Overseas educated Dr.R.Sundarraj was the grandson of the great Indian, Dr.R.K.Shanmukham Chetty (RKS). His work in Tamil, ' Perunthagaiyaalargal ' is a must read. The chronicler has used this oppourtunity to let us have a glimpse of the past through the life and times of Dr.R.K.Shanmukham Chetty (First Finance Minister of India) and his daughter Savithri Shanmgham. He has enriched the narration by adding his own experiences along side. One is but reminded of the approach of the great chef Escoffier (1846 - 1935) whose work continues to give people a marvelous experience. Sundarraj has made the reader get absorbed with the fantabulous life of people and this educative cum lovely setting would remind one of a grand feast as envisaged by Escoffier. Sundarraj acknowledges the role of A.P.Muthuswamy (J.K.K.Sampoorani Ammal Institutions & Dharani Offset Printers of Sathyamangalam).
Overseas educated Dr.R.Sundarraj was the grandson of the great Indian, Dr.R.K.Shanmukham Chetty (RKS). His work in Tamil, ' Perunthagaiyaalargal ' is a must read. The chronicler has used this oppourtunity to let us have a glimpse of the past through the life and times of Dr.R.K.Shanmukham Chetty (First Finance Minister of India) and his daughter Savithri Shanmgham. He has enriched the narration by adding his own experiences along side. One is but reminded of the approach of the great chef Escoffier (1846 - 1935) whose work continues to give people a marvelous experience. Sundarraj has made the reader get absorbed with the fantabulous life of people and this educative cum lovely setting would remind one of a grand feast as envisaged by Escoffier. Sundarraj acknowledges the role of A.P.Muthuswamy (J.K.K.Sampoorani Ammal Institutions & Dharani Offset Printers of Sathyamangalam).
Sundarraj was born to Janaki (daughter of RKS) and M.Ramaswamy, the son of Negamam K.P.Muthuswamy Chettiar. Negamam Palaniappa Chettiar had been a sharp and hard working businessman and his only son, the fair, tall and handsome N.K.P.Muthuswamy Chettiar had done well in spite just having done up to his second standard at school. Sundarraj and the members of his family enjoyed a good relationship and their holidays were spent well in their palatial residence at Negamam. His father M.Ramaswamy had been associated with the family run Vasantha Mills all his life.
RKS was a well rounded personality and he had hosted international celebrities at his home ' Hawarden ' in Coimbatore. The guests list includes M.K.Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Rajaji, Nehru, Vithalbhai Patel, Kasturba, Lalbhai, Romain Rolland, C.R.Das, C.F.Andrews, E.V.Ramaswamy Periyar, Somerset Maugham (Nobel Laureate), Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya, Vi.Kalyanasundaranar, Namakkal Kavingnar Ramalingam Pillai, Kavimani Desikavinayagam Pillai, Kundrakudi Adigalar and Rasikamani T.K.Chidambaranatha Mudaliar who made a statement that if one wanted to experience the best of Indian culture, Dravidian tradition and Tamil heritage it had to be the residence of Dr.R.K.Shanmukham Chetty. Hawarden happens to be the name of the home of William Ewart Gladstone (1809 - 1898), the Victorian era Prime Minister of England. Gladstone's political doctrine emphasized equality of oppourtunity. The great Coimbatorean had met Prime Ministers , Presidents and economists like Keynes during his eleven trips abroad.
The first son in law of RKS, A.Shanmugham had been a good Tamil writer. His works include ' Kunguma Alangari ', ' Chandralekha ' and ' Kalaichelvan'. The first daughter Savithri Shanmugham was a social leader and has a road named after her. Sundarraj tells us about the good times that they had with his grandfather RKS. The elder used to tell stories to his family members regularly and once during a visit Rajaji had shared stories connected with the Mahabharata. RKS was a staunch Tamil and wanted his grand children to pursue their studies with Tamil as the medium of learning.
Let us look at the experiences of the family with a number of great leaders, one by one.
