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Arun Pudur: From Bengaluru to billions

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Science & Technologies, World Opinion

ArunPudurBF17mar2015

Recently, Wealth-X listed Indian businessman Arun Pudur as the world’s 10th richest individual under 40; top on the list was Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook.
Arun Pudur, whose net worth is estimated at over four billion dollars, is the CEO of Celframe, which makes world’s second most popular word processor after Microsoft, among other things. Based in Kuala Lumpur, Arun Pudur has diversified into several sectors including mining and real estate.

In an exclusive interaction with Tarannum Khan of Deccan Herald, the reclusive billionaire, who says he does not give interviews as they intrude into his personal space, opens up.

He talks about his humble beginnings in Bengaluru, the milestones in his sensational success, the city which made him, his parents and the qualities that propelled him to the top.

A shorter version the interview appeared in the Panorama section of the Deccan Herald.

You were born in Chennai, when did you shift to Bengaluru?

When I was in my sixth standard, my family decided to move to Bengaluru as my father spent nearly seven to eight months in a year there. When we came to Bangalore, we stayed in Rajajinagar and then moved to Basaveshwarnagar before buying a place in HBR Layout. I stayed there till 2003, when I shifted overseas.

When I lived there, there was nothing in HBR Layout. Now I am told it’s a central part of the city.

When you were born, your family felt, you had a great destiny to fulfil…

My father always used to talk about us being Tirupathi Iyengars, one of the three families, who were the high priests at Tirumala. Though we never managed the temple, we always knew greatness was within us.

My mother always used to say that I was the lucky one in the family. After I was born, my father’s career skyrocketed. He passed away just three months ago. My mother always instilled in me that I was born for greatness.

Your parents wielded a considerable influence on your growth…

My father Sri Ranga, was a cinematographer, who was known for his work in the 16 mm movies, which typically tend to be artsy and low-budget movies. He had built quite a reputation in Kannada and Tulu industries and thanks to him I knew everyone in the industry – be it Vishnu uncle, Ambareesh uncle, even Dr Rajkumar and his sons.
I remember when Shivrajkumar stopped his car on a road and touched the feet of my father. I was shocked that my father, who was just a normal guy at home, commanded that kind of respect in the industry.

He did produce a few movies and television serials. But I asked him to retire early as the movie industry is a really tough business and every Friday fortunes are made and lost. I didn’t want him to be stressed out.

My mom was a housewife, who was my teacher as well. She was a disciplinarian, who made sure that we did our chores ourselves, including washing clothes and utensils.
But she was there 24×7 for me and now, I understand, the value she brought to my life. She taught me the way I should grow.
Now I have chefs, cleaners and a dozen people helping me run the house. But my mom used to do everything on her own.

I have a brother as well, who runs his own consulting business.

While stuyding in Bengaluru, you seemed to have stayed away from well-known schools…

When we moved to Bengalurufor my sixth standard, it was already August. So my father had to scramble to find a school.

Though I was supposed to go to National School in Rajajinagar, the cut off date to transfer had passed. So I joined St Anns Matriculation School. I had never been in a co-ed before, so it was a shock when I saw girls sitting in the classroom.

I had to learn Kannada as well. I think in my entire life it was the only time I failed in a subject.  I am very proud to say that in a matter of six to seven months, before the end of annual exams, I had mastered Kannada, and scored my usual, between 80 to 95 per cent.

The choice of college was also unconventional…
In SSLC, my results were fantastic, so I could have picked any course or college. Typically for Bangalore, everybody was pushing me to take science. But the entrepreneur bug had already bitten me and I wanted to do commerce instead of science.

While I was looking at St Joseph’s and other colleges, my mother wanted me to come home for lunch everyday as we were not allowed to eat outside.

So, I joined the Nijalingappa College in Rajajinagar, which was nearby. Though everyone said it was notorious, the year I joined, a new principal took over and he turned my college years into the strictest time of my life.

Literally, we were not allowed to do anything at all; only in the last year, that is when I was in the third year of B com, we could have a college day.

I was pretty studious and attendance was very important for me. I would sit right on the front bench everyday. College days are the best memories one has in a life and my longest-lasting friends are from this college.
You have been away from Bengaluru for a long time; what are your memories of the city…

It brings joy whenever I think of my days in Bangalore. The City was extremely cold until early 2000. Coming from Madras in the ’80s, where it was scorching hot, I took to wearing sweaters in Bangalore.

Whenever I travel overseas, and whenever I wear a sweater, the first thing that comes into my mind is Bangalore. If anyone asks me where I am from, my immediate answer is not Malaysia, not Chennai, but it’s Bangalore, India.

