Memories are made of this

With all my ranting on politics and my nostalgia for Cathedralites and Stephanian news, I still have time to rummage my old photos and live through of some of the memories that are generated. In doing so I came upon this picture:

Picture of Susanna and Jaakko taken in 1971

One may claim that it just a picture of our two first born, Susanna and Jaakko, at their joint birthday party held in our home in Defence Officers Colony, Nandambakkam in November 1971.

This picture was taken by a friend (who was also related to me), the now late Dr. Basu John, who was the owner of a well-known photographic studio in Chennai called Klein and Peryl, who was photographed by Jaakko in 1999 relaxing in his home:

Picture of the late Dr. Basu John taken by Jaakko in 1999

That's nice, one could claim - subject takes descriptive picture of photographer 28 years onward.

Jaakko also took a picture of the enlargement of 1971 photograph as it lay in the late Dr. Basu John's home in 1999. It was something that Basu John was very proud of.


Jaakko's photograph of an enlargement of the original photograph as it lay in the late Dr. Basu John's home in 1999

Still no big deal one could say, till we look at the size of the enlargement and recall the history of the camera that took the original picure.

The original was taken a camera jointly developed by the late Dr. Basu John and myself in 1971, made out of black plastic pieces stuck together, with a lens and optics designed by the brilliant brain of the late Dr. Basu John, while the body and other plastic components were designed by me.

And our calculated market price of launching this camera as a mass produced item in 1972 had been estimated as Rs. 30 per piece, or less than Euro 0.50 (less than a dollar)!!

However, there was much beween the cup and the lip.

A little while later, as Dr. Basu John was sitting with me in my office in the house where the photograph was taken, there was a telephone call to him saying that his studio was on fire. He rushed to the studio. But it was just too late. Some parts of it had been gutted by the fire and all the development plans for this cheap camera had gone up in flames.

After this, neither Dr. Basu John nor I had any inclination to follow through this project.

However, just to be sure that our concepts had been right, Dr. Basu John enlarged the original negative to as large as was possible in his studio, just to see when the image would breakdown.

That is the image you see in Jaakko's photograph when he visited the late Dr. Basu John's home in 1999.

Even at this enormous enlargement, the photograph, even at the edges showed no sign of breaking up!!

The late Dr. Basu John was a great photographer, a wonderful brain as regards optics.

On this day, of no particular significance, I take my hat off and hang my head in remembrance of this outstanding member of the Malayali community of Madras / Chennai.

Some visitors having problems seeing all the blog entries

A few of you have emailed me that pictures and older blog entries seem to have vanished.

They have not vanished.

When you come to the blog, you are seeing what is known as the "Current Posts" page which shows just 10 or so of the most recent entries.

To see earlier entries you should click in the particular month in the Archives section which you find in the left sidebar. This will reveal all the posts of that month.

I am still trying to work out how I can show you an Index of posts. If I figure it out, and also sort of categorise each entry based on relevance, you will read about it here.

Cheers.

Nice joke and a personal twist

I had a visitor to Oulu, Geordy George, a couple of weeks ago. He is from Deepika International, part of the Rashtra Deepika Group. a publication group which is almost 117 years old. Geordy has become a family friend.

As you may know there is fierce rivalry between two Kottayam based newspaper group, Rashtra Deepika and the one owned by the Kandathil family to which I half belong, the Malayala Manorama.

Geordy sent me what I thought was a very nice joke which I reproduce below:

Hi

Who works for India ??????
The population of India is 100 crores
1,00,00,00,000; But 19 crores are retired.
-19,00,00,000: That leaves 81 crores do the work.
81,00,00,000: There are 25 crores in school,
-25,00,00,000: Which leaves 56 crores to do the work.
56,00,00,000: Of this there are 22 crores employed by the Central Govt,
-22,00,00,000: Leaving 34 crores to do the work.
34,00,00,000: 4 crores are in the Armed Forces,
-4,00,00,000: Which leaves 30 crores to do the work.
30,00,00,000: Take away from above total the 20 crores people work for
State Governments (State Government employees officially do not work!)
-20,00,00,000: And that leaves 10 crores to do the work.
10,00,00,000: Total unemployed are 8 crores
-8,00,00,000: And that leaves 2 crores to do the work.
2,00,00,000: At any given time there are 1.2 crore people in hospitals,
-1,20,00,000: Leaving 80 lakhs to do the work.
80,00,000: Now, according to Indian Statistical Institute,
there are 79,99,998 people in prisons throughout the country.
-79,99,998: That leaves just 2 people to do the work.......
2

You and me!!!
And currently YOU are sitting at your computer reading mails.
So I am the only person in our country who is working!
And that's why India is surviving!!!

Now, please go back and do your job because, for a change, I want to rest.
And I don't want India to suffer because of that.

Geordy

Geordy left his jaw wide open and I was prompted to reply:

Dear Geordy,

False logic.
I am sitting at my computer in Finland.
So who is that other second guy who is working?
Must be that guy in the Malayala Manorama!! :-)
Thanks for the laugh!!

