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Dr.S.Minakshisundaram

A Daughter's Tribute

By K.Girija.

My father was born in Trichur, Kerala in 1913. He was the blessing and boon after several years of penance performed by my grandparents. They had visited several holy places, temples and had taken a vow in Guruvayur Temple of Krishna. My grandmother though married by the age of eight years as a child she connceived at the age of 24. In those days it was considered very late and probably she had to suffer the ill social talk also. Naturally the birth of the boy child brought great joy. Being Saivites the child was named Minakshisundaram. He was called Jeja by the fond parents . Jeja meaning God. The vow at Guruvayur was fulfilled. The infant was taken to Guruvayur placed on the large weighing scales. Equal weight of butter was offered to the deity of the temple.

Girl children are most loved and petted in the family. Till the age of eight , he had long hair. My grandmother would comb and braid his hair. In the traditional way the religious ritual of Upanayanam was performed at the age of 7. With the thread ceremony the long braid became a Namboodiri Kudumi. Living in Kerala for several generations Malayalam was the language spoken; yet Telugu was spoken at home in the adulterated fashion of Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu. The life style , food habits and religious rituals had the Malayalam and Tamil influences in the family. My father had no sisters.

My father was educated in Madras. His S.S.L.C. education was from C.R.C. High School, Perambur, Madras. His two younger brothers were educated in the Ramakrishna Mutt School, Mambalam, Chennai. Education in that school was free and in the next street from their aunt's home. After school my uncles did not opt for higher education due to monetary difficulties. Both looked for small jobs. My father with his brilliance was able to get monetary assistance and scholarships for further education. Naturally though the amount was paltry he lived and pursued in higher education within the means happily. He cared for his father who was too ill to move. He would help his mother in the household chores. If his mother was ill or followed traditional ways he would cook and wash clothes of his parents.

Their life style was economically backward, traditional south Indian -Dakshinadhi- Brahmin Community. Since my father was born in Tirchur and spent his childhood in Kerala, they spoke Malayalam at home . Shifting to Chennapatnam-Madras- Chennai- because of his father's job in the BritishRaj, Tamil became the mother tongue of the family. so to say. But the original ancestors hail from Andhra and shifted to the deep south . Telugu is basically the mother-tongue and ' arva-telugu ' was and is dominant in the family. In fact till recent times ancestral landed property was in Peddapuram near Samalkot. Verdant , fertile , flourishing, prosperous fields which the middle men looked after. Independent India and Land Ceiling Act helped them to grab the lands.The family was not aware, even though my father and one uncle migrated back to Andhra. I was born in Guntur and grew up in Visakhapatnam. During my childhood I heard my grandmother and father converse at times in Malayalam. The teaching faculty of Andhra University had many Tamilians in those days. So the contact and touch with Tamil persists.

I recollect my paternal grandmother first time narrating to me of an incident when I was about nine years of age. In typical, traditional South Indian family ways my grandmother would tell the tales of Ramayana and Mahabharath and Puranas. On one occasion I asked my grandmother if the stories of all these gods were true. She smiled and narrated about my father. As a child after his upanayanam , religiously he would perform the Gayatri Japa- Sandhya Vandanam with his grandfather, morning and evening. It so happened one morning my great grandfather had to leave early in the morning to the fields. Little Jeja was told by his mother and grandmother to perform his japa. The house was a traditional Kerala house. A central open court with a trellised roof with verandahs on all four sides with rooms. On one side was the kitchen, pantry and dining area. The large , lengthy verandah or savadi was also the main area of activity of the family , what the Americans say family room. Here on the wall were were two huge , life size pictures of Lord Siva and His consort Goddess Parvathi.. Little Jeja , as was the habit , sat down before these pictures and started his Gayatri japa. Within a few minutes little Jeja fled into the kitchen and hid behind his grandmother frightened . When questioned what happened the little boy said; " The one in the picture was standing in front of me." His grandmother laughed , pacified him and said nothing to worry and that he should go back to his japa. After a while he went back to continue his japa. Hardly ten minutes had passed when he ran into the kitchen again. This time he held his mother tight petrified. Again he repeated the God in the photo frame came out and stood close in front of him. He was frightening His matted hair ' et al .' This time both mother and grandmother were speechless. They looked at the pictures and wide savidi but there was no one. They thought the child was frightened of the pictures or some evil spell was on him. They performed a tiny ritual to remove the effect of some evil eye. Yet he refused to go back to the japa.

