THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Archives are not just about fixating on the past, but being inspired by the legacy of those who have left their mark to move on to greater things.
For Parvathy S, director-in-charge of the state archives department, sitting on the chair that was once occupied by her father, is a moment of great pride and joy. She took charge of the 62-year-old department a couple of months back.
The archives department, for her, feels like extended family, with fond memories of accompanying her father to his offices as a child. Dr N Rajendran was the first full-time director of the department. He was in charge of the department from 1981 to 1987. It was during his tenure that the present building was constructed in 1986. Previously, the department functioned from the Poojappura central prison as the Central Archives.
An avid reader and history buff, he was a professor with University College, in the state capital, before joining the department. Many civil servants and famous people were his students.
Rajendran passed away in an accident while on a work-related trip. A research hall within the department is named after him.
Parvathy was in eighth grade when her father died. Following in his footsteps, she graduated in history. She remembers her father as someone who read all the time. “He was extremely passionate about history, reading the same book multiple times. His scholarliness has always been an inspiration,” says Parvathy.
Parvathy began her career in the department nearly three decades back. It was a conscious decision on her part, and she is glad and proud to work in the department that was once headed by her father. “Assuming the role that my father once held is a divine experience,” she says. Standing in the hall named after her father, Parvathy adds that she can feel his presence guiding her through.