Some events in life are remembered with pride and pleasure. I am here with the lowdown on one such event that happened in 1963 when I was studying in Class VI in the Panchayat Union Middle School in Vellanguli, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu.
Our village panchayat had built a park with rides for kids and was mulling over a name for the park. What occurred to all the panchayat members was the name always associated with children—Jawaharlal Nehru, our prime minister. It was decided to have the park dedicated to the village by some VVIP.
In those days, ministers, even chief ministers, lived a simple life and mingled freely with the masses. Unlike our leaders these days, they enjoyed serving the people and doing something good without an eye on any ‘returns’.
The prestigious choice was the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Kamaraj, who readily accepted the invite. Our headmaster was particular about organising some events to be performed in the presence of the CM. I was selected for a mono act, till then a unfamiliar show not only for the school but for the whole village. As this was soon after the debacle in our war with China, the theme was “Indo-China War: Emotions of, and challenges before, our Indian soldiers”. I was a soldier in an Indian Army outfit and addressed my colleagues ‘present’ before me. The dialogue prepared by our school headmaster eulogised our soldiers protecting our country by risking their lives and exhorted them to fight with valour, loyalty and perseverance.
My performance was not smooth, as I was nervous at the start, and shivered slightly. But I recovered and the lines flowed uninterruptedly. The chief minister was patiently watching all the events, seemingly paying full attention, perhaps deliberately, to encourage the performers. His ministerial colleague R Venkataraman, who later became rashtrapati, had accompanied him.
The celebrations sans fanfare—no pavilion, no police, no entourage—ended with the National Anthem being sung in chorus.
On leaving the venue, Kamaraj gently tapped my cheek, to commend me for my act. He was a man of simplicity, sincerity and integrity. A bachelor all his life, he was a dutiful servant of the poor, forlorn and forgotten. Is it not a rare and proud moment, the affectionate touch of a political hero known as
a kingmaker in politics? Recalling the event gives me sheer joy even now.
E Sethuramalingam
Email: esrlingam@gmail.com