As a child I believed the story. I would ask my grandmother to repeat the incident several times. She would religiously re-tell without any alterations.I was amazed and in awe as I believed . Today I know such spiritual experiences are true. The fortunate have such visions. Ever since I have been blessed by Bhagwan Sri.Balasai Baba's grace my childish belief has been confirmed. Since seven years I have been with Bhagwan and my experiences are unique.

My paternal grandmother was, in the modern sense, a woman of substance. Her monumental patience, her ascetic forbearance, her unconditional love for any member of the joint family was amazing! She served all with simplicity and humility. She loved and cared for all. She bore three sons. All three were gems who loved and served their parents. She loved and cared for her three daughters -in-law as her own daughters. All her three sons practiced the art of family life and respected and promoted the wife's individuality. My mother was on the contrary outspoken and has immense driving force. She studied till class 7. She is very fluent and proficient in Tamil language. She was trained in Carnatic, classical music to sing and play the violin. She promoted the same in the daughters emphatically.

My father had two brothers and no sisters. My older sister's birth was a great joy for the family. My father was awarded D.Sc. after her birth. He was also appointed as Tutor in Madras Loyola College. Two auspicious occasions were celebrated with great joy. My brother was born in 1943 and he was appointed Lecturer in Andhra University. I was born in 1945 and my father was invited to Princeton Institute of Advanced Study in 1946. So unlike in Indian families a girl child's birth and the girl children in the family are really loved and cared for. My father wanted that his first born girl should be educated. In fact he encouraged my mother to study privately. Later he even arranged for English learning through correspondence course. But my mother a true south Indian lady preferred to bask in the glory of the husband. She was busy collecting silk clothes and jewels for herself and the two daughters. Ambitiously she also acquired property for the family, a huge house. She managed the home front show.

My father believed in freedom and equal rights to women. He literally implemented in new India the respect and promotion for a free modern lady with equal in fact more rights and respectability. My mother of course never could grasp the significance of my father's foresight and magnanimity. The need to promote her individuality in the correct direction was his sincere aim. My father was way ahead of his times. His outlook and attitude was a peculiar mixture of a ' yogi ' and ultra modern concepts of the art of living. As always we never realised this value till late in life when he was no more. My father would hand over his salary packet to my mother very obediently. He never questioned her and left everything in her hands. I know not to this day of any man who has such broad views and trust in a wife.

My father was a totality , an embodiment of true values.He implemented all he believed. He was a man of few words and acted only at the required time and righteously. His presence at home was felt and even today his presence permeates the house. We never heard or saw my father except with his research work and absorbing his very existence all the time.

Two instances stand out in my memory of my father's response. Once my mother was boasting to some housewives who visited her that we were Brahmins. My father who happened to be at home passed by and overheard the conversation. Later that evening at the dining table he politely, gently and in few words told my mother he wanted us all to forget that we were " Brahmins and of high caste ." Again on another occasion my mother was scolding my brother as he wanted money to buy cricket equipment. My father who was engrossed in his research work suddenly heard mother's sharp voice. She told my brother she had no money and sent him packing. When my mother came into the room, he called her. He wanted to know how much money she wanted. He wrote a cheque and sent the office peon to the bank . H e told my mother in a simple , straight manner, " I don't ever want to hear in my house that there is no money."

My father has seen difficult times in his early life and had to struggle against poverty. My paternal grandfather was forced to retire from the British Raj Government Job due to ill health very early in his career. He was a sanitary engineer and hailed from Salem. They lived in Mambalam, Chennai, in my father's maternal aunt's house, free of rent . The very young genius Minakshisundaram would walk eleven miles to Pachiappa 's College, Chennai everyday. He would give tuition to students very early in the morning and late in the evening before and after college hours. He would never ask for fees from the tuition boys. My grandmother would goad him. He patiently explained that they will pay him when they have or whenever they wanted. Most of them failed to pay as my father never asked. His two younger brothers were schooling . Many a day would pass with nothing to eat. In fact I can recall my grandmother telling that more often they would drink only watery buttermilk and a little rice mixed with salt stored in a mud pot for two or three days. None of this diverted my father's pursuit of studies in Mathematics. Very often the Chula would be lit once in two or three days for cooking.