I remember the time with my friends when we used to ride in our kinetic Honda and drive down to Bannerghatta or the Tumkur road.

And of course, the one-by-two coffee or tea… Though I was not allowed to have tea or coffee at home, when I was out with my friends, we used to have by-two tea, and I think that’s a very Bengaluruthing to have.

There were some bad experiences as well; when we were staying at Rajajinagar, the Cauvery riots happened. We saw how the National School was looted.

I have not visited Bengalurufor a very long time. My parents went back to Chennai as that was where they were born and brought up. But I am in touch with few of my closest friends through Whats App and Viber.

What turned you into an entrepreneur?

I think curiosity, the zeal to solve problems and take on challenges. If you ask any of my school or college mates, they will tell you that I used to look forward to examinations, which may sound very funny, but that’s true.

I never wanted to work for anybody. In my entire life I have spent just one year working for a company in Jayanager. It was a training company. When I had joined the company they had a turnover of five to six lakhs a year. When I left after nine months, I had brought up the turnover to one crore a year.

I was working to open franchises for this training centre. That guy had promised to pay me for every few centres set up, but he did not keep his word.

I have seen top CEOs of multinational companies, who retired with very little to their name. They were running 120 and 130 billion dollar companies and now may have a personal fortune of 30 to 40 million dollars. And that was what I didn’t want to be.

You began your career at the age of 13 in a garage, fixing kinetic Hondas…

We opened the garage for a guy who was working for a shop near our house; he became a friend of us. He was from Tamil Nadu and could not speak Kannada. As we could speak Tamil, though we are Telugus, he became close to us.

He told me there was good money in garage. So we coaxed our mother and borrowed a few thousands to fund the garage at Rajajinagar, just a stone’s throw away from National school. But he disappeared after five or six months and we were stuck with the garage.

When I began my career in the garage, we had no training.  There was no Google at that time or any no manual. I had just had observed how this guy used to fix bikes and picked up from there.

But whenever a bike or a scooter used to come with a problem, I was on my own.

We used to solve problems on the fly and became good at that. I really loved it. I could open and fix back the engine, almost the entire vehicle, in about one hour and fifteen minutes, without any specialised tools.
Sai scooter garage became famous and even scientists from ISRO started coming to us. That is where I think I got the taste of business. That is where I learnt sales, marketing, customer handling, problem solving, managing human resources and financial management.

Running the garage was not a financial necessity to our upper middle class family. But I still ran it till my first year or second year PUC.

I would come back from school, finish homework and then open the garage. On Saturday and Sunday we were open full. It helped me not to get into wrong company, wasting my time, or you can say, chasing girls.

My priority was to show much business I could generate, how much money I could give my mother. My mother, who managed the finances of the house, would keep all the money. We would consider ourselves lucky to even get 10 rupees from her. But I loved the business. That’s why I went into it.
But we decided to close the garage because of my studies; my father wanted me to perform very well in college.

But you started breeding dogs after that…

From my aunt in Chennai, I found out about breeding dogs, and she gave me a Boxer to kick start my business. I started breeding boxers and Rottweilers. I have delivered hundreds of puppies, cut their umbilical cord and taken care of them. Though there was no formal training, I learnt how to manage them. Any dog lover would tell you that a dog will not allow anyone near the puppies unless she trusts you with her life.

Then I used my marketing skills to sell the puppies for up to Rs   20,000, which was good money in the mid ’90s. I was in this business till the end of my final degree.

You started Celframe after graduating; how difficult were the early days…

We opened the first office of Celframe at Lalbagh road. Prior to it, I had done one venture with my brother, which had failed.

Funding is a problem when you are not a big brand or don’t have a big family name behind you. Because of my age, I worked with wrong people, who took advantage of my naivety. I lost quite a bit of money – my own money and also the money of some of my initial backers. But I bounced back and it made me understand people better.

What were the major turning points in your career?

Everything was a turning point – opening the garage, breeding dogs, starting a technology company. But the biggest jump or spike in my revenue happened – if you consider money to be metric of success – when we released our first product called Celframe office.

It is now considered to be the Number 2 office suite in the world by way of sales. Not many people know that Microsoft office makes more than 60 billion dollars annually. When I launched my office suite, companies like Sun had failed in this product category. Even IBM’s Lotus notes had not made a big impact. Coral is still there but its sales are very small.

It is said you were one of the few people the Redmond giant could not smother…

It was more of a David and Goliath kind of situation. Being a monopoly Microsoft used every tool in its arsenal to bring us down. They made sure that no Original Equipment Manufacturer like Dell, HP or IBM would ever buy our products and pre-load them on their PCs.

I will not use the word bully but that is the word everybody uses when it comes to dealing with American tech firms. They use patent, money and media to bring down any small company that may look like a threat.