Jacob, Oulu, Finland

Happy birthday Reenu

Join Annikki and me in wishing Reenu, wife of Rajive, who is the son of K.O. Kuriyan (Vellichayan) and Babykochamma, grandson of the late K. M. Oommens (Mambaltheappachen and Mambaltheammachi), a very very happy birthday.

Reenu and Rajive live in Kottayam near Velichayan and Babykochamma. His two brothers, Ashok Kuriyan and his wife, Meenu, and K. K. Mammen Mappillai (Prathap) and his wife, Geetha, live in Bangalore.

Sadly, no picture of Reenu on our archives, so will somebody help us fill this gap.

Happy birthday Susan

Annikki and I would like to wish Susan Kurian (née Verghese), daughter of Mammen Verghese (Thambachayan) and Annammakochamma from the Oopootil family, a very very happy birthday.

Susan is the wife of Prem Kurian. They live in Bangalore.

Susan is the granddaughter of the late Kandathil Mammen Verghese Mappilai and his wonderful and gracious wife, the late Thandammakochamma.

Sadly no picture in my archives of this one of the 5 beautiful sisters (Tara, Roshin, Mammy; Susan and Ashwathy) whom I count a great honour to be my nieces.

I am sure all of you will join me in wishing her many more such birthdays in years ahead.

Dewan Bahadur Kuriyan Matthan site updated

Thanks to all the inputs, I have updated the Dewan Bahadur Kuriyan Matthan website.

The site of his father which links to all his brothers and sisters and their Families will be updated shortly.

Bookmark the sites for your convenience. Do send me photographs that can be used on these sites.

Today will be put to rest a person I can never forget

Although I met this gentleman only a couple of times, in 1975, he is one I will never forget. He oozed with character and love for his fellow human beings. He was the sweetness equal to the product he represented as his classification in Rotary - confectionary manufacturing.

His visiting card, which I have faithfully preserved for the last 20 years, shows his character.

Visiting Card of Rolf Klärich given to me in the summer of 1975 during a Rotary meeting in Oulu.

Rolf Klärich passed away on the 20th of January 2005.

He is the only Finn to have served as the President of Rotary International. He held his term during 1980-81.

His theme for his Presidency was "Take Time To Serve".

"1980-81 Rotary International President Rolf J. Klärich (confectionary manufacturing), Rotary Club of Helsinki- Helsingfors, Finland.
Rotary vision: That its members Take Time to Serve - any time, anywhere - and make the organisation work.
"The time we take to serve those who need us can be the turning point, not only in their lives but also in our own."
- Take Time to Serve, THE ROTARlAN, July 1980"

He was born in Oulu on 5th February 1922. A Rotarian since 1953, Klärich was a member of the Rotary Club of Helsinki-Helsingfors. He started his Rotary life as a member of the Merikoski Rotary Club in Oulu and he twice served as the Governor of the Northern Region of Finland.

He also served Rotary International as vice president, director, Foundation trustee and trustee chair, district governor, International Assembly group discussion leader, information institute counselor, group discussion leader, and committee member and chair.

Klärich, a retired confectionary manufacturer, held several civic and industrial organization offices.

For his service as British consul of Finland's Oulu Province and his work to promote international understanding, the former Rotary International President was made an Honorary Officer of the Order of British Empire. He served as Vice Chairman and then Chairman of the English Club of Oulu, the august position which my better half, Annikki, held several years later.


Rolf Klärich, Vice Chairman of The English Club of Oulu in 1955, shaking hands with Trevor Cash. Copyright English Club of Oulu.

Klärich is survived by his wife, Katarina (Käthy), and daughters, Veronica, Yvonne, and Birgitta. A memorial service will be held for family and close friends at the Old Chapel in Helsinki today when he will be laid to rest.

Condolences may be sent to the family at Välskarinkatu 7 A 4, FIN 00260 Helsinki, Finland.

Interesting article on S. M. Krishna, Governor of Maharashtra

S. M. Krishna (SM) crossed my path about the time he was appointed as Industries Minister in the Karnataka Government.

We have a common friend, C. Raghunatha Reddy and his wife Gaythri, who were very anxious for S. M. Krishna to meet this young brash consultant who was making a name for himself in India.

Raghu visits me in Oulu in 2003

On several occasions from the Cellulose Acetate factory in Mandya to many other confidential matters, I had the opportunity to meet and discuss with SM, both during his tenure in the Karnataka Government and then when he moved to the Centre in New Delhi.

When I finally made up my mind to leave India due to several parallel circumstances, I felt that I should inform SM of my decision.

He had just been appointed as Minister of State for Industry in the Central Government. While wishing him well in his new post, I explained to him the reasons for my decision to leave India for good.

I have preserved his reply:


Farewell letter from S. M. Krishna, Minister of State for Industries, Government of India.

The handwritten scrawl at the bottom reads: "PS. I hate to see you go......"

There is an interesting article Governor Krishna settles into the 'City of Dreams' about this upstanding politician who has very gradually moved up the ladder, safely and surely, and is now at his pinnacle as the Governor of the State of Maharashtra.