I remember my father once narrated that his first exam in class -I- he failed. He obtained zero in mathematics. Following academic year innocent child that he was , he went and sat in class-II room. The teacher drove him away saying he failed and should go back to class-I- The shock and realization was such that from then on he was always the Topper. His special attention and effort in mathematics was outstanding . In the British Raj, the Madras Presidency of educational standards were high. Especially the English of those days was really tough. My father struggled in the Intermediate level for English. He over came and of course his English was excellent and meticulous.

My father was religious not in the Hindu ritual religion but in his undaunted belief in goodness, truth and in humanity. To him all were good and treated everybody with great respect and affection. He never harmed anyone not even in thought form. He had no time for pettiness of human nature or life. Life was full of mathematical wonders for him. Like a child he was enamoured of his world of mathematics and research.

My father had one weakness. Anyone approached him for monetary help for education he gave generously without questioning or a thought. My father would observe everybody and everything with calm and soul searching eyes. My early memories of our home is very vivid .The Army barracks built during the World War II were converted as faculty accomodation. In 1950 when my parents shifted into these , it was a long hall with a set of rooms compromising of kitchen, stores, pantry a room for the chefs and bearers to relax at one end. At the other end the western toilets, shower rooms and bath tubs spacious and clean. The hall had five doors and ten windows on each side, and verandas on both sides running the entire length of the barracks. The entire stretch of each veranda had 18 pillars supporting the tiled roof. A false ceiling below the high tiled roof which was home to rats and lizards. They would scurry about all night on false roof I remember walls were built to divide the hall into five large rooms. Three rooms were allotted to my father and the other two to another Professor. At one end outside , a little further from the main house an " outdoor " , traditional Indian toilet was built and the nightsoil would be cleared by the scavenger daily . The central and the Third room (moodo roomu ) as we called was always occupied by four to six students. It was also a library as my father bought all the latest books in Mathematics from the world over from all the publishers. His interest in philosophy , history , literature and psychology made him purchase several books. It also had a cane table with four cane chairs for visitors received. Outside on the veranda also there were cane relaxing chairs and wooden chairs for visitors to sit out. My father accommodated students free of rent and even provided meals . All those who stayed at our house had won distinctions in education and distinguished careers too. Today many are still in high posts or retired from International Institutes or Universities. Many of them I happened to contact after 40 years. The nostalgia, sentiments and memories of their beloved professor is most endearing and touching. These 'Gems' revere the genius with glittering emotional expressions of gratitude.

My father would observe everybody and everything with calm and soul searching eyes . He had the uncanny ability to assess and read a person's nature. Most of the time he was too engrossed in his research work. He never allotted or diverted his concentration from the study of mathematics. My mother would remind us very often that we should be quiet. My father was always totally unaware of his surroundings . Any amount of noise we made it would not disturb him. Any number of people in the house servants, friends relations may move around; none or nothing would disturb him. Apart from the university and the home he had no interest in any other avocation.

Early years of his career in the Andhra University when Dr.C.R.Reddy's and Dr.V.S.Krishna's tenure as Vice-Chancellor he would visit the faculty club. Here my father would play the card-game, especially bridge was his game and played very enthusiastically. He was the faculty champion for several years. Later Later my father built his house and both the personalities who influenced his life passed away and he never visited the club. Till the last day of his career in A.U. he would walk 4 to 5 k.m. to the campus and back everyday.

