A Tribute to Major Mukund Varadarajan by his Friend Maj. Vishwanath ❤️

A Tribute to Major Mukund Varadarajan

By

Maj. Vinod Vishwanath

Alumnus, Madras Christian College

From The MCC Magazine | 2014-2015

I write this with great sadness over the unimaginable loss of my best friend. They say you never understand the loss until you experience it.

I know what it means now, because I have lost a dear friend who always gave it all for his friends. But what destiny has in store for you is totally different.

Mukund had an amazing competitive streak that came out during out numerous times together. We had lot of common interests, be it cricket, badminton, running, hitting the gym and almost everything else.

What was astonishing was that he grasped things fast and kept at it. That pretty much sums up Mukund's attitude towards life. He hated losing and fought for what he loved.

He was fiercely loyal to his friends, had a wicked sense of humour and had a keen sense of right and wrong which reflected in everything he did.

Madras Christian College was another thing he loved. From the cross-country route around the college, the badminton courts, the pavilion, the bell to the miller statue all bring fond memories of my friend.

The country as a whole might hail him as a warrior, patriot and a hero. But to people close to Mukund he is just an amazing friend, brother, husband, father. As somebody rightfully said, “No body tries to be a hero; they just end up that way".

A Rare Write-up from the MCC Magazine | 2014-15 by Ms. Indhu on her Husband Maj. Mukund ❤️

A Profound Tribute by Ms. Indhu Rebecca Mukund

From The MCC Magazine | 2014-2015

Titled,

A Tribute to Major Mukund Varadarajan

The Son, The Husband, The Father, The Friend, The Officer

Two lovely and soulful tributes on Major Mukund are featured in the 2014-2015 Volume (LXXXI) of the MCC Magazine.

The first one, on page 65 is by Indhu, his wife, and the second one, from his friend Vinod Vishwanathan.

This bespeaks to the importance of documenting such inspirational tributes. Kudos to the Editor of the College Magazine for having thoughtfully done this memorable archiving for posterity’s sake.

Here goes her soulful tribute –

Indhu Rebecca Mukund

Alumna, Department of Communication, MCC,

(W/o Maj Mukund Varadarajan AC, Alumnus, PGDJMC, MCC-SCE)

Maj. Mukund Varadarajan A C

The Son, The Husband, The Father

The Friend and The Officer

Gleaned from the Madras Christian College Magazine 2014-2015

Mukund was an ordinary man with extraordinary aspirations and a strong, almost-invincible self-confidence. Though one would judge him as the silent type on the first meeting, Mukund talked when he had to and was well known for his humour.

He was a sincere friend, a dutiful son, a devoted husband and a proud father. Beyond all this, today he has proved himself to be a brave soldier willing to defend his country with his life.

In one of his personal letters, he had written, that he wouldn't regret the choices he made, because, right or wrong, at the end he would at least know that he had taken the chance when he had to and proved his mettle in the face of unforeseen challenges.

The Ashoka Chakra he received this republic day justifies this passion that made him the man he was. Mukund never tolerated mediocrity in himself and his men. He believed in doing his best everywhere. Half measures were never entertained in any aspect of his life.

He strived to keep his integrity intact and to be true to himself. His colleagues and seniors saw this in him often as he never shied away from making his opinion or his objection known when required. He was also very compassionate and generous.

Of course there were flaws to him, he had a short temper, was over protective of those close to him and those he was responsible for, couldn't be diplomatic and was often too blunt. But all these were trademark traits of an officer too.

He was designed for the profession he chose and he enjoyed it thoroughly. Mukund would often say that he wanted to do something phenomenal and prove himself as a brave young officer, far before he retires. He definitely did that.

His generosity, integrity and bravery stemmed from his personal convictions that were deeply rooted in a passionate and sincere heart.

He loved his job and that is what he saw it as, job that was entwined with his sense of duty. I am told that there are men who came back to his company, to serve under him, and that was a side of him that I wanted to see but couldn't, because I was obviously not a member of his company. It definitely justifies my claim that he was a good company commander and a sincere officer who worked for his men and was fair at all times.  

On a lighter note, a true Tamilian, he was an intense Tamil movie fan and would often quote from the movies he loved, especially the movies starring Rajnikant.

But interestingly, he lived by some of these quotes, especially those from the movie Anbe Shivam. He did believe Love is God and I am glad he did because that is how and why found him and he found me.