I would like to wish him well and hope he can now relax from those chores that he had to do during his political life. He can enjoy his tenure in my second home city.

He may remember his infamous statement when he addressed the Karnataka Assembly and said that jobs in Karnataka should be reserved for the "sons of the soil".

I threw this back at him shortly after he made that speech. I asked him at that time that as my grandparents originated from Kerala and one had become the First Member (Prime Minister) of his state, then known as Mysore, as I had been born there and had my first wonderful 11 years of my life in the State of my birth, as I had then moved to Bombay and studied there for 5 years, where I had been totally at home, as I had done my University in Delhi for 3 years, again a fabulous city, as I had moved to England to my higher studies, work and got married to a Finn, all in the space of 7 years, following which I was living in Madras, when he made his statement, which "son of the soil" was I?

SM had replied that what he said did not apply to people of my stature in society.

I had retorted that any statement made by such a powerful and educated man, such as himself, should never discriminate between people based on caste, creed, colour, religion or place of birth!!

And now, here is SM in my third home State, a State I love greatly, Maharashtra, as its Governor - "son of the soil" SM?

I am very distressed today...

so, I am not going to write about what I should write about!! (Maybe tomorrow, when I get my anger under control.)

Instead, I am going to show you some of Annikki's gingerbread creations of December 2004. The creations were totally and completely edible. And we have eaten them.

It is what Annikki calls "Biodegradable Edible Art".

The first photograph shows Annikki in the process of creating one of her masterpieces. In this, the light which lit up the straw in the barn is visible.

Annikki at work creating a gingerbread construction, December 2004

And here was the outcome for grandson, Samuel, but I was not able to include the lights showing in this particular photograph. Note one of the several implements on the ground. The red moon is hiding in the hills. the grass is string green sweet.


Gingerbread Latto (Finnish straw storage barn) created by Annikki for Samuel, December 2004

Annikki then just had to make another one for our granddaughter, Asha, who visited us over Christmas.

The red lights create the impression of the fireplace. The tent was made out of rolled marzipan. In an earlier year she had made it out of rice paper. The stream around the wigwam is made from melted sugar. The rocks are black and brown toffee sweets.


Gingerbread Kota (Finnish Laplanders wigwam) created by Annikki for Asha, December 2004

And finally, she recreated a gingerbread flowerpot, which had been a great hit many years ago, but this time she embellished it with a lighted candle!!

The flowerpot, leaves and the flower stems are made from gingerbread. The pot is filled with a cake mix, which could be watered with fruit juice from a watering can! And the tulip flowers are sweets fashioned by Annikki's artistic flair.


Gingerbread flowerpot created by Annikki December 2004

They were all delicious - (and anger management has succeeded)!!!

News of a Maliyakal Wedding and another Kandathil birthday...

Our cousin, Rana, from Calgary has informed me about the engagement of his daughter, Nidhi.

If you are in the vicinity of Calgary this August, Rana and Beena would like to invite you to attend the wedding.

Rana and Beena wrote

"Sushilchayan,

Trust you and family are keeping well. Beena and me were reading today your blog and found it very informative and interesting. In fact your friend Abe's brother, Suresh Tharakan, and Jose Vellapally's cousin, Markos Abraham, and me stayed together in YMCA Bangalore in 1972-77.

I am attaching a picture of our eldest daughter, Nidhi, along with her finacé, Anoop, taken on their engagement in Calgary. The wedding is planned for Aug 27th 2005 in Calgary.

Anoop and his parents belong to Bangalore and live now here.

Nidhi is the eldest great granddaughter of Late Mr. K. Jacob and great-grandniece of Late Dewan Bahadur K. Mathan.

Regards,

Rana & Beena Jacob"

Yes, indeed, Nidhi is a Maliyakal.

You can see the details of the Maliyakal family at my web site which was created with a lot of help from many Maliyakal's around the world. Please correct any wrong facts on this site by emailing me or provide me with additional facts if you have any!! Pictures would be very welcome.

I am sure many would love to know more about Anoop and his parents.

Anoop, may I congratulate you on getting such a beautiful partner, and Nidhi, this tall and handsome young man is really a great asset to have at your side.

Annikki and I wish you all the very best - and if there is a glimmer of hope for us to get some time off, we would love to get to Calagary for your wedding.

Nidhi, Rana and Beena Jacob's daughter, with her fiancé, Anoop, at their engagement in Calgary.

Annikki and I would like to wish Mammy, daughter of Thambachayan (Mammen Varghese) and dearest wife of my good friend, Anian (K. P. Philip), a very very happy birthday.

Sadly, no picture of Mammy in my files!! I am sure Anian will help out by sending me some family snaps soon.

Mammy and Anian live in Singapore. There is some chance that they may move to Brussels, which should mean we may see them here in Oulu!!

Remember him fondly and with respect

Annikki and I quietly remember her father, Matti, who passed away 4 years ago, today.