In fact a Vice Chancellor , in those days, was a distinguished personality who inculcated and inspired the faculty. Dr.C.R.Reddy an eminent Academician was unaware of the young mathematician in his faculty . He received a letter from the Princeton Institute of Advanced Study in Mathematics and Physics in 1945. The letter mentioned that Prof. Robert Oppenheimer, Director of the Institute , requested the V.C. of A.U. that this young genius 'SMS' should be spared and given the opportunity to work in the Research Institute with several eminent mathematicians and physicists such as Prof. Albert Einstein. SMS should be permitted to work for couple of years . Dr.C.R.Reddy was amazed. He did not know who this young genius was . He called for the young SMS . Thence began a beautiful relationship between them. Naturally with great pride Dr.C.R.Reddy helped my father's journey to U.S. under the British Raj. My father went to U.S. as a British Indian citizen. When he returned in 1948 , India was a free Republic. Thosse days they travelled by ship. My father was held up in Sri Lanka- Ceylon in those days. To enter Republic of India his passport still showed him as British Indian. So my paternal uncle and my mother procured required government documents from Chennai- Madras Presidency Offices. My mother had to identify and declare that SMS was her husband! The required extra amount was paid for official clearance in Ceylon. I was two year old child and they had to take me also by boat from Dhanishkoti- which was washed away in 1960's by the heavy tidal waves,- to Colombo.

While in U.S. young Minakshi - as they called him abroad to shorten the long tongue twisting alien name- adopted the habit of smoking. The respect and regard the faculty had for Dr.C.R.Reddy was such that whenever Dr.C.R. appeared any where on the campus or visited unexpectedly SMS in the Dept. the cigarette would disappear without any trace of smoke also. It was an honor and the V.C. would be conducted around with great reverence.

Likewise the successor of Dr.C.R. was Dr.V.S. Krishna another eminent professor, who inspired great respect in all his faculty. My father enjoyed a wonderful relationship with him. SMS was invited by Princeton Institute and also by the Maryland University for permanent Research post by 1950 . Dr.V.S. advised that India needs such brilliant people for progress. My father's keen participation with all the leading scholars in the Conference and Research work endeared him . Dr.Homi Bhabha who spearheaded in Nuclear Research Programs in Trombay , and the Pioneer for Nuclear Research in Free India had great love and respect for SMS. Dr.Homi Bhabha also influenced him with patriotism and invited him to Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. More out of personal regard for Dr.V.S. my father conveyed to the U.S. Institute , Maryland University and to Dr.Homi Bhabha very politely that he was needed here . Till Dr.V.S.Krishna's demise he never left the Andhra University.

I remember as a child every morning at 7.30 a.m. my father and his neighbour , Prof.S.T.Krishnamachari, French & German Department would visit Dr.V.S.Krishna in the V.C. Lodge religiously. They would spend a half hour in " Satsang " about philosophy and spiritualism , relative subjects and research. In fact every morning at 7.30 a.m. the pun was: whoever was ready first would call for the other in Tamil: " Yenna Sir Kovil polama?" - What sir, shall we go to the temple? The V.C.'s lodge was a temple. Dr.V.S. would wait for them. Such was the respect a V.C. inculcated in the campus! They would return by 8 o'clock and hurry through morning ablutions and proceed to their respective departments.

Dr.S.Radhadrishnan, the second President of Republic of India, was also the Vice Chancellor of Andhra University years before Dr.C.R.Reddy. Dr.S.Radhadrishnan's son Dr.S. Gopal the eminent Historian of India, started his teaching career in Andhra University. SMS, STK, and SG were a famous trio in the A.U.campus. They were good friends. In those days India's population was less. The entire A.U. campus was compact with all the departmental buildings, administrative offices , faculty quarters, students hostels , sports grounds, open air theatre, India Coffee House , faculty club, guest house, appointment houses of V.C., Principal and Registrar , also Govt. Ration Shop, and grocers stores. Everybody knew everybody, staff, students and families were connected socially too.

SMS AS AN ADMINISTRATOR.

LIBRARIAN: The Librarian post was vacant for a period of one year or so. In 1958 , the V.C. Dr.V.S.Krishna requested my father if he could officiate until such time a suitable person was appointed. My father obliged and took the task as a challenge. This was his first exposure to Administrative work in A.U. He divided his time daily to the department and library. In those days Dr.V.S.Krishna visited the library everyday from 2.30 p.m. to 3.30.p.m. It was his routine habit to work on his subject in the library. My father made it a point to be on premises of the library before his arrival. He would conduct his department work to accommodate this time. Till the V.C. left he would be available in the library for any necessity. Such was the regard for the V.C. in those days.

