Rtn. Sriprakash, an endearing personality is no more!

Rtn.PP Sriprakash who passed away on 2^nd June,2019 at the age of 68, was a popular Southerner  who endeared himself to everyone with his pleasing manners and genuine concern for people.

I had  known Sriprakash for over 40years . I was a member of Madras West Round Table10 when  he was active in Table 30-  A past chairman ,he was  a popular member  of that Club.  Sriprakash & Sheila were a  charming couple  and wonderful hosts. I remember attending many memorable get togethers at their  lovely home in Gandhi Nagar,  both  as a Tabler first and later as a Rotarian. My friendship with Sriprakash got cemented further, when Sheila agreed to design my small dream home in Sastri Nagar , where I live since 1982. The frequent meetings in connection with my home project   brought me closer to both Sheila & Sri Prakash.  

In 1989 when he joined RCMS, introduced by PP C.S.Ram, who was his neighbor,  I was very  happy that a good ex-Tabler was joining Rotary. He became the Secretary of the club in 1997-98. During that year he introduced two new Rotarians, nay two gems-  under the `Operation New blood ` Scheme  of the Club- Rtns - Sridharan Chettiar and B.B.Vengatesh.  During the same year we discovered that Sriprakash was  very articulate both as a speaker and as a writer. His command over English was very evident in the unusual Secretary`s Report that he presented that year

He  was the Director International services between 1998-2000. He gave us one of the most memorable events in the history of RCMS-  Vintage 60`s in January,2000, when Rtn Shyamala was the Millenium President of RCMS. Those days when we did not have the quick communication tools like email etc, he had to really work hard through letters and international calls to ensure that we got a motely crowd of Rotarians & their spouses from Clubs chartered in 1960.We had guests from many parts of the world including  Argentina & Switzerland who enjoyed the home stay and wonderful hospitality of the Southerners. It was and will continue  to be  one of the most memorable projects of RCMS in its sixty year history.

Though he should have become the President of the Club, soon after his successful stint as the International Director,   he chose to delay the decision because of his deep involvement with  an NGO called Skandashramam on the outskirts of Chennai. He was so busy dividing his time between his business and the Ashram that he did not have much time to spend on Rotary.   After more than a decade when he got out of his commitments with the ashramam, he agreed to take up the mantle of RCMS.  He became the President in 2014-15. I felt honoured when he told me that he was appointing me as his advisor during his President ship. Much before he shared his plans with anyone else, he invited me to his office and made a complete presentation on the plans he had for the club. Some of them were really ambitious  reflecting his deep involvement in any activity he undertakes. 

Sriprakash was a great dreamer and always bubbling with enthusiasm  for any project he takes up - be it a business project or a social service project. A cheerful person with a positive  outlook he was a great friend to have.  I can never forget the affection that he and Sheila have showered on me over the years.

I met him a few weeks before he passed away.  I could sense that the relapse of the dreadful cancer had shaken up his will to fight. He looked a defeated man biding his time. Luckily for him he had Sheila and other members of his family extending their full support trying to keep him in good cheer. I understand that for all the sufferings he went through during the last couple of months, the end was peaceful .While RCMS is going to miss a noble soul I am going to miss a good friend and a great well wisher. May his soul rest in peace!

Battle for water in your neighbourhood

I was at a friend`s home for dinner. At the end of the meal, my friend`s wife checked my glass of drinking water. There was some left over in the glass. She requested me to drink the balance and not waste water. I was intrigued but saw the point she was trying to make. In the context of the huge water crisis that not only the country is facing but the whole world is facing, it is important that every one realizes the importance of conserving the available water and not waste it. I am sure all of us are aware of what has happened to Cape Town in South Africa. I understand that the city is continuing to suffer from acute water crisis even now. Many other big cities and districts  in India are already facing or likely to face  similar situations in the not too distant future.

Closer home,  Chennai is in for a major water crisis this summer, thanks to a failed monsoon. Though  the rain water harvesting system we had put in place more than a decade ago had ensured that we had a copious supply of water from our open well  in our home for cooking and drinking needs, it  has gone bone dry now. I shudder at the thought of our bore well also going dry, water from which is used for all other needs of the family. Though we pay water tax regularly, we don`t get the supply of corporation water. We  buy water in tankers to make up the gap in our requirements, So what have we done to conserve water at home,  you may ask?

First step was to get rid of the water purifying unit, which was rejecting two litres of water for every litre of potable water. Though we made an effort to store the rejected water in buckets and use it for other needs, it did not always work. I don`t keep the tap open while brushing my teeth or washing my face. I try to fill the bucket with enough water to have a bath instead of standing endlessly under the shower. While taking meals I fill my drinking glass with just the quantity of water I need.  I also adjust the water flush to minimize the use of it while flushing the toilet or ensure controlled  use of water while watering the plants. While I as an individual am conscious of the need to preserve water and doing my best, I don`t see the same awareness among people in general.

The amount of drinking water that is wasted at weddings and  other public places is criminal. People think of conserving water only in a crisis situation We need a mass awareness campaign to educate people about the need to conserve water all the time.

According to the author of the book Water- Asia`s new battleground, `the war of yesterday was fought over land, and today it is over energy but the battles of tomorrow will be over water. Water stress is set to become the defining crisis of the twenty first century…stoking interstate and international tensions over shared water sources`.

Let us do our bit to avoid a ` Battle for water` in our own neighbourhood by taking every step to ensure conservation of water.  Let every home and every apartment complex implement rain water harvesting and used water recycling systems to ensure that we are fully prepared to face any water crisis in the future.

This article has appeared in Adyar Times issue dt. 02-08,June,2019 under my column `Rajan`s Random reflections`