an unsung hero

Agreat husband, father, brother, son and comrade – that was my late grandfather, Sri RM Sundaram. May his soul rest in peace. People grieve at the loss of loved ones in their life, and grieve we do quite inevitably. However, when one soul has lived such a virtuous and fulfilling life as my grandfather did, we can only celebrate his sagacity and hope that we encapsulate his nobility in our daily endeavours, letting memories of him subsist.

From a young age, my grandfather was an incandescent all-rounder, starting early with his many talents. Born on November 19, 1919 after World War I, he grew up in Mylapore and spent his youth studying in PS High School. It was here that Sri Sundaram discovered his passion for Indian classical music, a part of his education under the tutelage of Sri Koteeswara Iyer, one of the greatest composers in the history of Carnatic music and most familiar with rasikas of the art form.

My grandfather’s determination and passion for this style of music was evident in his actions.

In an interview conducted by his nephew Mohan Santhanam, my grandfather was asked how often he would go to his music lessons.

To this my grandfather simply smiled and stated, “I actually used to skip games and sports and go to Koteeswara Iyer’s house in the evenings, twice a week!” He was nevertheless, the opening seam bowler in his local cricket team; a testament to his natural athletic abilities.

In 1938 at the age of 19, Sri Sundaram had the honour of co-writing Sri Koteeswara Iyer’s book, Kandhaganamudham – a collection of kritis or poetry pieces from the great composer in the 72 melakarta ragas of Carnatic music. In the introduction to the book, Sri Koteeswara Iyer acknowledged my grandfather as having propagated his kritis through his melodious voice which brought the audience happiness and appreciation for this style of music.

Sri Sundaram’s musical knowledge extended beyond his vocal abilities. In the mid1940s he decided to explore the world of Carnatic music further, and conducted a thesis surrounding the importance of music in Indian classical dance. Paying respect to my grandfather as he could not be present at my sister’s arangetram (a Bharatanatyam dancer’s debut performance), my cousin and I had the privilege of singing Varana Mukha, a famous kriti of Sri Koteeswara Iyer, and the first composition that my grandfather had ever learned.

Aside from being highly musically inclined, Sri Sundaram also showed expertise and knowledge in other disciplines: he obtained certificates in Radio Engineering and Paramedical Practice. Circa 1947 he collaborated with his maternal uncle Sri N Ramakrishnan (exMP Rajya Sabha) to establish a pro-bono medical dispensary for the disadvantaged, attending to patients’ immediate medical concerns and needs. However, the height of my grandfather’s philanthropic feats was 30 years as a social worker at Pammal Leprosy Clinic, Chennai under the auspices of the Madras Christian College, Tambaram. Here, he treated those affected by leprosy, a fatal epidemic of the period. To most, witnessing such illnesses on a day-by-day basis would cause fear and desperation, but my grandpa showed fortitude and bravery in assisting those in dire physical straits.

A man of his word until his demise on November 12, 2012, my grandpa continued wearing khādī (hand-woven or handmade) garments only. This was nothing but a true act of patriotism and love for his motherland. I recently discovered my grandfather was a freedom fighter when India was under British rule, and a strong supporter of Gandhiji’s movement for independence. My grandfather committed his life to social work and freedom fighting, while maintaining his passion for music. He never expected any kind of monetary incentives for his services, and only believed in alleviating the sufferings of others while following the Gandhian way of life.

Sri Sundaram’s offerings to this world did not end at his passing. As a final wish on his demise, my grandfather kindly and most humbly requested that his body should be donated to the Madras Medical College Anatomy Labs. He will be missed, truly and greatly.

Bharathi Sriram