FACE TO FACE

                          

My father was involved in FREEDOM MOVEMENT and I vividly remember him taking me in a bullock-cart to see MAHATMA GANDHI who was passing through our village by train. There was so much crowd to see him that a temporary structure was installed near the Railway tracks where he would present himself for our darshan. This was the standard method adopted by the general public to see the MAHATMA by waylaying the train carrying him. My father climbed the steps carrying me to garland MAHATMA GANDHI with the Khadi yarns spun by us at home. What an occasion to garland one of the greatest men who ever walked on this earth. Gandhi was observing MAUN  मौन  on that day and did not speak.

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KB SUNDARAMBAL(1908–1980), versatile Artiste, Queen of Music was already 40 years when I first heard her songs in person, when I was a boy. She sang in her glorious vibrant voice, in praise of Lord Muruga, during Chittirai Festival in my Town and I was always sitting on the ground  right in front of her. She was the Saint-heroine of Films for 40 years and was the highest paid actress of Rs.0ne lakh, even before I was born. She was also the first lady [film artiste] MLA of Independent India. I have been hearing her mesmerizing songs for the last seven decades without losing fervor. All time Great.-
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When I was a teen-ager, I happened to attend a marriage function in the house of my relatives at Basalulla Road, Madras, which happened to be the opposite house where RAJAJI lived. I used to look at him in wonder, whenever we found him. I wanted to meet him on some pretext or the other. I drew a portrait of RAJAJI and at an opportune moment, knocked on his gate. I think he was reading a newspaper and looked at me, when I entered his room. I was so much excited and did not know what to talk with him. Looking at the paper in my hand, he asked me what it was. I showed his portrait which he looked for a long time. I was overwhelmed at the interest shown by him. He returned the drawing and started reading the newspaper. I was not knowing what to do and continued to wait.    "Yes..Why are you waiting ?...what do you want ?"
I collected my wits and requested his autograph on the drawing. He looked at me and showed a box and said "Drop five rupees there ". I was totally taken aback at this unexpected development, as I did not have the money and did not know what to do. I found him engrossed in the newspaper. I retreated and went back home. I could not meet him again as I got busy with the marriage function and left Madras, without his autograph, thereby missing a memento of my life..
10 DEC is the 131st birth anniversary of Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari, affectionately called as Rajaji. He as a lawyer, writer and an intellectual and he was one of the great freedom fighters. He was the first and the last 'Indian' Governor General of Independent India. Later on he became the Chief Minister of Madras State between 1952 and 1954 and was awarded the most coveted 'Bharat Ratna' in the year 1954. Earlier before independence he served as the Chief Minister of Madras Province between 1937 and 1940.
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T.K.SHANMUGAM (1912-1973) was a legend in theater and staged 
historical and other plays that sent messages on social reforms. His films  ‘ஓர் இரவு ’, ‘ரத்த  பாசம் ’, ‘கபலோட்டிய தமிழன் ’ were very popular. They came to our town, to stage their famous play "கள்வனின்  காதலி " and stayed in front of our house. I had already seen his film "ஓர்  இரவு " and had drawn his portrait from that film. I was struggling  to meet him and get his autograph. Fortunately, I was able to meet his brother  TK BAGAVATHI who acted as Ravana in the film ‘Sampoorna Ramayanam’. and through him met his brother TK Shanmugham who was rehearsing his scenes with Smt TA Jayalakshmi on the terrace. He liked my drawing and signed his name thereon. I still cherish it.
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I accompanied an elderly colleague of mine who had  an invitation for the inauguration of an Art Exhibition by SIR.C.P.RAMASWAMY IYER (former Diwan)
                           
                                                
We were early to arrive and my colleague introduced me to Sir CP as an Artist. Sir CP was discussing with me about art and proceeded towards the Hall. I also joined him and went inside after his inauguration and discussed about the paintings exhibited there. Later he spoke about art in general and I was amazed at his proficiency and expertise in the subject, far beyond the frontiers of my knowledge. The speech appeared in the newspapers and I wrote a very long critical analysis on modern art based on the news item.  It appeared in Indian Express and a few for and against views followed.

