An Inspiring Rendezvous with Dr. Narasinga Rao
25th & 27th May 2024 | MCC
It was a long-planned rendezvous with an illustrious alumnus of MCC, [1954-58] [and an accomplished American academic] – Dr. Narasinga Rao - on 25th & 27th May 2024 in MCC.
Dr. S. Narasinga Rao, now 86 years old, has entire reems of accomplishments to his credit!
He is fondly known as the “Grandfather of Undergraduate Research in Oklahoma”. Dr. Rao also has the privilege of studying under Nobel Laureates, Dr. Herbert Hauptman and Sir John Eccles.
When we extended a warm welcome to him over email, he promptly responded to our email, agreeing to meet the officials of the College on Saturday, 25th May 2024, and the typical MCC Gentleman that he is, he was seen waiting in the reception 20 minutes ahead of time!
During his rendezvous with us in his beloved alma mater Madras Christian College, Dr. Rao shared a lot of his fond memories of his association with his Hall, his Professors, his Mentors and his Principals.
He also had a date with his favourite Selaiyur Hall, where he joined us for lunch, – the same dining hall where he had his routine food for over a decade, almost seven decades ago!
Giving below, a few tidbits from his highly engaging conversations with us.
I was teaching here in MCC from 1958 to 1967. In 1962 I was Assistant Warden in Selaiyur Hall. When I became tutor I was staying in Heber Hall. I was in the special room No.100 for nine years. I very much enjoyed my stay in Selaiyur Hall, said a happy Dr. Rao.
I have been here many times, including the Physics Society’s Event in 2019. Dr. Prasanna’s father Dr. Francis Sounderraj was a student in Room No. 101 in Selaiyur Hall when I was a tutor in Room 100.
Francis wanted me to come and start the Physics Department in KCC, Kodaikanal. But I couldn’t come because I was Dean at Oklahoma University that time. But I deputed another Professor who later came and started the Department here in KCC.
I fondly remember my association with Dr. Bhat, and Dr. V. S. Venkataramanan in the Department of English. His uncle Subbu was my Professor for English. In fact, Subbu and MacPhail taught me English.
MacPhail became the Principal in 1962. When I started as Faculty, Boyd was my Principal.
Prof. Martin was Principal for a few months before MacPhail took over. When I left college, Dr. Chandran Devanesan was Principal.
Chandran wanted me to come back from US. I wanted to come back, but since I had lost my station seniority, and I was told that I had to begin right from scratch, I didn’t!
I met Dr. B.M. Arthur yesterday. He is 98 years old now. I’m in constant touch with him. For every Christmas, and for his birthday as well, I send a special cake for him, every year. We were good friends even as bachelors. S. R. Karunakaran, Arthur, and myself.
I met even V. K. Purushothaman, Professor of Malayalam.
We had given a donation to the Computer Lab back then along with P. M. Mathews, some six years ago.
R. Balakrishnan [fondly called Balaki) was my student. He took over my place in the Department when I left MCC. I am going to Bangalore on Tuesday, where I’ll be meeting him.
Prof. M.A. Thangaraj was my mentor in MCC. I met him in Madurai’s American College. He was a great man, and a very good role model. All these people, including Dr. Benet Albert were good disciplinarians. Benet retired as Principal in 1978.
Duncan came as a bachelor here. We both stayed in Selaiyur Hall, and I taught him Tamil. When I went to London three years back, I went to Duncan’s house. Duncan had passed away. I am still in touch with his wife Margaret, and son, Donald Forrester. Donald was four years old, when I left MCC in 1967.
Narayanan, IAS, Former Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister, who was responsible for implementation of economic policies of several Ministries, was my student. He then became my colleague. So I went and stayed with him in Delhi before his retirement. We both are great friends. There was another Narayan in the same batch. He became the Ambassador to Switzerland for six years. When I went to a conference in Hyderabad two years ago, I met him there.
MM. Rajendran, [Former Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu, and Governor of Orissa] was my Demonstrator in MCC. He was one year senior to me. K. Ragunath, [who served as the Foreign Secretary of India, and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh as well as Ambassador to Russia, Nigeria and the Philippines], and K. Raman were brothers. They both studied here.
BPR Vittal, IAS, Former Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh, and Secretary, Finance and Planning, government of Andhra Pradesh, from 1972 to 1982, and had a brief stint at the International Monetary Fund as fiscal adviser to the governments of Sudan and Malawi, was my friend.
C. T. Kurien told me that Vittal had passed away in June 2020, in his 93rd year. C. T. Kurien and Vittal were in the same apartment in Bangalore.
The last Principal with whom I was very close to, was Abel, who later became Vice Chancellor of Krishnadevaraya University.
Mithra (former Principal of MCC) and I were together in Selaiyur Hall. Mithra was in Room 36 and I was in room 20.
The last date of his application for US, he was very sick. So I filled up the application for him. Dr. Crispin Devadosss, former HoD of Botany is my good friend.
I have collaborations with three Universities in Bangalore. So I will be visiting them as well.
I wrote B. M. Arthur’s life history. I got inspired and then I too wrote my life journey, reminisced Dr. Rao!
Interestingly, he had precious photos as memories of the good old past, which he showed us with such exhilaration writ large on him. The photo when Boyd retired in 1958.
He also shared a very interesting news that Dr. Radhakrishnan, the second President of India, flew in from Delhi just to congratulate Prof. Chandran Devanesan, [the first Indian Principal of MCC], for having received his doctorate!
When Prof. Kibble (Dept of Mathematics) retired, (he was my teacher) Benet asked me to arrange a party for him in Selaiyur Hall. Kibble’s son was close to bagging the Nobel Prize.
Dr. Wilson’s co-brother Prabhakar was my student in MCC.
E. S. Srinivasan from Department of Economics is also my very good friend.
All IAS Officers back then were from MCC, especially from the Department of Physics.
T. V. Ramachandran, President of Broadband India Forum, was my student.
MM Rajendran was also my good friend.
TN Seshan was one year senior to me. In 1962, he was appointed as Director of the State Transport Department. So when I went to Canada for the very first time, I could avoid Police enquiry because Seshan signed for me. Seshan’s sister’s son K.K. Shankaranarayanan was my student.
In the 1962 batch of MSc Physics, all the top three ranks in Physics in the University of Madras were from MCC. Thangaraj wrote to me. Santharam, Director of mathematical Sciences, got the second rank, and Mr. Seshadri, who’s now in Germany, got the third rank.
My appointment letter was in an inland letter. Thangaraj wrote to me from here, saying, ‘I’m appointing you as lecturer as you’ve got the second rank’. Somehow M. A. Thangaraj had a lot of confidence in me. Devanesan was Principal back then, said Dr. Rao!
Dr. Rao is also the CFO of the American Crystallographic Association Inc., Financial Counselor, IUCR, Dean Emeritus, Dr. Joe C. Jackson College of Graduate Studies and Research, Professor Emeritus, Department of Physics and Engineering, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Oklahoma and Ex-Governing Board Member, American Institute of Physics, to name a few!
Musings to continue…
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