KOCHI: The Cochin Port Maritime Heritage Museum has got richer with a collection of 25 rare images dating back to the days of yore. The archival pictures depicting the construction of the port, especially the construction of the rail-road bridges to Willingdon Island, were handed over to the Museum on Monday.
R Shivshankar, son of R T Ramachandra aka RTR - the Resident Engineer in charge of bridge works for Cochin Harbour during 1936-40 - handed over the photographs and some old writings on the making of the Port to A V Ramana, Cochin Port Trust (CPT) deputy chairman at a function held at the museum.
Shivshankar recalled his father was the only Indian Engineer in the team of Sir Bristow who entrusted Ramachandra with executive charge of the bridges in Cochin. It was an engineering feat since underwater concrete pillars were erected on this scale for the first time in South India.He fondly reminisced Sir Bristow's farewell speech in which he showered encomiums on Ramachandra, calling him a person of exemplary conduct and an exceptional combination of theoretical and practical abilities.
Ramana recollected the contributions made by Ramachandra in providing the much needed rail-road connectivity to Willingdon Island as the Resident Engineer in the team of Sir Robert Bristow, the legendary British harbour engineer regarded as the architect of the modern port of Cochin. Of these, the Venduruthy Rail-Road Bridge and Mattanchery (old) bridge remain engineering marvels even to this day.
Ramachandra was a great philanthropic, who used to set apart a portion of his income to educate the children in his village. He was like a lighted candle which has the ability to spread light to many more candles. Ramachandra lit the candle of knowledge in several children in a rare act of benevolence. Goutam Gupta, Traffic Manager, Cochin Port Trust and C Premakumari, Secretary also spoke on the occasion.
Small-town kid made big
Ramachandra was born in Rudrapatna, a small village in Mysore, Karnataka in 1902 and graduated in Civil Engineering from the then Bangalore in 1923. He worked with the Bombay PWD, B.B & C.I. Rly, Callender’s Cable & Construction Co. Ltd, Braithewaite & Co. Engineers Ltd during 1923- 1936. After a four- year stint with the Cochin Port, RTR worked with the Inspection Wing of the Directorate General of Industry and Supply, Government of India. He passed away in 1962. RTR and Seethamma had six children and his son Shivshankar is now settled in the US.
Showcasing maritime history
The Maritime Heritage Museum situated at the North End of Willingdon Island depicts the maritime heritage of Cochin and evolution of the Cochin Port. It has on display rare photographs and old maritime equipment connected with the construction of Cochin Port. The images include arrival of the first train to Willingdon Island, loading of elephant gifted by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to the children of Russia, Mattanchery shore lined up with boats from Alleppey and construction of bridges and wharves. Models of mariner’s clock, mechanical calculator, underwater searching tool, steering unit etc are also on display.