Dr.V.S.Krishna was appointed as U.G.C. Chairman in 1961. The A.U. faculty members were thrilled. Over a year he served. While addressing a conference in the U.G.C. Offices he collapsed with a massive heart attack . He dropped onto the conference table and passed away instantaneously. This was an emotional blow to my father. His regard and association with Dr.V.S.K. was the driving force otherwise he would have left A.U. to U.S. long before.

He was the Warden of the A.U. Boys Hostels in 1960 to 1961 and shifted to the Warden's House which is today the Engineer's office near the Administrative block of the Registrar.There was a lot of unrest among the students regarding the administrative lapses of the hostels. A distinct change in the student community behavioural patterns cropped up. Sixties was the turbulent period all over the world amongst student communities. All kinds of new attributes and living styles began. The impact could be seen in the young India too. The hostel and mess maintenance, the inedible food , malpractices in the lower level administrative staff, ill feeling and disputes between the students and the management men boiled and exploded into student unrest and strikes. Till then strikes and students unrest was unknown and unheard of.

The warden's post was considered a royal job . Yet when my father ascended, it was a throne of thorns! We shifted from the long barrack house accommodation into the traditional bungalow of warden's house. It had gardens all round the house. A car shed and four servants quarters. A gardener , an office peon , a driver and the house maid and watchman lived in these. All these buildings were built by the British military during the World War II. It housed British military personnel.

My father worked stupendously to straighten out all the problems for two years! He visited every hostel block unannounced. Checked the rooms for cleanliness electricity and water,toilets and shower rooms. Enquired of students in a friendly manner walking into their rooms. He went on rounds everyday to various blocks and messes where food was cooked and served. He checked with the stores and maintenance. He would lunch and dine in each mess with the students as unexpected visitor. Soon he became a familiar and popular figure.

Every week he would send for meals to be brought home. We all had to eat and express our views. My mother and grandmother especially had the task to teach and guide the hostel cooks. My father would call the cooks in turns from each mess to the house. He would talk to them in friendly ways. Most of them were from Kerala or Tamilnadu. As my parents and grandmother were proficient in both languages and skilled in the art of cooking , it helped. Within a year of taking charge there was a marked change in the hostels, messes and students too. He encouraged the students to paricipate in running their hostels and messes. Teaching them responsibility and inculcating enthusism to serve each other.

Towards the end of his tenure as warden a peculiar problem cropped up.The AU doctor was a good friend of my father. He resided in the campus quarters. One night after evening duties in the AU Dispensary cum hospital the Doctor went to his father's house into the town. Late night a student fell ill and was taken to the AU tiny hospital. The night in charge tried to give medicine. Even after an hour the student was running high fever. The In charge telephoned to the Doctor. He administered further injections and medicines under the guidance and instructions of the Doctor. Unfortunately the student did not recover and expired. Within an hour the entire student community in the hostels assembled before the doctor's house. Shouting and pelting stones. When they realized nobody was within they marched to the warden's quarters.

By this time my father received a call from the hospital. He was waiting for the student crowd . It was after midnight. The entire family, that is my grandmother, mother, brother and myself were worried. My brother was a B.Sc. (Hons) student and I was in High School. My father was waiting in the front trellised veranda. Some cane chairs and cane center table were arranged here for visitors. We turned all the lights inside and outside the bungalow so the students need not be in the dark. The front door was wide open. As we heard the shouting crowd we watched from the door of the drawing room opening to the veranda.My father arose as the students entered the gate. He signaled to us to move inside. My brother was at the end of the veranda which right angled back and formed a cozy room screened from the front side.He turned off the lights here and stood behind the wooden screen just thirty feet away from the entrance door.My mother and I waited behind the curtain of the door. My father had walked to the front door with his hands clasped behind his back. He waited very calmly for the students. They rustled and surged forward. Trampling the garden and shoving each other. They came right up to the front door. There were just three steps below the door to come onto the circular drive way. The garden over a hundred yards from the door was jam packed with students shouting slogans for justice and dismissal of the doctor. For 15 minutes the crowds jostled , shouted and yelled. My father waited patiently watching them from all sides. Slowly the shouting lessened and in 20 minutes there was silence.