Left to right: Matti, Anja, wife Hilja, Anneli, Annikki and Aino

A God-fearing man, a simple but truly accomplished carpenter, was much more than a father to me during all my years in Finland. He understood the true meaning of the word "love" and "neighbour".

May his soul rest in peace!!

Recognise this "Birthday Boy" en route his wedding ceremony?

I wonder how many will recognise this nervous handsome young man and his helpers on his wedding day?

Rajen, Mathukuttychayan, late Kunjumonchayan, Senchayan and Suresh prepare to go to the church for Sen's wedding. Copyright: My father, the late Kuriyan Matthan.

Senchayan (Mammen Philip), a brilliant Cambridge economist, and part of a family of renowned economists comprising of his father, K. M. Philip (Peelukuttychayan) and Dr. Peter Philip (Suresh) finished his college from Madras Christian College, Tambaram before joining Cambridge University, UK.

Didn't he look smart? Today, he still remains cool and smart as he celebrates his 67th birthday.

I am sure all you 53er Cathedralites and Kandathils will join Annikki and me in wishing him a very happy birthday.

Sen now lives in Chennai. His two kids, Kavitha and Karun, both absolutely brilliant minds but truly humble human beings, take after their dad on both counts.

Senchayan's home used to be our Saturday or Sunday afternoon relaxation centre for a few of us who wanted to play a few rounds of friendly bridge in Chennai in the early seventies. We downed many a bottle of cold beer during those sessions. (That was well before I stopped imbibing!!)

Thanks for all the great times and pleasant memories, Senchayan!!

I had to laugh to myself...

Cathedralites

I do get a lot of email from all corners of the globe. It has not reached the enormous proportions of early last year. I had to laugh to myself when I got this one:

"Dear Jacob,

I was surprised to see my name in your newsletter. I am
Neelam Lakhani, and I have no recollection of playing
football, cricket or table tennis with you, as I read on
your Cathedral Newsletter. Incidentally I'm not from
Cathedral.

In fact, I don't even recall the names Jangoo Moos,
Percy Mistry, Amin Choksi. Care to jog my memory?
Or is this another Neelam?

Regards,

Neelam Lakhani"

It prompted me to reply with some wit:

Dear Neelam,

If you go to my blog at

http://jmatthan.blogspot.com

and look at the picture for the blog entry in the archives
for December 13th 2004, the shorty in the top row
extreme right, standing, with glasses is NEELAM LAKHANI!!

Neelam was in my House of which I was House Captain.
I am the guy with the head circled in the seated row.

Does it look like you in your younger days, or has
dementia set in?

Regards

Jacob

Actually, sometime about 3 years ago, the correct Neelam did contact me by email, but I lost his email address. If anyone knows where he is, I would love to get back in contact with him!!

Vinoo celebrates birthday, two weddings...

Annikki and I would like all of you to join us in wishing Vinoo (K. M. Mammen) in Chennai a very very happy 56th birthday.

Vinoo as pictured in The HINDU in 2004, Copyright: Photographer N. Balaji, Credit: The HINDU

Vinoo presently heads MRF, carrying on the tradition set by his father, Kochappachen.

It is extremely difficult to keep this company, which is the recognised top of the tyre industry in India and about the 7th or 8th largest one in the world, at the pinnacle position.

I am sure that the next generation of Mammen's that come along will have a tough task keeping this old family created multinational in its leading position, especially since the world tyre industry is undergoing a very radical change in many many respects.

It will need a visionary leader to continue to keep MRF ahead in both technology as well as market image.

I remember well how Kochappachen organised the first MRF brainstorming session in Chennai, way way back in 1970-71, so as to try and determine how to get to this top position. I wonder how many who were present remember the bundle of great ideas that were thrown up?

Vinoo's son, Rahul, a Stephanian, was married about a month ago. Annikki and I take this opportunity to wish the happy couple the very best and a long and happy married life. Rahul heads the corporate planning department in MRF, having taken over from a dear friend who retired last year, S. R. Ratnam (of The Hindu newspaper family).

Ratnam, an engineer, who used to work in procurement, was groomed, like me, by one of the greats who ever worked for MRF, the late Prem Sadanand.

Prem was Staff Assistant to the Managing Director till his early demise. This was the hot seat in MRF which took all the bad vibes and received the least praise for his historic efforts!!

But Prem had broad shoulders and he taught Ratnam and me a lot of things in our short association.

I must also wish, Thambi's (Stephanian Philip Mathew) son (Stephanian) Riyad who was married last week to Stephanian Abraham (Abe) Tharakan's daughter Keya.

Abe was one of the few Malayali's in college at my time.

(Besides Abe, the others I can remember were cousins Suresh and Rajen, second cousin Ranjit Jacob (retired in Madras), George Verghese (Kottayam industrial giant), Thomas Chandy, Ninan, Jose Vellapally (now a Supreme Court star lawyer), Rajen Narayanan (great tennis and table tennis player), outstanding artist Prakash Joseph who gave the original Kooler Talk its real look of professionalism, the late Jacob Eapen for a short while, and myself in the students, Economist Mathew and organic chemist Raphael in the staff, and undoubted the most popular of all - Sebastian in the canteen who produced us some great scrambled eggs).