To this day I have thanked God for letting me be a part of his life and though he has been taken from me, I choose to think that it must be because he was too good to be here. 

For the family the loss is still too difficult to accept, because he was the only son, the only brother, the only love, the bravest father. But we are proud too and we have discovered that in an uncanny manner, pride and sorrow do go hand in hand.

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"On finding out that Naavarasu had died during ragging, David dismembered his body with surgical precision..." 😭

Beauty and the Beast | 23rd November 1996

An Awesome Beauty Pageant and a Gruesome Murder

#memoriesfromdiaries

[This day, 28 years ago from my daily diary entry]

Well, this I guess is one of the benefits of writing your daily diary consistently – it helps you look back on your past posts with a whiff of nostalgia, on the daily events of your good ol’ past – the things that you have Seen, Heard and Read, and the swoonworthy/ newsworthy events from the day’s newspaper that you have faithfully transferred to your daily diary for posterity’s own sake - and when you read it today, 28 years later – you feel like events of the past come to life with flesh and blood, right in front of your Mind’s Eye – with such a ‘reality of representment’ – helping you re-live those past memories right into the present!

Indeed, as critic Scupin Richard says, our past conditions our present and ably directs our future.

And as Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita –

Whatever happened, happened for the good; Whatever is happening, is happening for the good; Whatever will happen, will also happen for the good only!

On this note, here’s wishing all ye diarists godspeed as well! 

Coming back -

Well, this particular day had two newsworthy/noteworthy events!

The first one is -

On this particular day - 23rd November 1996 - the much-hyped and controversial Miss World 1996 pageant got underway at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore.

[Controversial, because, some critics and protestors were dead against the concept of hosting beauty pageants in India, since they felt that such pageants represented women in a way that was culturally inappropriate. 

There was also widespread accusation on the pageant that, women were objectified and used merely for entertainment. Some among the protesters even tried self-immolation, and one person died in the protest as well. 

With such a strong backlash, the swimsuit competition was hence moved to the Seychelles Island.]

Interestingly, this 1996 edition was the first time India had hosted the Miss World Pageant, with representatives from 88 countries participating in the pageant.

Ms. Aishwarya Rai, the Miss World 1994, from India, was a judge in Miss World 1996.

The stage design - reminiscent of the 14th-century ruins of Hampi - was done by Sabu Cyril.

Miss World Greece (Miss Hellas), Irene Skliva, 18, was blue-crowned Miss World 1996 and till date, Irene remains the only woman from Greece to have won the Miss World title.

The 1996 Miss World Pageant in India

28 years later, this year marks the return of the beauty pageant to India, [in March 2024], the second time the event was hosted in India, when Krystyna Pyszková of the Czech Republic was crowned Miss World on 9th March 2024 in Mumbai, India.

The second news that hogged the limelight for this month - November 1996, was the gruesome murder of Naavarasu, a first-year MBBS student (with Annamalai University’s Raja Muthiah Medical College in Chidambaram), by his senior John David.

Since one of our family friend’s son was studying in Annamalai University, and I had chanced upon him today - with all curiosity - I had asked him on how the incident had happened, and he narrated the shocker of an event and its aftermath to me in such detail. 

The ghastly murder had happened since Naavarasu, (son of the then-Vice-Chancellor of University of Madras) refused to comply with the inhumane demands of John David – where Naavarasu was asked to strip and lick footwear. 

On finding out that Naavarasu had died during ragging, David dismembered his body with surgical precision and threw his body parts in various places. 

The chilling murder led to a huge public outcry, forcing the Govt of Tamil Nadu to ‘Act’. Tamil Nadu hence became the first state in India to criminalise and ban ragging in educational institutions, with the passing of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1997.

Sadly, and ironically, almost three decades later, today, even as I am typing out this post, I also happen to read about yet another shocking incident that had shell-shocked the whole of India this week.

Anil, a victim of ragging, with his sister

Anil, a brilliant student (who had scored 550 in NEET without taking any coaching classes) died within a month of joining medical college, after being ragged by his seniors in his hostel in the nights on 16th & 17th November 2024. Police have arrested 15 second-year students for the murder of their junior.

Although the Ministry of Human Resource Development under the aegis of the Department of Higher Education, Government of India has time and again emphasised on the punitive measures and the ban on ragging in educational institutions, it is quite unfortunate that, the menace of ragging still continues unabated in most of the institutions across India.