How did you survive that?

In this industry, partners and distributors get one or two per cent on every deal they make. I decided to give away 40 percent of my revenue and make them partners in success. We treat customers with respect and customise the way they want.

I focused my business more on the public sector as private companies cannot bully the government.  We managed to implement our product in several governments in Asian and African regions.

We made it a policy to promise a 50 per cent reduction in the tech cost of customers using our products. That is, if they are paying 100 million dollars to a competitor, we would deploy our software for just 50 million. We would increase the price over three to four years and by this time they would have realised that we were a fantastic company to work with. We also supported them very well.

That was the biggest hurdle I crossed in business. But now with the mobile ending the old monopolies, things are moving forward amazingly.

You have also made you mark as an investor…
I have diversified into gold mining, coal business, oil and gas, real estate, venturing with top companies. I am looking to build a casino and start an airlines in South Africa.

It’s said that my fortune is four billion dollars but with my diversification it has grown nearly five to six times in the last two to three years.

I am a very cautious investor. You want me in, you need to show me why should I invest money. I would like to know the entire story and the people before I do business. I turn away from a deal if the pressure is too much for me to invest money into it.

I invest only if I can get a majority control on that company. I don’t like to be a minority partner as I am very passionate about what I do. I get involved in minute details from the start to the end. The running of the company is done by CEOs whom I trust. But I get involved in major decisions. If a problem needs solving, I am there in the front. I don’t like to sit back and let my people take the hit.

You say your upbringing taught you the value of money

There was a time when I used to buy jets like buying candies. I had eight private jets of my own. I once tried to sell one of my jets and found that I had lost about 40 percent of what I had actually paid. Then I realised that these toys, homes or yachts, do not add much value to you.

I took the hit, got rid of jets and houses, and reinvested them back into my businesses. I also turned whatever jets and yachts I was left with, into a rental business.

This lesson, appreciating the value of money, was taught by my parents. The strongest reason for my success was the foundation I had when I was young.

What are your future plans?

I am excited about several ventures we are pursuing. We started a technology company called Browsify corporation a few months ago. We are setting up one of the largest mines in South Africa.
I am looking for partners to bring Celframe products to India. It’s ironical that most of the governments use my product, but the Indian government does not. India is still reliant on the investments coming from the US. China did a phenomenal job supporting local companies such as Alibaba.
Though I am known globally for my technology company, very few people know that I have a group company called Pudur group. We are going to make the information public sometime later this year.

You left Bengalurufor Kuala Lumpur, when the whole tech world was coming here…   
I was brought here in 2002 or 2003 by someone I knew in Bangalore. Though the business with him didn’t work out, and I lost quite a bit of money, I loved the way the government was moving over here.

The quality of people, though more expensive than India at the time, was very good. The access to banking was much better; if I needed money, I could always rely on my bank without having my father to co-sign as age was not a barrier.

As I grew, I was given tax exemptions. I have not paid tax in the past eight to nine years. I do pay income tax, though a small amount.
Government is straightforward; if you need an approval, it gets done on time. Malaysia compared to Singapore is a bit slow, corruption does exist here as well.

The support from the government is phenomenal. As it is a small country, they act pretty fast. They can change rules very fast in the interest of the nation.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Panorama / by Tarannum Khan, Bengaluru / DHNS / March 07th, 2015

Over 50 years of selfless dedication to education

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, World Opinion
Julian Santi also helps youth learn printing technology —Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam
Julian Santi also helps youth learn printing technology —Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam

An Italian national has helped poor children study

For the past 58 years, an Italian national living in Chennai has been bringing about a change in the lives of poor children.

Julian Santi (83), a Salesian brother who was instrumental in starting Salesian Institute of Graphic Arts (SIGA) in Kilpauk, has been adopting poor children and providing for their education and other school needs including uniforms. “In the late 60s, I was moved by the emotions of parents who wanted to educate their children, yet did not have the money to do so. So I started helping them,” says Br. Santi.

His friends in Italy and the Salesian community help raise funds for this purpose. “Their children too pool in their pocket money and send it. Even the money given by parents to buy chocolates can make a difference,” he says.

This year alone, he has been taking care of the education of 200 children. His workers say his routine is inspiring.

“His day starts at 6 a.m. and he works late into the night. He still sends hand-written letters to his friends in Italy often enquiring about their welfare and sometimes, seeking assistance in helping the poor,” says K.J. Louis, secretary of the Salesian province in Chennai.

Apart from this, Br. Santi also helps school drop-outs by imparting training on printing technology at SIGA.