Here is a picture from my files of the happy parents of the groom, Thambi glancing over his shoulder with a Hollywood movie star look!!


Bina and Thambi, parents of the groom

Thambi runs the Cochin Unit of Malayala Manorama and main centre for the publication of The WEEK. Abe has a fishing export industry, reputed to be one of the largest successful ones in India.

Kindness, friendships and more

This morning I went early to take grandson Samuel to school as his dad, Tony, had driven up to Rovaniemi (200 km north of Oulu), famous as a tourist city called the home of Santa Claus. Tony was not going to see Santa Claus!

After dropping Samuel at school, I went to my car mechanic as there were some small problems with my ancient rally jallopy. He fixed them and charged me just Euro 25 for almost an hour and a half's work. The usual rate is about Euro 50 per hour!!

I thought that I would check my car battery as a late cold winter spell is expected. I drove to friend's shop, a family business which specialises in batteries.

Mika did not ask many questions. He installed a new battery, the very best - a Varta heavy duty. I waited to pay at the cash counter as there were several customers. Mika came from the yard and told me, loudly, it would cost Euro 70, which I duly handed over. He took the money, bent over the cash machine for a couple of seconds. I thought he was preparing the bill. He then took some money out of the cash machine and handed it to me, telling me it was "my change"!!

There was Euro 70 being returned. I could not understand what this meant, but before I could protest, he insisted it was "my change" and asked me politely to leave!!

I did not know what to do, as I am used to paying for whatever I buy. Here was, for no apparent reason, my friend of long standing, no doubt, insisting that I do not pay for a brand new battery, and one of the best in the market which costs well over Euro 100!!

I got home to find a couple of emails. The first was an excited one from Gracie Hayeem. She enclosed an email she had received from another 69er:

"Dear Miss Hayeem:

Barbara shared your e-mail address with me, and your warm note.

I do remember you most fondly -- vivid images of a beautiful teacher with long shapely legs (we often sat on the floor so legs were eye-level) and gorgeous skirts who would lead us in song and reciting our alphabets. I remember our reader with you -- "Sing Mother sing, Mother shall sing..." I think I was in Miss Lely's class, but it is all one big happy blur.

I am now in New Orleans with my husband and two daughters (19 and 14). I did a Ph.D. at UCLA, finishing in 1983 and have been teaching at universities since (at Penn State, on sabbatical at UCLA and now at Tulane).

I meet Shyla (Boga) and Sheba (Eapen) on my visits back to Bombay which are often , and recently have started e-mailing Barbara. I call Zarine on the phone. I left Catherdral in 1966, and finished the last three years of school from Delhi.

It's Mardi Gras here and soon it will be Jazz Fest. New Orleans is always good for music and food. Having you and your family visit would be a joy. We live in a 130 year old house close to the beautiful Audobon Park and walking distance to the historic tram line which would take us down to to French Quarter.

Warm regards,

Mita (Chatterji) Sujan"

Now. wasn't that nice.

Sheba is the younger sister of one of us 59ers, the late Jacob Eapen. Jacob came to St. Stephen's College with me and we both got called for IIT Karagphur. He decided to join while I stayed on in St. Stephen's.

And then there was an email from New Delhi from Cathedralite 57er (as well as 61er Stephanian), Ashok (Tony) Jaitly, retired from his stint as Commissioner of Jammu and Kashmir. He had just spent last evening with his old classmate, Abe Hayeem, Gracie's younger brother, who is an architect, lives in London and is touring India with the folk group (see earlier blog entry for details).

I was glad that Tony is well as I had not heard from him for a few months. He is enjoying his retirement. Tony was extremely helpful to me in the 70's when he was George Fernandes's IAS Personal Secretary when George was the Industries Minister!! I always think of Tony and the kindness he showed me.

And then the snail mail arrived. It contained a cover from my foster daughter, Gopa Haikkonen, who is 54er Sadhana (née Shah) Madhusadan's daughter who is married to a Finn and lives in South Finland. The cover contained a CD which was the 50 year reunion celebrations of the 1954 Cathedralite Group.

I was deeply touched when in the introduction Suhas Phadke mentioned how I had played a (tiny) role in getting this gig together. Thank you all for remembering me!!

California, New Orleans in the US, Oulu and Tampere in Finland, New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune in India and Londn, U.K. - the world is just a very small oyster and there are lovely kind people existing everywhere. For that I thank God and hope that all of you will keep in touch with me and help share your kindness and good cheer all around the world.

Who is your neighbour? (Part 2)

I recount here the story of one of our dear family members who suffered in the tsunami but was saved by the grace of God.

I hope that it will show especially all of us, who have lived a privileged life, about who is our neighbour and who is the Good Samaritan.

I must thank Georgie for feeding me the exact details of this incident.

