The beginning of a new chapter

A new chapter in my life has begun. While I am excited about the prospects I am also a little nervous about how things will shape up. My mind goes

back to the time when as a 26-year-old man I took the first bold decision in my life. Within just three years in my dream job with Clarion Mc Cann advertising, based on the advice given by my well-wishers I decided to move to a one-bedroom, two toilets attached flat in Santacruz, Mumbai. The rent was Rs. 400 per month. My salary then was only Rs 1000 per month. The 250 sq.ft room in a chawl in Matunga, where my family of six was staying, sharing two toilets with 56 others every morning, was costing my father only Rs 20 per month. A very cautious man that he was, my father refused to move to the flat with the family. His argument was if for any reason I lost my job the whole family would be in the streets. However, due to unexpected circumstances, the family moved with me within a year, justifying my decision. With divine grace and elders' blessings, I moved up very fast in my career ultimately landing in Chennai, where for the next 50 years I had a glorious inning realising many of my dreams and also leaving behind my footprints on the sands of time in several professional and service organizations that I was associated with. It was a period of many achievements and new experiences which made my life meaningful. During this period many out-of-the-box solutions I found to many of the problems I faced, proved to be right. Including what I did with an explosive letter my wife wrote to me which became a turning point in her life and our relationship. I am sure that my well-considered decision to move to Nana Nani, the senior citizen home in Coimbatore would also turn out right. After all it was Shirdi Saibaba who fast-tracked the whole process. Look for my next posting to know more details.

 

A recognition after 30 years

 

Amid many farewell get-togethers, I attended a meeting with a difference. It was organised by the First batch of students of the Post Graduate Diploma Course in Advertising conducted by the Advertising Club Madras that was launched during my year as the President of the club in 19994. Vijay Vasudeven the ever enthusiastic member of the group had managed to get 10 out of 19 participants in the course to attend the event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the course and also to honour me for initiating the course which changed their lives for the better. While I feel delighted to get the recognition after 30 years, I think it would be appropriate for me to reproduce an extract from my autobiography which talks about my involvement with the Advertising club Madras and how the idea for the course was mooted and implemented .

"When K.A. Srinivasan, a veteran committee member became the President in 1992-93, he invited me to take over as the Convenor of the Club’s own building project. As a first step, I prepared a project report, clearly spelled out the objectives, outlined a structure and also worked out a budget. Armed with this document, I approached some of the leading lights in the agency business in Madras for their support.

Encouraged by the positive response I got, we started looking out for a suitable office space. Over the years, the club had saved about Rs. 5 lakhs. However, most of the premises on offer required more than Rs.10 lakhs. It was then that I came to know that my friend, Tabler Indu Chandhok had some office space available in Carex Centre, the building owned by his group company. Though the total value of the property was Rs. 9 lakhs and we were Rs.4 lakhs short, Indu, because of my personal relationship with him, agreed to sell the property to the Club, on condition that we pay the balance within a specific time. He was kind enough to allow us to take possession of the property and start work on the interiors. The property was registered towards the end of Srinivasan’s term as President. It was a proud moment for all of us when we performed the Pooja at our own premises on the second floor of Carex Centre, centrally located off Anna Salai.

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When I took over as President from Srinivasan in 1993, not only did I have to raise Rs. 4 lakhs to pay Indu Chandhok for the premises, but I also had to find the money for the interiors. R. Krishnamurthy of Eenadu, one of the pillars of Ad Club those days and I called on R.K. Swamy, N. Murali from the Hindu and others for help. Swamy straightaway committed Rs. 3 lakhs, N. Murali Rs. 2 lakhs and another Rs. 60,000/- came from Shanth Kumar of Deccan Herald. An appeal to the members to contribute to the Building Fund helped in donations coming in from several small and big agencies and also individual members.

Once sufficient funds were collected, Srini helped with the interiors which not only served as a classroom for 20 students and a library, but also had a corner where the administrative secretary and his assistant could be seated. I managed to bring in Janardhanan, who helped me run the Round Table India Secretariat, to help set up the Secretariat of the Ad Club Madras. It was a dream come true for all of us when on 24th February 1994, we inaugurated the ’Centre for Advertising’ at our own premises with Arun Nanda, the then President of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) as the Chief Guest. In his speech, Mr. Nanda acknowledged that it was the first time ever that such a centre was established by any Ad club in India. He was also delighted to learn about the proposed PG diploma course in advertising that the club was planning and wished it all success!