The brother who landed in Chennai on March 10, 1957 has made the city his second home. “The people here have treated me as one of their own,” says Br. Santi. “However, I am still unable to adapt to the spicy food here. Mostly, I stick to soups,” he adds.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Vivek Narayanan / Chennai – March 14th, 2015

Two ‘iron’ ladies who chose road less travelled honoured

Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

Coimbatore :

Eight years ago residents of tiny hamlets on Manampalli range in Valparai had to wait for days to get a mail delivered as no one came forward to work there as postman due to fear of wild animals.

That’s when R Solaikili, 36, a mother of two from Pollachi got an offer for the job. She had registered her name with the employment exchange. She readily took up the challenge and for eight years has been delivering letters to the hamlets braving rough terrain and unpredictable weather or the occasional encounters with wild animals.

Solaikili says spotting a leopard, wild elephant, bear or a bison would be a once-in-a-lifetime occasion for most. But for her it is an everyday phenomenon. “On the very first day I joined duty, a wild elephant with its calf blocked my path when I was out to deliver letters. I was too scared to go further so I returned to Valparai,” she told TOI after receiving an award in Coimbatore on Wednesday instituted by ‘Namadhu Pangu’ (Our Share), the social arm of Kumaraguru College of Technology.

Solaikilli was born in a family of seven children near Pollachi. She had to discontinue studies after Class 12 due to poverty. She pursued a few computer courses and then registered her name with the employment exchange.

She married a weaver from Coimbatore but her struggles were far from over. So when she got the job offer, she didn’t think twice. “Many of my relatives were against my taking up the offer due to the dangers involved, but my family supported me,” Solaikili said. She has been living with her two children in Manampalli and her husband visits her once a month. “Initially I was too scared to travel up to 15 km per day through deserted mountain pathways to reach the hamlets. Now I am used to it,” she smiles.

Solaikili has also convinced 15 tribal people to take up insurance policy and many others to start a savings account in the post office.

T Vijayalakshmi, 50, from Tharagampatti near Karur was also honoured at the event. Vijayalakshmi is a tractor driver from 2007. “Many people are shocked when they see me driving a tractor.” Vijayalakshmi took to driving their tractor after her son was not available one day to deliver corns.

Before beginning to drive the tractor, Vijayalakshmi assisted her husband V Thangavel who ran a cycle repair shop. Her husband met with an accident and could no longer work. The future of the family turned uncertain which made her to take to the wheel.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / by G. Rajeswari, TNN / March 14th, 2015

When Madras’ women won the vote

Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All

WomenCF15mar2015

Way back in 1921, Madras was the first legislature in British India to pass the women’s suffrage resolution by a considerable majority

As the vociferous battle for women’s freedom and equality rages on in the country, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the journey, in many ways, began in Madras.

Way back in 1921, Madras was the first legislature in British India to pass the women’s suffrage resolution by a considerable majority.

This meant that for the first time, women were recognised as ‘people’ by the State, thereby given the right to vote on the same condition as men.

As the news spread, the world was captivated by the women of Madras. Congratulatory messages poured in from across the world.

In The Hindu, dated July 2, 1921, Lady Constance Lytton, the renowned British suffrage activist, wrote, ‘Please offer the women of South India my most heartfelt congratulations on their winning the vote. I am thrilled and it seems like a dream the way the experience in our own Island (Britain) has borne wonderful fruit.’

Australia’s Women’s Service Guild, France’s Action Speciale de la Femme and the British Dominion Women’s Citizen Union too extended their greetings and hoped other provinces would soon follow suit. They did.

Within months, Bombay Presidency and the United Province passed similar resolutions.

Interestingly, it was the Madras Council’s resolution that reflected the most decisive mandate in comparison to others.

Of the 90-odd members present in the Council, 40 voted for the recommendation, 10 opposed it and 40 remained neutral.

Dorothy Jinarajadasa, of the Women’s Indian Association, who attended both the debates in Madras and Bombay recorded: ‘It took only an hour and a half of debate to show that the Madras Council was preponderously in favour of granting women suffrage. On the contrary, though Bombay is noted everywhere for the advanced education and free status of womanhood, it took three days of ‘hard verbal fighting’ to wear down the opposition.’

However, the news of women gaining the right to vote was not unanimously welcomed in Madras.

N. Subrahmanya Aiyar, in his column Impressions of the Week in The Hindu, sceptically described the resolution an attempt of foreign-inspired pseudo progressives to disturb the relative function of the sexes already perishing under the unhealthy modern influence.