"Regarding Dilip, he was fishing in the Muthukad Lake in front of Kovalam Taj Hotel. He was in the water ankling. Suddenly people started running. Before Dilip could run he saw a mist, and within seconds, the wave was on him. He was drifted inland. On the way he got hold of a thorny bush, He held on to it. Although his hands and body were bleeding, he held on to the bush. After the wave retreated he got down, but badly bruised. His shirt and pants were gone. He was in his underwear. He was sitting on the road asking for water. Lots of cars went by. Finally a cyclist came to his help. He stood in the middle of the road and stopped a bus and gave him water. Then a motorcyclist came by. The cyclist asked him to take him to the Hotel. But the hotel watchman would not allow him in as he was in his underwear. Then Dilip mentioned the name of the manager of the hotel and threatened him. Then the watchman allowed him in. But when he went to the reception he again had the same problem. But Dr. Mohan Das was in the lobby. He recognised Dilip and gave him first aid. Then he telephoned Elamma and Vikram. They brought an ambulance and took him and got admitted him to Kaliappa Hospital."

When I wrote to Dilip's mother expressing my concern and expressing our prayers for her about what had happened, she wrote back to me:

Dear Sushil,

Thank you for your prayers.

It was the sheer grace of God that saved Dilip. He is back to normal now.

Praise the Lord.

So many thousands have lost their lives, Innocent little ones!!

I do not understand any of this.

Love,

Accakuttykochama

I hope every family member understands what God is telling us. Recognise His Power. Understand that all around us are our neighbours. It is our turn to be the true Good Samaritans in future.

(To be continued...)

Some personal photographs from my collection

I have pleasure in wishing a dear cousin's equally dear husband a very happy 78th birthday today. Wing Commander (retired) A. G. Mathews lives in Defence Officer's Colony on the outskirts of Chennai. Annikki and I used to live in this Colony way way back in 1970-1972. It was a delightful place.

Mammykochamma and Kuttachayan, as they are known to us, were my guardians in Delhi in the 1960s when I was studying in St. Stephen's College. And they were great guardians!!

Kuttachayan enjoying a glass of cheer at Suchi and Michael's wedding reception in Chennai in 1999

I was overwhelmed with email from all over the world about two great personalities I mentioned a few days ago. The first was my mother's cousin, the late K. C. Mathulla who passed away on 28th January 2005. Many recalled his fine, helpful and loving personality. Going through my photograph collection I found this picture taken by Annikki when the two of us paid our personal respects to him in 1994. Dressed in his favourite clothes, lungi and bush shirt, he narrated many stories to us about life in general after his wife had passed away.

I was amazed that how well informed he was about our lives although we had not seen him for over 10 years.


Pappachayan with me in 1994 at his residence in Mumbai

Both Stephanians and Kandathil family members were overjoyed at the news of Rajen (Mammen to many) receiving the Padma Shree. I had a message from our college Old Students Association President, Shankar Ghose, asking how he could contact Rajen to invite him to the Re-Union Lunch they have in College on the 2nd Sunday of December every year.

Here is a picture of Rajen with me in 1989 when both of us were considerably younger!! Note the resemblance - Rajen is miniature version of me!!! :-)


Rajen with me at the MRF Guest House in 1989

Who is your neighbour? (Part 1)

The recent tsunami that hit India and neighbouring countries has raised the issue as to who is one’s neighbour?

In this three part short blog article, I wish to touch on this as it has affected me, Annikki and some of our family, as well as many many loved ones.

When we moved to India in 1969, it was Annikki’s first experience in a third world country. She saw great and wonderful things around her. She enjoyed fabulous company, food and riches, as a family wedding was in progress in Bombay.

In all the hustle and bustle, she felt she should share some of this wonderland that she saw with her parents and friends in Finland. So we went and bought some small gifts to send to them.

Ammachi, my late mother, advised us to pack the gifts and send them from the Malabar Hill Post Office, as the staff there were more competent in handling such postings because of the large number of foreigners staying in that locality.

Annikki happily packed the presents. I drove her to the post office with the kids in tow - Susanna being just 2 years and Jaakko being less than a year.

I went into the Post Office to send off the parcels while Annikki and the children waited in the car.

It took me about 10 minutes. When I got back, I found Annikki was very very quiet.

I saw a tsunami of tears streaming from her eyes.

I wondered what had happened. I looked around to see if anything could have troubled her or the kids, both of whom seemed quite happy. I SAW NOTHING.

When I got in the car, I asked her what the matter was. First, she did not say anything. Then she pointed to a little girl in tattered clothes carrying a little baby, in even more tattered rags.

That was Annikki’s first encounter with a beggar.

It moved her deeply to see these little children on the broad and beautiful hill street in a rich neighbourhood in such horrible clothes and going from car to car, begging for something to eat!!

In my initial glance, I had not even noticed this ragged little girl and baby. I WAS BLIND.

Being brought up in India, I had been immune to such sights. The scene passed over my eyes without a second thought. Such poverty and tragedy as depicted in the little girl was something we, and many many Indians, had not the eyes to see, the ears to hear or the mouth to speak!!

