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.
He
is Professor Emeritus, Department of Physics and Engineering, University of
Central Oklahoma.
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!
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