Jayalalithaa, in 1989, became the first woman to be elected the leader of the Opposition. In 1991, being re-elected to the Assembly, she became the first woman, and the youngest, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to serve a full term, from June 1991 to May 1996 -- Photo: The Hindu Archives
Jayalalithaa, in 1989, became the first woman to be elected the leader of the Opposition. In 1991, being re-elected to the Assembly, she became the first woman, and the youngest, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to serve a full term, from June 1991 to May 1996 — Photo: The Hindu Archives

Echoing similar disdain, a reader from Saidapet, in a letter to the editor, exclaimed, ‘It is not a matter of congratulations that the legislative council should have resolved to extend suffrage to Indian women. For progress, man must be both the controller in politics and civics. His sex stands for performance, conformity and therefore, for uniformity, essential for common good and justice.’

Captain (Dr.) Lakshmi Sahgal held command of the Rani Jhansi Regiment of Subhash Chandra Bose's Indian National Army. She was the first Indian woman to contest the Presidential elections, in 2002, when A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was elected -- Photo: The Hindu Archives / The Hindu
Captain (Dr.) Lakshmi Sahgal held command of the Rani Jhansi Regiment of Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army. She was the first Indian woman to contest the Presidential elections, in 2002, when A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was elected — Photo: The Hindu Archives / The Hindu

By taking the lead in swimming against the current, Madras laid the foundations for a tradition of progressive gender politics. Indomitable women leaders like Muthulakshmi Reddi, Lakshmi Sahgal, and Jayalalithaa are emblematic of the same.

Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddi was the one of the first women doctors of the country, the first woman member of the Madras Legislative Council, the first woman to be elected as its deputy chairperson, the first president of the Women’s Indian Association, and the first woman to be elected alderman of the Madras (now Chennai) Corporation -- Photo: The Hindu Archives
Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddi was the one of the first women doctors of the country, the first woman member of the Madras Legislative Council, the first woman to be elected as its deputy chairperson, the first president of the Women’s Indian Association, and the first woman to be elected alderman of the Madras (now Chennai) Corporation — Photo: The Hindu Archives

THE MAKING OF HISTORY

1917: The Women’s Indian Association (WIA), with links to the women’s suffrage movement, is formed by Annie Besant, Dorothy Jinrajadasa and Margaret Cousins

1918: The Montagu-Chelmsford commission is sent by the British government to suggest changes to the franchise in India where the WIA, led by Sarojini Naidu, petitioned for women’s right to vote

1918: The Southborough Franchise Committee tours India to gather information. After accepting women’s petitions from just two provinces, it decides Indian women do not want the right to vote

1918-21: After dogged lobbying with the Joint Select Committee, the Parliament decides to leave the issue to be settled by elected legislatures

1921: Madras is among the first States to give women the right to vote

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Chennai / by Nitya Menon / Chennai – March 08th, 2015

Wished to wear khaki dress, and here she is

Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All
On the occasion of International Women’s Day on Sunday, M. Sumathi was happy issuing tickets to commuters, in Coimbatore. Photo: M.Periasamy
On the occasion of International Women’s Day on Sunday, M. Sumathi was happy issuing tickets to commuters, in Coimbatore. Photo: M.Periasamy

For 28-year-old M. Sumathi, work hours start at about 12.30 p.m. every day and go on till 10 p.m. She travels on the Ukkadam to Gandhipuram bus route No. 130.

Lone woman conductor

She is the lone woman conductor in the nearly 420 Government town buses in the city.

But for a trip in the evening to Chinniyampalayam, she shuttles between Ukkadam and Gandhipuram for the rest of the day. “I have to only issue tickets and this is a job I like,” she says.

She has completed Class X and she joined the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), Coimbatore Region, about three months ago.

The mother of three wanted to join the police but she could not make it. Till she joined the TNSTC, she was at home, taking care of her family.

“I was determined to wear a khaki dress and thought why not make it come true by joining as a Government bus conductor,” she said and added that her husband A. Murugesan (39), a carpenter, has been a source of encouragement and support by taking care of their two sons and a daughter.

Dignity

Sumathi enjoys her profession and the way she is treated with dignity by her counterparts and commuters.

“Colleagues, elder or younger to me, call me Akka (elder sister). I am very comfortable working with them,” she says.

Though the trip to Chinniyampalayam is hectic as the bus is crowded, she adds that even in the crowded bus there is good cooperation from the commuters.

Even the youth who travel on the footboard come into the bus when she addresses them as thambi(younger brothers), she says.

A senior TNSTC officer said that on an average there are only three or four women conductors in the district every year.

He said that a few women applied for the post of conductor, but were rejected as they did not have the minimum required height of 160 cm.