My father smiled sympathetically and spoke in a clear voice slowly, kindly and gently. He calmed the violent emotions of the students with soothing words but firm voice. Having pacified their emotions he explained the situation and the tragedy of the student's death. Then his voice picked up momentum and force driving home to the students the irrationality of their attitude and behaviour. He told them all necessary precautions will be made to ensure the medical needs of students.. He told them to go back and rest. He waited. There was silence but no movement from the students. The situation was tense. The silence and waiting seemed eternal.Suddenly from somewhere at the back, in the darkness, a single voice shouted "Dismiss the doctor". A stone came with great force and landed on the roof over my father's head.

From the slit in the curtain I observed my brother about to move out. I was about to move also. But my father's stance and voice froze us. Not only us even the students froze. He raised his voice very challengingly. He invited the student who flung the stone to come up. He goaded them to be bold , to come to him and attack. He chided them not to be cowards. He said justice will prevail in anything and everything. He told them he was not afraid.

There was a pregnant silence. Then the students ashamed, apologized. The sensible ones convinced turned wishing my father goodnight. As majority were convinced the rest followed like sheep. It was a half hour by the time all cleared and gates closed, doors bolted and lights turned off. We were relieved and retired soon.

Next morning as promised my father organised inquiry and settlement . The doctor retired from services. This was another emotional blow for my father . The doctor was a good friend of SMS. My father's tenure ended. He was offered and invited to continue. He refused politely and firmly.

Twice after 1945, SMS was invited by the US and UK universities for guest lectures and as visiting professor. Many exchange programs of visiting professors from Europe and USA were organised. My father actively conducted the seminars and lectures. On both occasions when he returned from abroad he brought box loads of books by surface mail for A.U.Library and department library.

Students, research scholars from other departments also, young demonstrators of various departments used to visit our home. My father was a willing guide and encouraged everyone in whatever endeavor they approached. He whole heartedly supported and assisted in every and whatever manner they required.Many a youngster found his avocation and goal. He was also responsible for encouraging and establishing new departments of various subjects. A positive approach and the Vice-chancellor, would appreciate my father's valuable suggestions. The department of psychology was opened with my father's guidance by Dr.K.Ramakrishna Rao. Even in his student days KRR was a regular visitor to our home.

From 1946 to 1948 when SMS worked in Princeton he lived as a paying guest in an independent house owned by an elderly lady. Princeton is very cold in winter with severe snow fall. The land lady was a typical American with warm nature.She was kind and affectionate towards this young foreign-alien- genius from far off India. Unfortunately the young man was an absent minded professor! He would leave the front door open even in winter. The house would become dreadfully cold inside. She spoke to the genius several times. Sincerely SMS would apologize with a promise to rectify the slip. Unfortunately he would more often forget.Then she would leave a note on the door. This helped some times. Then the note became a large hanging with block letter, CLOSE THE DOOR-instructions. Young SMS was too engrossed in his research and hurry-burry that the problem persisted. Ultimately the land lady with much regret requested the young mathematician to vacate as she suffered with arthritis.

During his tenure in US he started smoking. Gradually he became a chain smoker. By mid 1955 he suffered a mild heart attack. He was advised to give up smoking . He was advised six weeks rest with medication. Those days medical sciences had limitations. SMS returned to work after a few weeks rest The smoking commenced again.

As a child I would ask my father to give up smoking. As advised by the doctor we kept sweets and chocolates within reach.They were never touched. Once on questioning why he never gave up smoking which is injurious for health, he promptly replied, "smoking is my inspiration." Sometimes to forget and ignore difficulties and pain, emotional, mental or other wise we seek a diversion. Maybe my father, found, after addiction to smoking , an easy way to over come these.

In 1966 SMS was invited to the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies in Simla. My father was very happy. He never felt happy just teaching and the academic value of the subject was not his forte. He had introduced General Education as a subject in the graduate level. Sciences, fundamentals of sciences was taught to Arts students, and to the science graduates the Fine Arts and social subjects. My father had a wide range of knowledge. His interest in philosophy and quest for the unknown force, the source of energy was fascination as to all scientists and mathematicians. My father had a wonderful collection of books , a library at home, on all varied subjects. Some real rare and expensive books. Today most of them have been gifted to various libraries and people who needed them. So when the offer from IIAS came he was very happy. Now there were no ties that kept him in A.U. He gladly accepted and we proceeded to Simla.

