Remembering Professor
George Thomas, a wonderful friend, a noble soul and a committed teacher, who
passed away this same day, last year.
When I was informed of the tragic news by a common friend, about the sudden mishap and his subsequent death, last year
this very day and time, I couldn’t believe the news at all! It was being flashed across new
channels the whole day! Indeed such was the deep shock and dismay on this sudden
departure of such a loving, gentle and dynamic, 45-year old Professor of
English, George Thomas Kuzhivelil to the teaching fraternity at large. [The news item here.]
This post is more of a
personal tribute to such an amazing literary being. Hence this post may not have
wider academic import as such. I’ve shared a few snapshots from
off the hundreds of emails we’ve exchanged all along! And a couple of snaps
too, in sweet recollections of our camaraderie and our literary walks down
memory lane!
That was a foretoken of what’s
in store in this heartfelt tribute to a noble soul!
Well, we both shared
such an amazing friendship. Be it our talks or our walks, we always spoke pure academics,
noble thoughts and equally ennobling ideas.
Never was there one talk that meddled with somebody's personal life, or on a gossip or on a people-talk, anytime anywhere in
our convys! Sprightly discussions they were by all means!
He used to mail me
regularly on anything that touches his heart, on the selfsame day itself! Be it the
rains, the research process, the unreliability of most of the online material and sources for teaching, the model exams, paper valuation work, books and reading, and on
literally anything under the sun.
A sincere and an upright
person, Professor George Thomas was known for his integrity, his character and
his commitment.
You talk to him for an
hour and you understand there’s more to one’s academic life than mere rote
learning and routine classes! ‘Students are interested more in studying for
their exams, than in preparing themselves for life’, he used to say!
He was a strong votary
to the reading of good books! He also
advocated publishing one’s scholarly articles in journals of repute.
On this
note, I remember Thomas Sir handing me a copy of their College’s Research
Journal, with such joy and pride writ large on his face.
A very unassuming
person, Professor Thomas is also known for his simplicity and decorum – which,
I guess would be his hallmark! Be it his attire, his table manners, his way of
communicating with others – he impresses everyone with his graceful and polite
mannerisms!
Punctuality was yet another attribute that one needs to learn from
Prof. Thomas! If an event starts at 10 am you could surely expect him to be
there by 9 am on the dot!
Every time we talk or we mail each other, he’s sure to recommend and/or give me a host of books that he’s
loved reading.
Never was there a mail or a call from him that did not carry a
book recommend on it! Such a passionate literary being he was!
The Manga edition to
Shakespeare’s Hamlet that he had once
recommended, was such a revelation! He’s told me many a time that he’s had a
particular liking for the sage and sound advice given by Polonius to his son
Laertes! Precepts for life, that he practised with much diligence, all through
his blessed life! Giving y’all a snapshot of the page where Polonius gives his
mind to his son from the Manga edition -
This apart, he also
used to share with me some of the amazing blogs that he used to read. One such
blog is by one Mr. Alexis Leon. A blog that’s sure gotta be high
motivation for everyone! It’s titled, Reflections of a Survivor! Alexis, has currently published his fiftieth book, as
reflected in his blog!
Thanks to Professor Thomas for introducing such
illustrious minds and such illustrious writers beyond number to me. Added, he’s also
shared with me lots about a few eminent personalities from his own life. Just
giving y’all a few from memory – from our talks and walks together –
The first person, whom
he fondly calls his mentor, for whom he had such high regards, is Dr Gigy
Joseph, formerly HOD and Professor, St. Berchmans college, Changanasherry. In his
own words, ‘he was and is the best name in American Literature, Critical
Theory and Cultural Studies for me. Now and Always. Period. My mentor’. A host
of other names also don the list. A few of them I remember are: Dr. Jeevan
Kumar, Mr. Subin Varghese, Ms. Navitha Jose, Ms. Tina Ann Rebecca, and Dr
Jyothimol! There might have been a host of names he considers close to his
heart. But these are names he loved sharing with me, on all things academic! He
calls them dynamic literary minds of the highest order. So my respects in
particular to them all!
In one of his mails,
he also had such soulful words of praise for our Reading Group on Whatsapp titled,
‘Readers Rendezvous’.
This apart, Thomas sir was highly creative. Be it a birthday, be it on New Year's Eve, be it on Onam, or Christmas, he had his own cute way with words, and he delighted in sending these lovely wishes to his close buddies. This is one such greeting, conceptualised and designed by Thomas sir. I've never seen a more beautiful summing up of the spirit of Christmas ever!
Now for a special snap of Thomas sir in spirited literary discussion, for us all -
Now for a special snap of Thomas sir in spirited literary discussion, for us all -
And this one, was at the beach with us all -
This post is a rich tribute
to such a wonderful soul, a gentle and cordial human being, who made an impact in all that he said
and did!
I terribly miss him,
as i feel I’ve lost an amazing literary being.
Rehashing a few
memorable lines from Shakespeare, that I believe, would fit Thomas Sir to a tee!
Here goes –
His life was gentle
and the elements mixed
so well in him
that Nature might
stand up and say to all the world
“This was a man.”
Yes! He really was!
images: this blogger's!
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