The School on the banks of the river Cauvery

A single moment can decide the course of our life.

My life's course was decided in 1983, almost 40 years ago, in the month of May, at Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, on the banks of river Cauvery. It was about my admission to 6th std in a new school, after finishing primary school.

I wanted to join the E.R. High School, located on the southern banks of river Cauvery and part of the city of Tiruchirappalli. It had a good reputation and was also affordable. My father took me there for admission to 6th grade. Unfortunately, I didn’t fare so well in the ‘entrance test’ to get the merit seat and hence was offered a ‘donation seat’ which came with a premium. My father could not afford that. As it was already noon, and my father wanted to get me admitted soon, he prodded the ER school clerk.

“Is there any other good school nearby that would charge fewer fees?”

“There is this Srirangam Boys High School. But, it is across the river and away from the main city. Would you be interested?"

The normal answer would have been a 'no'. Because river Cauvery was the northern boundary of the city and no student from the city ever ventured to cross the river and study on the Island of Srirangam. But, my father took a decision to cross the river and to go and see the school. That was the moment.

The decision to cross the river was like crossing the Rubicon. It changed my life.

We reached the school around 2 pm in the noon. Surprisingly, I did quite well on the entrance test. The principal, Shri. Sanakaranarayana, (SSN) was impressed and admitted me immediately.

Had I not studied in Srirangam school, I would not have met RC sir (R. Chandrasekhar), the best teacher I have ever come across in my life. He taught Chemistry and I fell in love with that subject. Because I liked Chemistry, I decided to do Chemical Engineering. Because I wanted to do Chemical Engineering, my choice of colleges narrowed down and I ended up at Regional Engineering College, Trichy (Now, NIIT).

And REC, Trichy, changed me from a small-town boy into a confident youngster to get two jobs in the campus placement and later choose a third one at SAIL, Bokaro Steel Plant. And it is because of joining SAIL, I could prepare for IAS and clear it in 1998.

So, the person behind all these is Shri. R. Chandrashekar, fondly RC, the Chemistry teacher. So, what did RC sir do?

Apart from teaching well, he encouraged students as I have seen never before. Every attempt to answer the question in the class will be received with such genuine admiration from him! He was a world of motivation and recognition. He will look for reasons to appreciate everyone. Even if someone answers a very simple question, he will applaud and say. “Padichuttu Vandheengala, very good” (Oh, you have read well and come to the class!).

It made us read more and more. Students were motivated to read the lessons prior to the class and come prepared to hear those encouraging words. Even the worst student in the class never bunked RC sir’s class. In fact, the backbenchers would be found in the chemistry lab, even if they miss the regular classes.

It was not just chemistry, but, RC sir pushed the students to challenge their limits. When I struggled to speak a single sentence correctly in English, he sent my name to the district-level English debate competition! When I was horrified to see my name, he simply said, ‘Unnum Aagadhu, neenga Nalla pesuvinga parunga’ (Nothing will happen, you will do well!). I didn’t do well, but that was the starting point for my debate competitions and it took me to the position of becoming General Secretary of the College Student’s Union at REC, Trichy.

Now, when I look back, I realize the most important quality in a teacher is to encourage and build confidence in the student. When the teacher keeps faith in the student, the student almost always redeems it. And RC sir did that with aplomb.

My school friend JP (whom I bumped into after 20 years!) concurs with me that RC sir is the best teacher anybody would ever come across. To this date when we call RC sir, we feel the same encouraging and motivating words from him. He is a true blessing in life.

The school had other legendary teachers too. V Ramanujam, (Math), PN Shekar (Biology) N Gopala Krishnan (English/Maths), Nacchimuthu (Physical Education), apart from the dear school Principal, Sankara Narayan sir. His physics classes were a treat to listen to.

The school is now called ‘The higher secondary school for Boys, Srirangam’. What sets the school apart from other schools is the fact that it drilled the sense of duty as the highest quality among all.

The motto of the school is ‘Duty thine only Idol’. This will surprise many. Because it keeps one's duty first, even before worshipping God. That too for a school, that is located on the Island of Lord Ranganatha and almost every founder and teachers of the school are deeply religious. This was ingrained in my mind, that duty comes first in life.

Decades later, in 1999, when I saw the etching on the entablature of Vidhan Soudha, the seat of the Karnataka Government, ' Govt work is God’s work’, I found it echoing the words 'Duty thine Only Idol'.

From the banks of the river Cauvery to the portals of Vidhana Soudha, the journey was made possible by my school, the Srirangam Boys High School, and the decision to cross the River Cauvery.

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NB: My sincere thanks, Shri.

Suresh Kumar S

, the Hon'ble MLA and ex-minister for Karnataka Govt for prodding me to write this two years back.