On an aside, it is quite heartening to note that, the parents of Pon. Naavarasu, [the innocent victim of ragging], have started a noble initiative - The Pon Naavarasu Trust, the very next year (March 1997) with the following noble ideals enumerated below - 

The School founded in Naavarasu's Memory

It is imperative to stem the tide of disillusionment among the youth of our time. It is possible for every socially responsible citizen to make a small beginning however humble it may be, and help generate an ethos and a milieu conductive to what Jonathan Swift long ago called " sweetness and light ". 

As a Chinese proverb goes, "Even a thousand-mile journey must begin with a single step".

To shape a generation of fine citizens who will be conscious of their role in enriching society and life. The trust will take up projects that will assist aspiring youth to enrich one's life through the appropriate application of Science and Technology coupled with the inculcation of cultural, ethical and moral values. 

The prime objective of the PON NAAVARASU TRUST is to bring about a change of heart and foster a humane disposition of the mind. 

It is hoped that in the long run such values will percolate and might even create a movement turning the young people in positive directions. 

With such a large ideal in view the trust plans to develop/run educational institutions, motivating students towards an inner culture by strengthening a sense of fellowship among them.

The Trust has also started a school called, Pon Naavarasu Matriculation School to foster their noble ideals.

More on their noble initiative can be found on their website HERE.

Giving here, a diary entry by Naavarasu, which is so heart-rending, on why he wishes to become a medical doctor in the future, written by him on 11th March 1993. 

Pictures are from: Naavarasu Trust Website/ The New Indian Express / Miss World Website

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Tips, Tricks and Cheat sheets | For Planning Your Digital Detox Routine!

Tips, Tricks and Cheat sheets ❤️

For Planning Your Digital Detox Routine! 😍

Of the 24 hours in a day’s time, statistics tells us that we are more slavishly addicted to, and intoxicated by our techno-gadgets than even tipplers of the highest order!

So it would be a misnomer to call a tippler alone an addict! 

When we ourselves are confirmed addicts, intoxicated by the power of all those techno-gadgets, that’s enslaved us to the core! There may be a slight variation in degree, but the quantum remains the same! 

Intoxicated and addicted! Both equally are! So we in us find both the tippler and the techno! ;-)

Hence, much akin to the host of de-addiction centres that are in place all across the city for patients with substance use disorder, or the host of psycho-social rehabilitation centres that are burgeoning by the day at every residential locality across the city, a digital detox centre is the need of the hour for those of us who are so obsessed with our techno gadgets 24 x 7!

Before the situation starts getting out of hand, it is time to stem the rot, ain’t it? 

Hence these detox initiatives!

Moreover, as teachers and professors, it becomes our bounden duty to promote noble thoughts and noble qualities of the highest order in our wards, ain’t it?! One such noble concept is the idea of a digital detox!

Well, a digital detox doesn’t necessarily mean that we would be disconnected entirely from society. It’s a pretty decent 50/50! 

So it starts with a 12 - hour digital detox per day!

You choose your sweet convenient timing at that! It could be evening six to morning six!

Or you may also start from morning six to evening six!

In this particular time frame, you forget the fact that you ever had a cell phone or techno connect gadgets on you.

You don’t even get to touch your gadget in this ‘golden hours’ period! Period! Promise yourself on that! 

So what do I do? How do I indulge myself in other creative pursuits during this 12 hour detox schedule?

Well, it’s quite easy to begin with!

When you are just beginning to try out on your first ever digital detox, begin with just a day’s trial on the detox!

And before you start on your one-day’s trial on the digital detox, for courtesy sake, do tell your close friends / family to get in touch with a close friend /sibling in case of any emergency connect with you.

So yup!

Here we go!

Till six in the evening, you have the entire 12 hours for you to be pally with everyone around you, your friends, your well wishers, your family, your buddies, your pals, your roomies, et al!

The clock strikes six in the evening, and you quietly and gently dispense with all your techno gadgets on you!

So what do I do in this 12-hour period?

Yes! Seven hours goes for your sleep. So you’ve got just around five hours on you now.

At the stroke of six, get your walking gear ready! Get set go! Take a refreshing gentle stroll along the garden, or on the pedestrian pathway down your street, or in the next adjacent playground near your locale! 