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Pandit Nehru came to Bangalore to honor the centenarian 
Sir M VISHWESHWARAIAH, Doyen of Engineers, architect 
of the famous Krishnarajasagar Dam on Kaveri river at Mysore. 

I attended the public celebrations,at the Central College grounds, near Kempegowda Circle, when Pandit Nehru climbed the stairs of the stage, jumping four steps at a time, like a small boy, to wild applause by the cheering public. Sir SMV was not present on the stage as he was very old viz., 100 years.

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                  After many months, while I was going to office. The Police, near Vidhan Souda building, stopped me as the traffic was getting diverted.    The police told me that Sir SM VISHWESHWARIAH expired and that his body is lying in state for public darshan. I joined the queue and the crowds started swelling. Sir SMV was lying in grandeur, fully dressed as usual in his western suit, coat, pants, shirt, tie, shoes and turban. He was always found in this apparel whenever he was seen in public. He was looking so small in appearance, due to old age. What a great man from the land of Mysore

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   NIKITA KHRUSHCHEV and YURI BULGANIN 

             
were passing through and I stood at a   strategic place 
in MG Road, Bangalore to see them. What a famous man was Khrushchev, who tore the iron curtain and came out in his 
western suite and hat, to captivate the attention of the world.
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I was lucky to rush in time to see and wave wildly at the tall
 and ever-smiling President NASSER  of Egypt                              
                                     
 and Marshall TITO  of Yugoslavia who passed through the same Road
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I saw the QUEEN OF ENGLAND also, near Globe theatre,
 when she came  to visit the Church.  She was so gracious and Royal.
                                                

It still amuses me to recall the state visit of the  Emperor of Ethiopia  
when the Emperor  responded to my salutations, near the Raj Bhavan.

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I was surprised when SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA agreed to speak on DISCIPLINE to our staff in our 0ffice. As secretary I supervised all the arrangements and the lecture was excellent and inspiring. I was sitting in the third row and trying to sketch the portrait of the Swamiji. After the lecture, the Boss took the Swamiji to his cabin for Tea. The Swamiji wanted to see the Reporter who was making notes of his lecture and everyone was running around to locate the Reporter. Since we had not invited any reporter, someone said that only I was taking some notes and so I was called to the cabin. The Swamiji looked at me and recognized me. I was worried as both the Boss and the Swamiji might be upset to know what I was doing. “Please show me the notes,” the Swamiji said and I meekly surrendered the sheet. “Oh.. My picture. Very nice,” said Swamiji. The look of annoyance in the face of Boss vanished and he appeared to acquiesce with what I had done. “Thank you so much Swamiji, I shall be grateful to have your autograph in this please.” I ventured and to my surprise the Swamiji signed in the Picture (in Malayalam script). “You are having Artists as Accountants,” said the Swamiji to my Boss who did not know me either as an Accountant or an Artist. I was thanking my good luck that day.

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I was Runner-up in Shuttle-cock Championships (Pune region) and 
Mr. MORARJI DESAI, Finance Minister,   presided over the Prize Distribution. I had drawn a portrait of him and kept ready for his autograph but my Boss disapproved as the Minister was in bad mood. As the list of prize winners was long. Mr. Morarji Desai was getting irritated. When my turn came to receive the prizes. I shook hands with him and received the prize. “I think you people have no Govt. work to do” remarked Morarji Desai and the Boss promptly stopped reading the names of sub-sequent winners and switched to the next agenda-item. I was also happy in not showing him the drawing as I would have got the same remark
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JONNY LEVER....While waiting in Kolalumpur Airport for my connecting flight to Bombay, I stumbled on Jonny Lever sitting quietly reading some newspaper. With my Video camera on hand, I started casual talk and spent quite an hour of memorable TIME-PASS not forgetting to record the conversation. I spoke in Tamil with him and admired him as my favorite actor who performs flawlessly like live wire. Jim Carrey of India, an artiste  with wide variety of comic facial expressions, spared me an unforgettable episode in my life. . 
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                                  13-12-11