In the wonderful surroundings , atmosphere of the foot hills of the Himalayan range he could work peacefully with verve. The last work of life began. I was a degree student. I saw the joy of his soul as he mused and worked. He cherished this as one of great value to the future of mathematics and to mankind. He knew this contribution of his was a major break through. Distinguished scholars from all over India and a few from abroad also were a part of the faculty. The Rashtrapathi Nivas in Simla housed the IIAS. This used to be the summer capital of British Raj as the English man could not bear the heat of Delhi! Naturally the regal grandeur of the seminars held here is something to be seen in those days. Dr.Niharanjan Ray, Historian , Head of History was the first Director of IIAS. A wonderful personality and distinguished Historian from Calcutta University. As a daughter all through life I enjoyed the attention and pampering of all these distinguished people who came in contact with my father. His stay there was exactly one year two months.

In 1967 the then Vice-chancellor of A.U. Dr.K.R.Srinivasa Iyengar invited my father to start the Nagarjuna University , Nallapadu , Guntur. Dr.KRS Iyengar another doyen of A.U. was a man of literature. My father accepted the offer . His manuscript was almost complete. The last chapter had to be finalized. Naturally with the new administrative task he had to allot all his time for this purpose. SMS came to Vizag by mMarch 1967 and we were guests in the V.C.'s Lodge for fifteen days before proceeding to Guntur. As destiny would have it Maryland University Director sent an invitation to SMS to be the Head of the Research Programs of Mathematics in US. The offer of $20.000 per month as salary with all the perks. As I was a degree student , I was given admission in the third year graduation course in the same University. My father accepted and was to join in the Fall of 1967. Meanwhile SMS became the Special Officer of the Guntur P.G. Center for the academic year1967 to 68, which in a couple of years was to become a University. The heat and the hectic teething problems of this Institute took a toll on my father's health. I was married in May 1967 in Guntur. By August my parents passports , visas &tickets were organised to Maryland. Again destiny played a tragic game . My father had a massive heart attack. He was hospitalized. This time the doctors categorically told him no more smoking. I was by my father's side when he had the attack.

The damage to the heart was critical. The valve of the left ventricle was damaged. Even the left side muscles & ventricle was was damaged. A second attack had caused the damage . He was taken to Vellore Christian hospital. In those days that hospital had reputed heart specialists. He was there for a couple of months. He was brought to Chennai. He stayed with his mother and brother for a few days. He spent a month in my sister's house with the grand children.He had another mild attack while at Vellore. The doctors said his condition was very delicate. Another attack and he will not survive. Of course though he was not informed my father's intuition was always sharp and accurate. He sensed his delicate situation. He kept telling my mother that they should go back to Vizag. My uncle , sister discouraged as they would be far and alone. For several days the discussion dilly dallied. My father eventually decided to come back to Vizag and forced everyone to make arrangements.

He told my mother that he wanted to be in his own home. If anything happened it should be in his own home. The sentiment and attachment made my mother and brother to bring him back to Vizag. He was still serving A.U. and received his salary. In Vizag he made another major decision. He was 53 years of age. He told the V.C. he wanted to take Voluntary Retirement. Naturally this created an uproar in the University and family. Dr.K.R.S.Iyengar, V.C. was baffled. V.C. spoke several times but he refused to change his mind. All his near and dear friends, colleagues, family told him not to be hasty.

My father felt morally it was wrong to draw salary when he could not attend department daily and follow the rules and regulations. The UGC Chairman , Dr.Kothari was informed. He wrote official and personal letters to the V.C. and my father. It was of no avail. Dr.Kothari visited Vizag. Dr.KRS.Iyengar brought Dr.Kothari home. For over an hour he stayed with my father. Dr.Kothari requested and gave authority to the V.C. that his car should be sent for SMS twice in the week. SMS would go to the department for a couple of hours and serve the A.U. thereby he need not take VRS. My father was moved but he knew he was incapable of any work and therefore his conscience did not permit him to accept.