What was I to say, now that I had noticed it? I knew it existed - but I had been conditioned to not notice it and to ignore it. How could I explain to Annikki that this sight would be repeated a million times as we lived in India?

How would one be able to sleep at night knowing how one’s fellowmen, little children like these, were lying on the streets, being exploited by their parents, and the rich would abuse them and pass them by.

Being a person of Christian upbringing, the question as to who was my neighbour as well as the parable of the Good Samaritan passed through my mind.

I seemed to know what was passing through Annikki’s mind as we both looked at that little girl, probably a couple of years older than Susanna, and the baby, probably the same age as Jaakko.

At that moment, there was nothing to be said. It was time to act in our own small way.

I made a mental resolution that I would not accumulate wealth for myself or my family at the cost of these poor. We would go out of our way to help any of these little children who came across our path, in some small way, not by encouraging their begging, but by making some contribution to their lives which would help them irreversibly.

I made a decision that when any child, rich or poor, crossed my path I would show kindness and not the hardness that some of the strong show to the weak.

In the next 15 years of our stay in India, I think both Annikki and I kept to the norms and standards we had set for ourselves in an unspoken way on that occasion. Maybe we contributed, in our small way, to the upliftment of the weak with our work at our home and in the Madras South Rotary Club, one of the finest Rotary Clubs that I have ever come across and was proud to be a member of for several years.

Later in life, when I was offered the chance to become a Rotarian in another city, I refused. None of those clubs I visited had the personal dedication to the ideals that Annikki and I had set for ourselves.

We did not do anything for credit or glory. Most of it remains unsaid and unsung, the way we had intended. To get publicity of praise was not our objective. As defined in our good book, when there is an act of charity, let not the left hand know what the right hand has done.

(To be continued...)

Shilpa and family visit Australia

Kandathil News

Shilpa is Kunjumonchayan and Omenakochamma's younger daughter, a brilliant lawyer, who is married to Joseph Pookkatt. They have one daughter, Ily, and they live in New Delhi.

Kunjumochayan at Suchi & Michael’s wedding reception December 1999



Meera, Omenakochamma, Shilpa, Anammakochamma (Jr.), Annikki, late Annammakochamma (Sr.) with Annikki’s art cake at Suchi & Michael’s wedding reception December 1999

Thanks to my good KI5 (Kandathil equivalent of MI5) informant, Georgie, in Chennai, I was able to access some delightful photographs of Shilpa and her husband, Joseph, holidaying in Australia.



Shilpa and Joseph in Australia 2004 (copyright Shilpa Mammen)

And here is a picture of Shilpa with her daughter, Ily, also from Australia.



Shilpa and Ily in Australia 2004 (copyright Shilpa Mammen)

If you want to see the whole collection of 49 photographs from their trip, and it is worth going through them, visit the Kodak Online Website by just clicking on View Photos at the Ofoto Web Site to get started. You can become a member and keep your own photographs there for sharing with others.

I remember Ily when I was getting my teeth attended to in Chennai at the Apollo Hospital Dental facility. While I was being gassed by the dentist, I could here some very loud screaming from just outside. I wondered whether that was the previous patient in the recovery phase!!

When I came out of my ordeal, I discovered that it had been baby Ily, with Shilpa, the new mom, getting used to the loud voice of her beautiful new daughter in her parent's home!!

Kandathils, Stephanians - Hip Hip Hurrah

The President of India, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, has conferred on Mammen Mathew (Kandathil, Stephanian, commonly known to all of us as Rajen, Rajenchayan) the PADMA SHREE Award. This important news was announced on Republic Day at New Delhi. This award has made it a record for any one family in Independent India (see below). 

Rajen gets the Padma Shri award from Abdul Kalam

 

Rajen, former US President Bill Clinton and former Indian President Shri K. R. Narayanan

Besides being my dear and constant companion when we were together in St Stephen's College, Delhi, Rajen was also very dear to both Annikki and me when he came to England. It was Rajen and his friends who campaigned for me and made history in the college by getting a second year student elected to the post of JCR President of the College. Together we made the JCR from a dumb unloving unfriendly place into one of the most liveliest places to hang out in.

Later, I was one who was involved in giving him the courage to choose his life partner, Prema!! I still remember him sweating away in the car when he went to see his to-be for the first time!! He ran through more than a few of my handkerchiefs and hand towels at that time!!

Rajen, with another outstanding Stephanian classmate, architect Ramu Katakam, who is also now a member of the Kandathil family by marriage, hitch-hiked across the globe from India to London to land at my doorstep in the mid 1960's. Both were going places, and Rajen has shown us the way to the top.

I must mention the other two of the four Stephanian musketeers of Rajen’s year, Azhar Siddique, who went into hotel management and made a great name for himself in that field, and Suresh Mehra, who runs one of the finest garment export houses from Hyderabad.

Rajen studied journalism on the job at Bristol in Wales and then in the USA. In 2002 he received the rare honour of being appointed as a Reuters Trustee, the first Indian to be appointed to this position. He has been the Chairman of the Indian Section of the Commonwealth Press Union, President of the Indian Newspaper Society, and the Editors Guild of India, and has also been on the Press Council of India.

