"My beautiful journey - Kashmir to Kanyakumari", the memoir of the path breaking senior bureaucrat Dr.C.K.Gariyali I.A.S was launched at the Brookefields Plaza by the incumbent Collector of Coimbatore Mr.Hariharan. Chandra Kanta Gariyali continues to display cheer and energy in spite of her long career and current schedule with the EQUITAS Development Initiative Trust, an NGO through which she continues to serve three million women in eleven States who are engaged in making a living through micro enterprises. She believes that poverty alleviation in our country can only be achieved through women empowerment.
Dr. Gariyali was born in a Kashmiri Pandit family and grew up in Delhi. She did her Masters in Social Work from the Delhi School of Social Work and her real break came in her life when she was selected for the Indian Administrative Service in 1972 and was allotted to the Tamilnadu cadre. An ebullient Dr.Gariyali shared her early times in Coimbatore as the Assistant Collector (Training), "My batch mate was the senior police officer Ravi Arumugam and he put me on his Naidu friends at Coimbatore and I am grateful to his classmate R.Vijaykumhar of the SNR Sons Trust, his wife Rama who happens to be a princess from Andhra Pradesh, his cousin sisters Gokulam Subbian and Vatsala Jagannathan. The Naidus of Coimbatore are a special breed of people and they have done much towards the development of Coimbatore. They practised modern agriculture by importing techniques and technology from around the world. Chandrakanthi Amma of the PSGR.Krishnammal College for Women was an amazing lady who spent much of her time nurturing educational institutions that empowered the girl child. The foursome became my family and it is with them that I had a true experience of this region. I got the chance to have a full glimpse of the Tamil culture in the company of the Coimbatore District Collector Shivakumar,his wife Charu and son Sujay It is with them and due to their influence that I saw my first Tamil movie "Arangetram" by K.Balachander, saw my first Tamil play by Manohar, attended the first Carnatic musical concert in my life and it happened to be rendered by none other than M.S.Subbulakshmi. Another first for me was the Bharatanatyam programme of the eminent dancer of all times, Kamala Lakshman. All these experiences and much more made me really fond of Tamil culture and it also impelled me to initiate the Natyanjali Festival at Chidambaram during the year 1983."
The wonderful experiences and the administrative initiation received in Coimbatore under the iconic Collector Shivakumar motivated Dr.Gariyali to launch her book in the presence of her near and dear in the city that shaped her destiny as a bureaucrat. She displayed amazing enthusiasm while taking about her work experience at Coimbatore, "I worked under Collector Shivakumar whose alma mater happened to be the St.Stephens College at Delhi. He was fine gentleman who was known for his integrity and grass roots approach. Collector Shivakumar ensured that I had dinner with him everyday at the official bungalow. I was surprised to learn that he did not even have a fridge at home. I stayed at the house of the Brahmin village headman, Sivaraman at Vedapatti for one month and learnt much about the local culture and the hard working nature of the Gounders of this region. I was completely in his care and I used to stay in the same room as his daughter Padma. It was at Coimbatore that I attended festivals organized by the socially down trodden communities and this was to later help me address several issues through development programmes in my long career. It was at Coimbatore that I got the see the village deities of Tamilnadu and my first trip to Kanyakumari was during my stint in this amazing city. My first meeting with the Chief Secretary of Tamilnadu P.Sabanayagam was at Coimbatore. I was happy to learn that the great man had learnt much from Morris, who had been a lovable Collector during his tenure at Coimbatore."
Its well known that Dr.Gariyali served not only as the Collector of Madras and Cuddalore but also as the Secretary in several departments associated with health,sanitation, womens empowerment, family welfare, nutrition etc., The State won several awards from the Centre during her service. Tamilnadu is a leader in all social sectors due to the tireless work put in put by people of her ilk and the backing that she received for her quality work from the Government of the day. Dr.Gariyali has authored a number of books which range from her memoirs to spirituality. She worked only for and in Tamilnadu and is honest to share the reasons for the same," I wanted to be with the people. I found that working with the Central Government was not my cup of tea for it was really remote for a grass roots person like me. Besides, I liked Tamilnadu and its people. The Tamil culture enthralled me and I just did not like to leave Tamilnadu,my dear and wonderful home."