When you go on your stroll, do not be like the lay, the pavapetta lay, with their head bent, neck lowered, in such revered attention to their cell phones! That’s not for the types of you! Look around you as you take every step! Look at the trees! Are they native varieties or are they foreign imported trees? 

Do birds flock up those trees, and if so, do you spot any bird calls twittering back at you? Some mynahs? Some bulbuls, some egrets, some parrots, some seven sisters, there are a whole variety of them in your area! Make sure you take a close look at them! Observe them! Thank heavens for these lovely birds that enliven your evening.

On your way back, get some bananas or fruits and biscuits on you! Near your home you might happen to chance upon a cow or a dog, a calf or a pup! 

Make sure you feed them the little you have! See the way they take the food from you that you’ve so thoughtfully bought for them! See the gratitude in their eyes! [What about keeping some good, fresh water and fodder for the chirpy birds? Well, that’s for the morning routine, though!] Now look up above, high above, and with a grateful heart thank heavens for helping you do all these noble deeds! Then come back home, take a refreshing, rejuvenating bath after your evening cuppa time!

After this one hour is up, now it’s around seven pm! 

And it’s time to catch up on the day’s newspapers. [I’ve specifically told my students, especially my PG Classes that they should read at least four different newspapers every day!]

Two English dailies and two vernaculars!

So at around seven, after a refreshing bath, sit for your newspaper reading over a cuppa coffee! Thirty to forty minutes to catch up on all the news of the previous day!

Relax for around fifteen minutes.

Then, gently walk across to your reading table!

What do you do here?

Simple!

Take a book and start reading! Don’t waste time thinking about what blessed book to read! Just take a book and start reading!

And please don’t you ever read any book at a stretch for extended periods of time!

Read with intense focus without any distractions, whatsoever! But only for thirty minutes!

When you begin reading, don’t read with a desire to understand the story! There’s this common anxiety amongst readers to come to grips with storyline, and so they focus more on the characters. But that’s not the exact way to read!

You start appreciating the language of a text, every page and every line of it!

Say a ‘Wowww’, say a ‘Lovelyyy’ say a ‘Awww’, say a ‘Ooooh’ say ‘Amazinggg’, say, ‘Lovely-o-lovelyyy’ everytime you see a particular phrase or expression, a particular idiom or usage that’s so touched your heart!

That’s how you read! Not for the story line alone! Cos stories are universal! They almost always have the same structure to it! Ask the formalists, query the structuralists, and they all will stand in attention and say ‘Amen’ to that!

So you read! Read for the ‘How’ of the story! How the story has been presented to you!

What is the unique style of the story that makes it click?

What is that something special about the story that makes it endearing to you?

Now, after you’re done with your 30 minutes of intense reading, put your book face down, or bookmark it and close it for the moment.

Appreciate yourself, by patting yourself and smiling at yourself! You’ve done something extraordinary in your lifetime! :-)

You’ve sat on a book (not literally though!) for 30 minutes flat without any distractions!

That’s a huge achievement in itself of you, by you, for you!

Get yourself a cuppa hot piping coffee for yourself! Walk down the aisle, the lawn, or the footpath or the sideways! Do some moving ups, and moving downs on the stairs!

Now come back after 10 to 15 minutes, and open your diary or your scribbling  pad!

Write down whatever comes to you! Be spontaneous!!!
It could be a poem!

It could be your week planning schedule!

It could be your appointments for the week!

It could be the assignments that you’ve got to do!

It could be on some noble thoughts or ideas you listened to in class!

It could be some noble thoughts or ideas you’d gained in conversation with your friend, mentor or teacher!

Write them down! Write them all down! In some ordered way!

Let your 30 minutes of writing time be as creative as possible!

Whenever you write something down, bear in mind that it becomes a written record! A written record, becomes so valuable and highly cherished, after decades!

So write down your thoughts! Be it a short story’s outline! Or your top five friends, your top five teachers, your top five inspirations, your top five resolves and resolutions, your top five books that you’ve lined up on the stacks, your top five authors, your top five destinations that you intend to go this winter!

It could be anything! But write them down!

You’re now done with your 30 minutes! Hey presto! One hour of creative spending this evening! Appreciate yourself once again! Pat yourself yet again! Go smile at yourself in the mirror once again!

Yes! Do the happiness dance!

Now! get yourself a glass or two of water! Refresh yourself!