There are two more women employed as conductors in the district – at Pollachi – and that the department was open to recruit women as conductors, the officer said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Coimbatore / by M.K. Ananth / Coimbatore – March 09th, 2015

CITY EXPLORER – Stones that tell a story

Amazing Feats, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Records, All, Science & Technologies
The mandapam housing the memorial to Dr. Sundara Reddy. / The Hindu
The mandapam housing the memorial to Dr. Sundara Reddy. / The Hindu

“You need permission,” says the watchman at Ramaniyam Sanjivini, a residential complex in Thiruvanmiyur, and despatches his assistant to call the secretary of the building association. I blink at the CCTV camera, hoping the secretary will take kindly to what he sees. Soon, a couple of dhoti-clad seniors walk toward me. “I need to photograph the memorials of Dr. Sundara Reddy and Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy,” I tell them. “Historian Narasiah told me I’d find the shrine and the memorials here.” They point to the round-about ahead; a few steps down and I’m face-to-face with the stone memorials — Dr. Sundara Reddy’s under a traditional mandapam and Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy’s out in the open air.

The memorial to Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy / The Hindu
The memorial to Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy / The Hindu

Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy deserves more than just an open stone plaque in a private property. Born in the princely state of Pudukkottai on July 30, 1886 to Narayanaswami Iyer and Chandramma (16), a devadasi, Muthulakshmi was one of eight siblings. An exceptionally bright child, she completed schooling from home, fought for higher education, and was admitted to college as the first girl student when the Maharaja passed an order for her to be enrolled. (She sat behind a screen visible to the teachers alone, and left the class while the boys remained seated.) She topped the Intermediate exams, refused to get married and insisted on doing medicine, a decision brought on by her mother’s cancer attack and death of a cousin during childbirth.

In Madras, she met Sarojini Naidu at Dr. Nanjunda Rao’s Mylapore bungalow, and with her attended Annie Besant’s speeches at Adyar, and was drawn to the Home Rule Movement. Having stood first in her Medical degree (MB & ChM) exam, she worked at the Women and Children’s Hospital in Egmore, the first lady house surgeon in Madras’ medical history. She married Dr. Sundara Reddy in 1913.

Meeting the kids in Dr. Vardappa Naidu’s Destitute Home for Boys and Girls on her child’s Vidyabhyasam Day, she vowed to help them. When her youngest sister died of cancer, Muthulakshmi decided to do all she could to tackle the disease. Foregoing her handsome practice, she went to London with her husband and two boys for PG studies. In June 1926, she attended the International Congress of Women in Paris as India’s representative. When she returned, the Women’s Indian Association proposed her name for the Legislative Council and she became the first woman legislator in the Council. She was also the first alderwoman between 1937 and 1939. During her time, the Council passed a resolution giving the right of franchise to women. Her association with a home run by Sister Subbulakshmi brought her close to the plight of women and children, and she piloted the legislation preventing child marriage. Her bill for abolition of the devadasi system was passed after much debate in February, 1929. In 1937, she moved a bill for Inam lands to be given to devadasis. In 1930, when a batch of seven freed devadasi girls were refused accommodation in Madras hostels, she started the Avvai Home to house and train children and young girls, selling her jewellery for its basic facilities. She organised the first Vigilance Association, Rescue Home for Women and supported the Children’s Aid Society.

She resigned from the Council when Gandhiji was arrested in 1929-30. She was then editing Stri Dharma, a journal promoting the national movement. She went as a delegate to London to depose before the Lothian Committee on Franchise and to Chicago to attend the International Congress of Women. In 1935, MMC moved a resolution for a specialised hospital for cancer, but she had to wait to see it happen. After constant campaigning, she collected Rs. 2 lakh and established the Cancer Institute in 1955. She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1956. In 1967, she spoke for half-an-hour at the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Women’s Indian Association, her last public speech. She passed away on July 22, 1968.

How did the plaque get there? The land belonged to Dr. Reddy and her son lived there, said Narasiah. After he passed away, the builder purchased it. While researching on Dr. Reddy, Narasiah came to know of the memorial at the residential complex. “I showed Sridhar of Ramaniyam the memorials at the site, and requested him to preserve them along with a shrine where the Reddys used to pray.” It turned out he had already promised Dr. Shantha of the Cancer Institute the memorials would be left untouched. “Dr. Shantha visits it often to see that it is well-maintained,” said the seniors.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Geeta Padmanabhan / March 03rd, 2015

This senior citizen battles for more buses

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

V Rama Rao is a familiar face in Alandur and Nanganallur not only among residents but also government officials. The 72-year-old retired government employee spends hours in government departments submitting petitions and filing RTIs to demand better transportation facilities, civic infrastructure and more.

Known as `Demand Rama Rao’, the former trade union leader and retired chief telegraph master, has won many battles against civic authorities. “I became an activist after seeing people suffering. Having been a trade union lead er, I found it easier to confront authorities and officials,” says Rao, who runs Traffic and Transportation Forum, a non-governmental organisation that has lobbied for extra ticket counters at suburban stations, more bus services, road widening and other facilities.