Such purity of nature, simplicity in living the values, undaunted sincerity to truth, a strong moral binding character only a genuine genius can posses. The decision did not surface any unhappiness, regret, a sense of loss or failure. On the contrary he felt happy, relieved and free. These are divine qualities. So he retired and on August 13th , 1968 at 10 p.m. in the night he had an attack. I was by his side.My father was looking at me as life passed out of him. He could not speak because of the pain. The expression in his eyes was powerful and he seemed to will something through me.

Unfortunately both my grandmothers outlived my father . My paternal grandmother's stoic nature found a crack at the age of 84 then. A year later a son was born to me. At that time I was living in Ernakulam , Cochin, just one hour journey to Trichur, my father's birth place. We had visited the Guru Vayur Krishna Temple. My paternal grandmother when she heard she desired strongly to come to Ernakulam. Of course she was too old and my uncle did not permit. My paternal grandmother died in June 1976 exactly 8 years after my father's death. Exactly 6 months later my 6 year old son returning from school was knocked down by a Matador van and killed in Ernakulam.

Many a time I wondered if my father's last look was strong wish to be reborn to me . See his mother die and then left me to bear the pain.

The Humour of SMS:An old student of my father's , a retired naval officer narrated this anecdote. SMS teaching of Quantum Analysis was something marvelous. Both the teacher and the taught were lost in the magical world of the topic oblivious to time and place. Such was his sensational flair for the subject . Every batch raved about his teaching. The ash tray would precede to the classroom. At times while taking a private class at home for a few students , he would hold a cigarette in his left hand and chalk piece in the right. All the while he wrote and explained his left hand would steadily hold the cigarette not allowing even a tiniest speck of ash to drop . On one such an occasion while teaching , one student distracted raised a doubt., halting and cutting the magical trend. For a few seconds SMS was silent observing the youngster. The pregnant silence of tension eased with SMS voic reciting:

Meru cheppinadi maku theliyaka,
Memu cheppinadi meku theliyaka
Manamu cheppinadi manake theliyaka

Ganitha sastrame thika maka maka thika

This was a popular song from a popular movie then. The class enjoyed this because such a diversion from SMS was rare. Besides the man's greatness was such that nobody attributed any filmy distractions from him! My father never went to movies or indulged in any light, meaningless , entertainment banter . The last line was my father's addition.

Once FNI meet of mathematical association in Aurangabad , 1958-59 my father attended. All the members, professors and teaching faculties of several universities were accommodated in several hostels. My father arrived but his name was not listed in any of the buildings. The organisers were alarmed and frantic. Meanwhile in the accommodation provided for women faculty one room was unoccupied. They discovered that room was reserved for the faculty member from A.U. Prof.S.Minakshisundaram.

"So you have made me a lady?" My father asked smiling. Imagine the horrible embarrassment of the conveners. My father's name is misleading.People thought he was Tamilian. Actually we are Telugu but ancestors migrated to deep south to Kerala . Hence my father's birth in Trichur, Kerala, then settled in Tamilnadu last two generations , so educated in Chennai. My father came back to Andhra for his career. So the return of the Prodigal son!People often misconstrued the name to be a lady.

On another occasion as the Special Officer P.G. Center, Guntur he had to shoulder the teething problems of such establishment, which are well known, The staff were a little irritated with each other. The staff were a little irritated with each other. One sunday morning Telugu professor visited my father at home. He was pouring his woes of how some of the staff teased him with popular saying:

"Vana pamu oka pamena,

Menatha koduku oka mogudena,

Telugu professoru oka professore na?"

My father had great difficulty to console him because my father too is "a menatha koduku to my mother!"

I have recorded what little I could of my father. The memoir can be lengthy but there is much I have omitted . Of his subject I know nothing. Honestly mathematics is beyond my comprehension! Infact on one occasion after discussing about literature my father gave a speech inter connecting literature and mathematics. The commonality of relationship was unique which he delineated. I pray that posterity cherishes a daughter's small tribute.

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K. GIRIJA
Youngest offspring of SMS.