Dr. Gariyali was born in a Kashmiri Pandit family and grew up in Delhi. She did her Masters in Social Work from the Delhi School of Social Work and her real break came in her life when she was selected for the Indian Administrative Service in 1972 and was allotted to the Tamilnadu cadre. An ebullient Dr.Gariyali shared her early times in Coimbatore as the Assistant Collector (Training), "My batch mate was the senior police officer Ravi Arumugam and he put me on his Naidu friends at Coimbatore and I am grateful to his classmate R.Vijaykumhar of the SNR Sons Trust, his wife Rama who happens to be a princess from Andhra Pradesh, his cousin sisters Gokulam Subbian and Vatsala Jagannathan. The Naidus of Coimbatore are a special breed of people and they have done much towards the development of Coimbatore. They practised modern agriculture by importing techniques and technology from around the world. Chandrakanthi Amma of the PSGR.Krishnammal College for Women was an amazing lady who spent much of her time nurturing educational institutions that empowered the girl child. The foursome became my family and it is with them that I had a true experience of this region. I got the chance to have a full glimpse of the Tamil culture in the company of the Coimbatore District Collector Shivakumar,his wife Charu and son Sujay It is with them and due to their influence that I saw my first Tamil movie "Arangetram" by K.Balachander, saw my first Tamil play by Manohar, attended the first Carnatic musical concert in my life and it happened to be rendered by none other than M.S.Subbulakshmi. Another first for me was the Bharatanatyam programme of the eminent dancer of all times, Kamala Lakshman. All these experiences and much more made me really fond of Tamil culture and it also impelled me to initiate the Natyanjali Festival at Chidambaram during the year 1983."
The wonderful experiences and the administrative initiation received in Coimbatore under the iconic Collector Shivakumar motivated Dr.Gariyali to launch her book in the presence of her near and dear in the city that shaped her destiny as a bureaucrat. She displayed amazing enthusiasm while taking about her work experience at Coimbatore, "I worked under Collector Shivakumar whose alma mater happened to be the St.Stephens College at Delhi. He was fine gentleman who was known for his integrity and grass roots approach. Collector Shivakumar ensured that I had dinner with him everyday at the official bungalow. I was surprised to learn that he did not even have a fridge at home. I stayed at the house of the Brahmin village headman, Sivaraman at Vedapatti for one month and learnt much about the local culture and the hard working nature of the Gounders of this region. I was completely in his care and I used to stay in the same room as his daughter Padma. It was at Coimbatore that I attended festivals organized by the socially down trodden communities and this was to later help me address several issues through development programmes in my long career. It was at Coimbatore that I got the see the village deities of Tamilnadu and my first trip to Kanyakumari was during my stint in this amazing city. My first meeting with the Chief Secretary of Tamilnadu P.Sabanayagam was at Coimbatore. I was happy to learn that the great man had learnt much from Morris, who had been a lovable Collector during his tenure at Coimbatore."
Its well known that Dr.Gariyali served not only as the Collector of Madras and Cuddalore but also as the Secretary in several departments associated with health,sanitation, womens empowerment, family welfare, nutrition etc., The State won several awards from the Centre during her service. Tamilnadu is a leader in all social sectors due to the tireless work put in put by people of her ilk and the backing that she received for her quality work from the Government of the day. Dr.Gariyali has authored a number of books which range from her memoirs to spirituality. She worked only for and in Tamilnadu and is honest to share the reasons for the same," I wanted to be with the people. I found that working with the Central Government was not my cup of tea for it was really remote for a grass roots person like me. Besides, I liked Tamilnadu and its people. The Tamil culture enthralled me and I just did not like to leave Tamilnadu,my dear and wonderful home."