If you’ve got good neighbours, or good friends with whom you can talk, say a ‘hi’ to them!

A grandpa or a grandma at home? Go sit at their feet and say a ‘hi’ to them. Talk to them. Talk with affection and love to them! Do it for thirty minutes! 

Ask your grandma / grandpa if they want anything. Ask them if they need anything. Ask them if they are happy. Ask them if you could be of help to them in any way. Ask them about their favourite games and sports when they were young like you! Ask them! Talk to them! That’s what they need! And what do you get back in return?

Money? Nope!

Chocolates? Nope!!

Food? Nope!!!

Well, it’s something that is more valuable than them all put together! Yes! something that money or chocolates or food cannot get you! What you get back in reservoirs of abundance, are their blessings and their wishes for you. Their blessings in abundance are the greatest credit that has the power to steer you and to guide you all through your life!

Grandpa/grandma time may go on and on without bell or brake! But tell them you’ve got work, and tomorrow same time you’ll meet them again! They’d gladly allow you to take leave!

[Well, if you stay in a hostel, take these blessed minutes to talk with your close friends! Chat with them to your heart’s content. Joke with them! Share your thoughts with them! Do anything except except except… gossip! Discuss your future plans with them! All for around thirty minutes! Human interaction is a blessing of great value! Its value is far more precious than even the costliest rubies or emeralds!

Now, get back to your reading desk! Take another book! Start reading! Do an intense reading! For forty five minutes now – without any distraction of any sort!

Use highlighters or pencils to highlight lovely expressions that you come across! Write some of the useful expressions in a note book that you’ve got handy beside you.

To sum it all up,

Walking: 1 hr

Refreshing time: 15 minutes

Newspaper Reading time: 45 minutes

Reading: 30 minutes

Talking/Chatting time: 30 minutes

Dinner time: 15 minutes.

Getting back to reading: 1 hour

Writing time: 45 minutes

Meditation/Quiet time: 15 minutes

Having successfully accomplished all of the above, you may now get ready to do the victory dance!

The angels in heaven, and God/s above will sure join you in this victory dance, because they’d all take immense pride in creating you, in carving you and sending you into this world, and here you are, quietly and gently making  a difference in your own little way! 

After your victory dance, you may now peacefully, after having kept your triumphant routine, hit sack, and go into gentle snoring mode and avail the most pleasant dreams on you!

Now now now… tell me, tell me, tell me!!!!! where on earth do you have the time to squander, or fritter away, or waste on all those social networking sites or on doomscrolling? 

Well, before I conclude: the other day a student of mine asked me a very pertinent question! ‘Sir, if I don’t log into my facebook, I feel I am missing out on something so important. That’s why I tend to log into my facebook quite often!’

He has a valid point out there! He’s right in a way! But since he’s a student, I gave him an alternative arrangement! 

I told him, ‘My dear boy, everything you ever wanted to know as news or information may be on facebook, but you’d be glad to know that the most relevant and most appropriate news that you ever wanted to know will be carefully ordered and structured to you on a delightful package, available the very next day on a wonderful broadsheet called the day’s newspaper.’ 

‘Added, there’s no artificial intelligence unit on a newspaper to distract you jiffy by jiffy into unwanted terrains and domains you won’t even have thought of venturing into! Hence, on this particular parameter, you needn’t worry that you’d be missing something so great and so valuable!’ I said.

Yes! You surely ain’t gonna lose out on anything big!!!

Trust me! I’m not on instagram at all! And I’ve never felt anytime in my life that I’m missing something greatly, ever! Cos I get it all on the day’s newspapers! And even more!

So what do I get to do on the time thus saved from these trivial distractions? 

I get more time and space for myself - to read, to write, to talk, to blog, to vlog, to publish, to escape into the woods, to go on a long drive, to do a trek, to chat with real people and lots and lots more!

You may want to read more on a sample granny/grandpa chat time, HERE

You may want to read more on a sample trekky adventure time, HERE

You may want to read more on a sample tree walk time, HERE

Well, to conclude, the schedule above that’s been given for you, is just for the ‘detox trial day’, and meant to be tried out by students of all hues! 

And if you’ve succeeded on this routine with high degree of success, ping me on! Would gladly give y’all the regular detox routine, mailed across to you the next instant! That’s a regular detox routine spread over all seven days of the week!

Best wishes on your digital detox!!!