“People pay taxes and they have every right to demand that civic amenities are good and well maintained.Why should people suffer bad roads and poor drainage?” says Rao.

One of Rao’s first successful battles involved rallying residents to get underground drains. “We were the first to set up underground drainage in Nanganallur in 2003. Each resident contributed `5,000 to get the work done. Neighbouring Tambaram still does not have an underground drainage system,” he says.

Right now, the forum is demanding a bus stand near St Thomas railway station. “Once metro rail starts functioning, a bus stand will be needed urgently,” he says. “Why wait till then to ask for it?” The forum is also suggesting that metro rail use the underpass of Kathipara junction to connect to the neighbourhood for the proposed AlandurAsargana Hub, where more than 100 buses could be operated.

Rao and his team have now turned their attention to water bodies. “We are still fighting against encroachments on Adambakkam lake by both the ruling and opposition parties. We will make sure we will restore the lake to its its original condition,” he says.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / TNN / March 04th, 2015

After 34-year wait, decorated IAF man’s widow to get land allotted to him

Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All

Chennai :

As 80-year-old A Karpagam steps out of the Madras high court, her frail body bears signs of exertion. But there is hope and jubilation on her wrinkled face. Three decades after the state government allotted a piece of land to her husband — a decorated ex-serviceman — and subsequently cancelled it, the court has directed the government to hand over the plot.

After his retirement, former Indian Air Force flying officer S Devarajan was allotted 1.84 acres of land in a village near Sriperumbudur in 1981. But he was not given possession of the land and it was later sold to another person. After Devarajan’s death in1982, his wife Karpagam approached the revenue department several times, and finally, in 1998, another plot land was assigned to her in Kelambakkam village. In 2009, the second allotment too was cancelled saying the land was being used for public purpose

She approached the Madras high court, which in its order in April 2014 directed the government to allot her the land. This order was upheld by the court earlier this month, her counsel M Narendran said. Karpagam thanked Narendran for his efforts. “He has supported me. The high court, in its verdict, also appreciated his role in assisting the court,” she said.

Reminiscing about the old times, she said, “My husband often told me that he would ensure his family had a comfortable life; even when he is not around. He had reposed his faith in the government that it would provide him all benefits.”

Devarajan started his military career as a soldier in ‘boy service’ during the World War II. After independence, he fought in the 1962 India-China war and 1965 India-Pakistan war. He was decorated for his bravery in the face of Chinese aggression.

Death of her husband and a protracted legal tussle meant mounting costs. “Yes, finance was bit tough. After the death of my husband, I had to support my two children. My sister’s family helped us,” she said. “It’s painful when you are given something and it is taken back for no fault of yours, again given and again taken back.”

“It is sad to see the plight of retired defence personnel who, during service, sacrifice a lot to serve the nation. Regularly I read reports about ex-servicemen not getting the benefits due to them. Who is responsible for this,” she asked. But Karpagam does not believe she has been denied justice. “The court has recognized my rights. I will be happy if the land is allotted during my lifetime,” she said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by Manish Raj, TNN / February 20th, 2015

Standing Up For Those Who Cannot

Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders, Science & Technologies
Dr Sujatha Srinivasan with her students|Albin Mathew
Dr Sujatha Srinivasan with her students|Albin Mathew

For those expecting a serious looking individual with a starchy manner and an intimidating persona are in for a pleasant surprise when one encounters Dr Sujatha Srinivasan who greets you with a hearty handshake and an all-embracing smile. Chatting nineteen to a dozen, she leads to the lab where her students are at work. She explains, “We are in the process of developing assistive devices for people affected by locomotor impairments. These people can lead independent lives via the use of orthotic, prosthetic and other assistive devices.”

Srinivasan is an associate professor and head of the Rehabilitation Research and Development Centre (R2D2) in IIT-Madras. The centre is Srinivasan’s ‘brainchild’. She is a BTech (Mechanical) from Indian Institute of Technology-Madras. After graduation in 1991, Srinivasan worked in Christian Medical College, Vellore in the area of bio-mechanics. Later, she spent 15 years in the US, of which eight was spent in working in prosthetic industry. Declining  lucrative job offers from reputed companies in India and abroad, Srinivasan felt her ‘call in life’ was research and development in the field of bio-engineering, to focus on a unique environment for assistive device development to provide for the country’s rehabilitation needs. With this in mind, she returned to India in 2008.