Gandhiji - Patel, Nehru and RKS had met Gandhi on the day of his assassination (30/1/1948). It was a hot morning and Gandhi put the bamboo cap given by some Burmese visitors on the head of RKS for protection. He told the other two that the brains of RKS were required for a free India. Gandhi had earlier visited the RKS home and stayed with him for days. Kasturba used to make chappatis for all of them. On one occasion at Coimbatore, an Englishman had kicked an oil merchant and Gandhi ensured through RKS that an apology was tendered before offering any compensation to the affected person. RKS sought the autograph of Gandhi on a photograph. Gandhi wanted him to spin yarn in exchange for the autograph, but RKS stated that it would not be possible. An amused Gandhi autographed the picture. On another occasion the old ruler of Kochi Ramavarma was reluctant to let the socially depressed classes into the temples. Gandhi wanted this to happen at the time when RKS was the Diwan of Kochi. RKS told Gandhi to wait for sometime before he could change the mind of the otherwise noble ruler who was doing a lot of good for his people.
Kamaraj - The visionary Chief Minister had once enquired about RKS to Sundaaraj during a visit to Chennai. Savithri ShanmughamM.L.A., had taken a group of ghee merchants who wanted a tax concession to Kamaraj. The great Chief Minister told her that she was the daughter of RKS and should only seek help for the downtrodden. On another occasion, the young Sundarraj served food to Kamaraj at Coimbatore at a time when the great leader had quit the party because of the terrible ' Emergency ' promulgated by Indira Gandhi. Kamaraj learnt that Sundarraj was with the NTC and had remarked that the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi would put him in jail if she came that the NTC (National Textile Corporation) executive had served him food !
C.N.Annadurai - Anna was known to the RKS family for nearly 40 years. His first visit as a youngster to the residence of RKS was in the company of Periyar. In fact he was served lunch separately for he was yet to climb the ladder. RKS had invited him inside for lunch but Periyar had suggested that he can be served later and had also stated that Anna had a good future. Anna was aghast when Savithri Shanmugham contested the assembly elections on a Congress ticket and there was an out pouring of his lamentation in an issue of ' Dravida Nadu ' (RKS had belonged the Justice Party) . However he used to visit the residence of Savithri Shanmugham in order to chat up on Tamil literature with her husband A.Shanmugham. In fact Anna had written a few of Savithri Shanugham's speechesthat were presented in the legislature on behalf of the Congress and he would have prepared the rebuttal to be delivered by him also ! Savithri Shanmugham , the first daughter of RKS had once invited Anna the Chief Minister to their Ooty bungalow for lunch and he responded promptly. He had wanted his retinue to be fed first. Anna had stated the Dr.R.K.Shanmukham Chetty was the ' First International Tamil Leader '.
E.V.Ramaswamy ' Periyar ' - Periyar was very close to RKS and his family. The weddings of Savithri Shanmugham, (1930), Saraswathi Krishnaswamy (1936) and Janaki Ramaswamy (1939) had taken place under the leadership of Periyar. RKS used to support the publication ' Viduthalai ' by contributing Rs.100 per month during the thirties of the twentieth century. Periyar was incarcerated in 1938 and he had written a letter to RKS stating that he was sure that things will be looked after in his absence. He wanted RKS to support the help Pannerselvam's son to secure a job. This letter had been sent through K.A.P.Viswanatham . Balachander, a grandson of RKS was supported with a ' rolling shutter ' order by Periyar at a much later date. Interestingly, Periyar asked Sundarraj to take the Arati and Vibuti from a Vinayagar Temple opposite to his place. He had asked the priest to bring it over and also asked Sundarraj to seek the blessings of God !
Rajaji - The Statesman was known to RKS and he had been responsible for his electoral loss at one time. RKS used to call Rajaji as ' Kooluga battar ' after splitting from the Congress Party. He had joined the Justice Party. In spite of these differences Rajaji supported the Tamil Isai Sangam and wanted RKS to be the Finance Minister of Madras in 1952. However RKS declined the offer due to ill health.
Sir C.P.Ramaswamy Iyer - CPR had once wanted to know about the position of the library of RKS when Sundarraj had met him in Ooty through their family friend V.Palaniswamy Naidu.
