came into the picture.
He also appointed the Principal
for Vanavani school, Mrs. Peters.
He brought her.
Because anything to do with English
these people said: Father Murphy.
Oh I see that is how I see ok. That is how.
Actually he was one of the experts
who selected us in the interview.
He and yeah he he was the only expert, right.
You mentioned about your
appointment as a Technical Assistant. Yes .
But you are reflect as Associate Lecturer and Lecturer.
No we were asked to take classes.
No no when did you become an
Associate Lecturer and Lecturer?
I became a Associate Lecturer after 9 years I think.
What about Assistant Professor? STA.
And then Associate Lecturer,
then Lecturer, then Assistant Professor.
When did you become a Assistant Professor? I-
83 or so . I see.
And did you have you published any books or any?
No. I see I-
but your contribution to IIT has been a
quite alot. No, in the beginning
actually one of the experts who faced me
for promotion was Dr. Radhakrishnan's son,
Delhi Radhakrishnan, President Radhakrishnan. President-
His son. Gopal.
He was in the Expert Committee
when I was when I became a Assistant Professor. Oh is it.
That Kannada man Sridharan. But he was History man.
What was his Director’s name?
Indiresan, is it?
Not Indiresan, the-
When was it?
In the Industrial Engineering man. No no. So- Our see our directors.
this gentleman also was a Kannadiga.
Professor L. S. Srinath. Srinath.
Professor L. S. Srinath.
Srinath's students used to select
the best teachers every year.
Yeah. So, 3 years I-I got the first ten.
Best teacher ok. Most popular.
I figured 3 times.
So, he said he has got
a excellent rapport with the students,
you say he got selected as best faculty ten.
So, Gopal said,
if you are keen if if he has done all this,
I think you should give him the post. That's it.
Any anecdotes you remember
about work about your department?
We have told already a few things.
Other than say-
So, you said about right Natarajan
doing your a car for going to
Jupiter Press and all that.
So, any other thing so,
I told you about this is the
campus changed quite a lot time to time.
So, you was told about observing the snakes
and all that now do you remember
there used to be a vegetable garden
somewhere behind the stadium
not behind the stadium in front of the stadium,
from the sewage the treatment thing
it results to be a- you remember?
I remember the-
When you were in the E type quarters
they used [inaudible] Professor Sengupto buried his dog
right in front of his quarters.
It died, he got it buried right
in front of Director's Bungalow.
Yeah that is right
that was removed during
Narayana Murthy’s time later Professor. Yeah.
Narayana Murthy’s time. Yeah,
that is remembered by some students not all of them.
Now, the Gajendra Circle had had a number of
changes and finally, the
present Gajendra Circle and the Heritage Centre
has tried to trace that one
and they now have a-
have take made a-
I think you have made sort of the- Model.
write up about the whole thing.
Now, the Heritage Centre is trying to-
Where exactly is this located, Heritage Centre?
It is in the Administrative Block,
ground floor itself.
We just passed just now.
We will go now.
We will going to introduce the Heritage Centre. HLT I want to move to the-
We will go there sir.
We will now go now. No no.
Which is Security Officer is there? He is there.
No no sir. Opposite that, ok.
The security has been moved to the
I mean other side,
he is now on the eastern side. Yeah yeah.
I know. The western side complete is.
Yeah I-I was in contact with those people
till Selvamani was there Yeah.
After that I do not know
who is Security Officer . Yeah there are
so many people are a Selvamani.
Selvamani afterwards some Army man came.
So I do not know who is there now.
I also not visited.
Now, did you were you visiting the club?
Yeah Staff Club, yes.
Faculty Club Faculty Club.
Faculty Club, was there is separate club is there?
That is the that is
that one near the Community Centre
I am talking about the Staff Club
Staff Club near the. Yes yes.
D type quarter
I mean you know- Yes.
near the that Banyan Avenue I say.
You are talking about near shopping centre?
Yes. Near shopping centre.
That is called Staff Club.
Staff Club that is what I said. Yeah.
So, have you? Yeah yeah I was,
you remember one Gopal Executive Engineer? Yes.
He was one of the office bearers,
I was office bearer for entertainment sector,
the dramas. I see.
Debates, that kind of a thing.
Yeah, see when I asked you about anecdote
I want to remind you about one thing.
Do you remember that-
a-a dinner was arranged in honor of H. V. R. Iyengar
in that Staff Club
at that Community Centre?
In the lawns there
and Professor R. K. Gupta was the
I think the President of the Faculty Association .
And one of my colleagues was the Secretary
and that day after dinner was served
we had the buffet dinner
and then somebody by I do not know
by mistake or by intention
they had ordered the beedas.
So, thank you Mr. Kumar. No no.
Welcome . Thank you for coming so.
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