The PG Diploma course was my solution to the perennial problem of man power shortage in the booming advertising industry at that time. A jewel in the crown of Ad Club Madras, as it was called those days, the project was planned as an integral part of the permanent secretariat, to ensure continuous activity in the club and also to provide a regular income. The course initially trained 20 students, the number limited by the capacity of the classroom.”

Though I started it, the credit for running the course successfully for more than 20years should go to Past President Jagannath Ramaswamy,as the Course Director. It is not often that a Past President of any club can sustain his interest in any activity for such a long time. I am happy that Vijay and his team also honoured Jagannath at the function.

It was appropriate that the current office bearers of the club under the dynamic leadership of Bala also participated in the event. It is heartening to note that the course, after a gap due to the pandemcic, has been relaunched, with new syllabi. While I congratulate Vijay for conceiving the idea of the alumni get together of the First batch I hope he will help in forming an alumni Association of all past students of the course. I wish him and the office bearers of the Adclub Madras all the best in their endeavours to take the club to greater heights

11th Anniversary of Prabha Rajan Talent Foundation.

Eleven years have flown by since the passing away of my life partner of 40 years on 5th January 2013. Instead of mourning her death, I have been celebrating her memory through the activities of the Prabha Rajan Talent Foundation ( PRTF), which I founded in her memory. Apart from being an accomplished writer in Tamil, Prabha was also interested in singing, gardening, and social work. She was a house-proud woman who believed in maintaining a beautiful home to which one was happy to return every day. I have been living with beautiful memories of my life with her for the last 11 years!

In the last 11 years, PRTF has held essays, short stories, novella contests, and many other ideas in association with Kalaimagal, Mangayar Malar, Ladies Special, and Amudhasurabhi magazines. Has supported 15 budding female writers in Tamil by co-sponsoring the printing of their books mainly published by Manimekalai Prasuram. PRTF also contributes towards women-centric projects of the Rotary Club of Madras South & Inner Wheel Club of Madras South. Many other projects to support deserving female students are also conducted regularly.

Last year PRTF for the first time associated with Kuvikam to conduct a short story competition and in association with Ladies Special magazine recognized two women achievers, both senior citizens with the PRTF Role Model Awards, This year also this programme with Kuvikam and LS repeated.

This year`s event, held at the Anand Chandrashekar Mini Hall in West Mambalam, was a modest affair with 60 60-plus audience. Many of them were accomplished writers in Tamil. The event was conducted with aplomb by Girija Raghavan, editor of Ladies Special magazine, a guest of honour who also doubled also as the Emcee of the evening. After the mandatory prayer and the welcome address by me, the first part of the event witnessed, the 91-year-old Mrs Padma Mani and the 83-year-old Mrs Padma Rajan receiving the PRTF Role Model Awards, given in association with Ladies Special magazine. Presented to them to prove that age is no bar for pursuing one`s passion. This was followed by the release of the 200th book of Kuvikam, containing the prize-winning stories from the short story contest conducted by Kuvikan, prizes sponsored by PRTF. Kirubanandan one of the Kuvikam twins, in his talk briefly traced the story of Kuvikam and briefly explained the process of judging practiced this year. He mentioned that the first three prizes were from the short-listed entries by a panel of three judges chosen by the well-known bilingual writer Vasanthy. It was interesting to hear that over 250 entries were received for the contest this year. The book was released by the chief Guest Dr. S. Murugusundaram, an accomplished Tamil writer and a well-known skin specialist. The first copy was received by Ravi Tamilvanan, Director of Manimekalai Prasuram and a close associate of PRTF right from its inception. The last event witnessed the chief guest distributing the cash prizes to the First three prize winners. In his address, laced with humour, Dr. Murugusundaram, congratulated the Role Model Awardees and the prize winners in the short story contest. He also appreciated the PRTF's efforts to bring to the limelight the hidden talents of talented women, age no bar. He also talked about his second book titled `Dr.Valluvar`, a self-help book in which he gives useful tips based on the health-related sayings of Valluvar. A copy of the book was given free to those interested.

Thank you Kirubanandan and Girija Raghavan for organising and managing the event this year with your trademark efficiency.