My elder son-in-law, Ranganathan Uppili Srinivas, popularly known as `RU` among friends and `Cheenu` among the family, is turning 60 today, 25thJuly,`26. While welcoming him to the world of senior citizens, nay, Seenagers, my mind travels back in time to when he became a part of my family. He is the only son in his family after four sisters. After completing his CA in India, he went to do his MBA at Oklahoma State University in Boston, USA. He worked in Boston for a couple of years before he returned to India to look after his old parents.
In 1994, I was looking for an alliance for my elder daughter
Kavitha, who had turned 21. After getting a gold medal in Fine Arts from Madras
University, she was working in my advertising agency as an artist. I came to
know about RU through a friend. After all the formalities were over, the
wedding took place in `Santha Sundara Mahal` on LB Road in Adyar, where the
Eros Cinema was located. It turned out to be a grand society wedding with a
large gathering of friends and relatives from both sides attending the wedding.
I remember many guests commenting that RU and Kavitha looked like a `Made for
Each Other` couple, which they continue to be. Immediately after becoming my
son-in-law, RU asked me if he should address me as `Mama' or ' Appa '. He was
more comfortable calling me `Appa`. Much to the annoyance of my late wife, my
relationship with RU has been more like a friend than a father-in-law.
RU, very intelligent, articulate, caring and tech-savvy, is
a people person with a huge network of connections, spread across the country.
He is always keen to learn new things and puts his heart and soul into whatever
he takes up. Like his entrepreneurial effort in starting `Idli factory`, making
ready-to-eat oblong-shaped Idlis coated with gunpowder ( Idli podi), sold in a
carton with six Idlis, with tissue paper. It was indeed a very innovative idea
as a travel companion.
A man with a golden voice, popular as a singer in social
get-togethers, he decided a few years ago to learn Carnatic music while
simultaneously honing his skills as a `Karaoke` singer. An early riser, I have
found him practising singing (`Sadhakam) every morning, sitting next to the
window in his drawing room. He would take a break to give me a hot cup of
filter coffee as soon as I came out of my room after my morning ablutions,
whenever I was staying at his house.
RU is a typical Corporate Honcho who loves partying. A great
conversationalist, he is a person who loves to argue. Sometimes, I feel that he
does it for the sake of arguing, but all the same, he is delightful company. He
has done well in life and is a much-respected professional in his field, and is
very popular among friends.
I am also happy that he has given full freedom to my
talented daughter Kavitha to indulge in her passions and supports her in every
way. They blessed me with Arul, my first grandchild and later Nila, both very
intelligent and talented, like their parents. Both kids are very mature and
have their heads on their shoulders, and are doing well. God bless them
On this day when he celebrates his landmark birthday, I pray
god to bestow good health and happiness on RU and help him realise all his
unfulfilled dreams in life
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