“Multiple sclerosis, amputations due to diabetes and aging are some of the common factors where patients are compelled to spend the rest of their lives in wheel chairs. Here we design physically related devices that keep the differently abled comfortable while allowing them mobility. For example, a polycentric knee allows bending, provides stability while walking. The device is externally used and is made of stainless steel and aluminium. Further, prolonged use of the wheelchair comes with serious side-effects like pressure sores. In view of this, we have developed a standing wheel chair which by rotating the lever the patient can stand for some time. We have developed it from scratch,” she admits proudly. Further, they have devised chairs that are mobilised by the children with cerebral palsy where motor skills are affected and for those with different kinds of disability. Since these children cannot use their hands to rotate the wheels of the chair, they have come up with this new technology—a body-motion controlled wheel chair—in which the chair moves in the direction the child moves.

The ‘Saathi Walker’ is another device developed to help children with no physical stability—the walker supports the child when it walks. Apart from all these devices, the most unique is the ‘Swimming Pool Lift’, an electric chair that gently drops the patient into the pool and lifts the patient back to the top. This was inspired by Madhavi Latha, a polio-inflicted banker, who when given up by doctors was advised to try hydro-therapy and went on to become a paralympic swimming champion in 2012. “Of course, we are trying to develop the chair manually as electricity comes with its own hazards and power in our country is a luxury!” she opines. Though the centre has adopted the concept of developing prosthetics from the West, they have changed the geometry to suit Indian terrain and are also looking at additional features like adding a rotator to the chair so that the patient can sit cross-legged on the floor.

Any initial struggles in setting up the centre? “Not much,” she replies, adding, “When the idea was first suggested to the IIT, they were very supportive. Regarding funding, TTK Prestige Co. chairman T T Jagannathan have helped us enormously; Society for Biomedical Technology and other organisations have helped considerably too. Phoenix Medical Systems has been constructively supportive in manufacturing wheel chairs of high quality at affordable prices. TTK Prestige is also our potential manufacturer with the same goal in mind.” About challenges, she says: “Trying to develop the product with a floating population of students who move on once the study course is complete is difficult as the new ones do not want to complete what someone else started. But we have overcome that now by employing them here on a salary basis.” Srinivasan aims at functionality and affordability to develop quality devices at affordable costs for all. The centre works in parallel with manufacturers to modify designs to suit easily available materials and are also working with NGOs and established manufacturers to commercialise the designs at affordable prices. Ananth from the Mechanical Engineering Department is seen working diligently on the computer and on the table is a pair of stainless steel device meant for the knees. He plans to open his own manufacturing company in conjunction with the R&D centre, while Vivek with a masters degree is satisfied with and encouraged by the research work at the centre.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> LifeStyle> Health / by Uma Balasubramaniam / February 21st, 2015

Visually impaired strike a chord, win hearts

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

Chennai :

These aspiring singers required no accomplices, not a single musical instrument. Their sole voices would do the job for them once they were handheld and aided to climb the stage. For, they were all visually impaired.

More than 100 students from- Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh endeavoured to hit all the high and low notes at the South Indian Singing Festival 2015 organised by the NGO, Nethrodaya. And it was 20- year- old Bhagyamma a student from Bangalore who was adjudged the best among them for her rendition of a Carnatic based Kannada cinema song and won Rs 50,000 in cash. The second and third winners were both from Chennai. “I don’t know what raaga I sang in, I’m not trained in music, but I have the gift of singing which I don’t want to waste,” says Bhagyamma, a BA History student from Bharat Education Society, Bangalore who has been visually impaired since she was born.

But the man who was placed after her in the third position is Gokula Krishna who has been training in Carnatic music since he was 6. This final year B Com student from Loyola College sang a medley of the popular Rajinikanth song raagangal pathinaru and the recent aanandha yaazhai. Krishna, 20 is also part of Loyola’s light music team. “Parents forced me into learning classical music but I began liking it,” laughs Krishna who now says he wants to make it as a professional singer. Krishna has a condition of low vision but like Bhagyamma he says they are not stumbled by difficulties. “No one deliberately isolates you, if you can mingle with a normal crows, it’s just fine. Fortunately my peers who have vision are friendly and cooperative,” Krishna says.

Six playback singers from Tamil cinema were the panellists who marked them on par with any other singing competition. Social Welfare minister B Valarmathi gave away the prizes. “The purpose was to provide entertainment and competitions for the visually impaired and to make an impact that they are on par with sighted singers,” says Nethrodaya founder C Govindakrishnan known as Gopi to Chennaiites. “The fighting spirit among is prevalent but they have no platform to showcase their talents. This is why we increased the price money to encourage the student community. It is a hope that now other clubs and organisations too will host competitions and fests for them.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / by Divya Chandrababu, TNN / February 22nd, 2015