Sir A.Ramaswamy Mudaliar - Mudaliar used to stay at the Savoy Hotel in Ooty and Sundarraj had met him along with his father M.Ramaswamy. A.Ramaswamy Mudaliar had been associated with a number of companies and this Arcot twin was a lion. He had told the young Sundarraj that the Congress people who fought for freedom were only considered as patriots and the non Congress contributors were not considered to be patriotic. Mudaliar stated that the contribution of RKS was not recognized because he was not a part of the Indian National Congress.
C.S.Rathinasabapathy Mudaliar - RKS was quite close to him and had facilitated the elevation of Mudaliar as the head of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry). Sundarraj remembers visiting him at his residence as a young boy.
G.K.Devarajulu (GKD) - Sundarraj states that GKD had seen off the father M.Ramaswamy in 1936 to UK on the request of RKS and had the good fortune of sending the son (Sundarraj) back home from Europe in 1966. GKD had been introduced as a ' Telugu ' person one day in Switzerland but the he objected stating that he was a ' Cultural Tamil '. He had told Sundarraj that RKS was a connoisseur of art, literature and music. The youngster had told his father that GKD was a big man and how was it possible to spend time with him in Switzerland. GKD came to know about it and told Sundarraj that the big man wanted to spend time with the ordinary student. Sundarraj spent 10 days at Winterthur with Thayarammal and GKD.
P.S.G Family - P.S.G.Ganga Naidu had been quite close to RKS. His son G.Ramaswamy Naidu was also a good friend of the family. He was a friend of M.Ramaswamy, the father of Sundarraj. GRD (G.R.Damodaran) had told Sundarraj that G.Ramaswamy was responsible for getting him appointed in Coimbatore Pioneer Mills Limited. The mill was managed by G.R.Govindarajulu (GRG) who was known for his casual but shrewd and intelligent management practices. Sundarraj states that GRG had the vision to retain the power generators even during a surplus period when mills were selling them away. Power cuts came in shortly and other mills suffered a lot. Once Sundarraj had wanted to know why Prof G.R.Damodaran was content with the running of colleges while the other family members were making a lot of money. Immediately GRD had stated that money was ephemeral but the students created at PSG would serve the society for eternity. He stated that even if he had to visit just one old PSG student a day for dinner around the world, it would take centuries !
T.S.Avinashilingam Chettiar - It was on the advice and direction of Avinashilingam Chettiar that Sundarraj recovered the archives and letters received by RKS from his car shed at Hawarden. It was micro filmed in New Delhi later due to his efforts. R.Sundarraj had met Avinashilingam Chettiar at his call. Chettiar used to love ghee fried pori and hot filter coffee to. He had offered the same to the youngster while tendering his advice. ' My father Sundarraj did a doctorate on his grandfather RKS ", stated his son Krishna, a learner and explorer of life.
T.A.Ramalingam Chettiar - RKS was known to him for decades. A.Shanmugham, the husband of Savithri (first daughter of RKS) and his brothers A.Rajamanickkam, A.Krishnaswamy had constructed a building in memory of their father A.Ayyavu Chettiar in Seva Nilayam that was administered by T.V.M.Thillai Ammal, the daughter of T.A.Ramalingam Chettiar.
G.D.Naidu - The industrial scientist G.D.Naidu had been very close to RKS for nearly 40 years and both of them had been of the same age. Once when RKS approached G.D.Naidu for a contribution for the Tamilisai Sangam, he was refused. RKS became upset and left the place. G.D.Naidu went to Hawarden the very next day. RKS refused to meet him and finally took a double donation in order to settle the matter. He had so much of passion for Tamil Music.
Sundarraj talks about the goodness of Karumuttu Thiagaraja Chettiar, R.Venkataswamy Naidu (Founder of Madras Aluminum Company & Co Founder of South India Viscose), the work of G.K.Sundaram and industrialist J.K.K.Muniraja of Kumarapalayam. His shares and snippets about his grand father Dr.R.K.Shanmukham Chettiar and his associations, the experiences of his aunt Savithri Shanmugham and his own interactions with the great personalities connected with his wonderful family are quite educative. The stories presented by Sundarraj are not only of historical value but will offer good guidance to the people of today.