Today, he is the guiding spirit of the Malayala Manorama Newspapers Group, India's most outstanding newspaper and magazine publishing centre, founded by our greatgranduncle, Kandathil Varghese Mappillai, given shape by our grandfather K. C. Mammen Mappillai and then guided in turn by the late K. M. Cherian and then K. M. Mathew, till Rajen took the helm.

Rajen is assisted by his two younger brother, both professionals, Philip Mathew (Thambi), also a Stephanian and father of 2 Stephanians, Amit and Riyad, and Jacob Mathew (Chacko), sadly not a Stephanian but the father of one, Harsha.

Rajen's daughter-in-law, Miriam (Anu) Mathew (née Paul) was an outstanding Stephanian and a leading executive in a US bank till she returned to India to take the helm of Manorama Online. Her husband Jayant, is also in the newspaper business and a student of our leading Stephanian friend, Sreenath Sreenivasan, Professor of Journalism at Columbia University and an expert on convergence journalism.

The other Award Winners in our family:

1. The late Mr. K. M. Cherian (Chetpetappachen) - first awarded the Padma Shree and the later he was given the Padma Bhushan. Our dear cousins, Dr. K. C. Mammen (Bapukuttychayan), one of India’s leading paediatricians and Mrs. P. V. Jacob (Sarasukochamma) are Chetpetappachen’s surviving children.
2. Mr. K. M. Philip (Peelukuttychayan, Pappa) was give the Padma Shree three ago back. He was the World President of the Y. M. C. A. after many years of outstanding and honorary service in the Indian Y. M. C. A. At the age of 92, he is still physically and mentally fully active and still takes part in many business functions. His wife, Chinammakochamma is also fully active at the age of 85. She was the leading light of the Mumbai Y. W. C. A. for many many years. A dearer lady so full of fun and laughter one will not find on this earth. His two children are Sen Philip and Dr. Peter Philip (Suresh, a fellow Stephanian of my era, an outstanding economist, the business brain behind the launch of the FIRST Kooler Talk, classmate of such leading Stephanians as Sayeed Rizvi, Sarwar Lateef, Zaffar Hai).
3. Mr. K. M. Mathew (Mathukuttychayan, Rajen's father) was given the Padma Bhushan, nearly a decade ago. His wife, the late Mrs. K. M. Mathew (Annammakochamma), who passed away in 2003, surpassed all what her husband and her children have done in her service to the women and children of India. His daughter, Thangam, Rajen’s sister is the mother of 2 Stephanians, Adit and Rohan. (See above for details of his sons - Rajen, Thambi and Chacko.)
4. The late Mr. K. M. Mammen Mappillai (Kochappachen), half a decade before he died in 2003. His wife, Kunjukochamma is a hostess extraordinaire, a person who has made any person entering over the doorstep feel as one of the family. Kochappachen, aided by his six brothers (Cherian, Oommen, Eapen, Varghese Mappillai, Philip and Mathew) and one sister (Mariam, my late mother ) and the sister-in-law of their deceased brother, (Mrs. K. M. Jacob, Pallammachi), built the MRF tyre company by their sense of unity and devotion to one another as well as the entire Syrian Christian Malayali Community. Kochappachen was physically assisted by his wife’s brother, now retired Technical Director of MRF, Kurian George (Georgie, my dear friend in Chennai who keeps me abreast of all the best news from India these days) and technically, mentally and morally assisted by my late father (Kuriyan Matthan). MRF was stabilised and brought forward as India’s leading tyre company by his son, the late Ravi Mammen, and is now run in the family tradition of professional management by his two surviving sons, Vinoo and Arun. Vinoo is the father of 2 Stephanians, Samir and Rahul. His only daughter, Remani is an outstanding artist running her own creative art design company.

It is important to mention Mr. M. K. Mathulla, founder of H.M.T. and a die hard Kandathil, got a Padma Shree some 20 years ago.

In this tribute of honour to Kandathils, I must also say a fond farewell to a dear friend, also a Kandathil, Mr. K. C. Mathulla, who died in Mumbai on 28th January 2005, my wedding anniversary. Mathullapapachayan, as I knew him, had been one who had been of greatest strength to me. When I arrived in India with a "foreign" wife, it was he who, with his Mauritian wife, the late Gabbykochamma, gave me the most practical advice on how to live in India. Besides that, it was he who took me to a leading homeopath and cured me completely of sinusitis, a terrible scourge that I had suffered for many years. It was he who cured Annikki of her acute tonsillitis, again with homeopathy through a well known homeopath in Bandra, Mumbai.

May his soul rest in peace.

Sadly, he had no issue. His dear wife, Gabbykochamma, who suffered from painful arthritis for many many years, left for her heavenly abode to await resurrection several years ago. I will remember this humble and great man, who was dear cousin and friend to my mother and a wonderful uncle and mentor to me, in my daily prayers forever.