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Thatha the Educationist
Thatha the Educationist
Our paternal grandfather - S. Srinivasa Aiyar - was the one who completely changed the course of our family.
Our paternal grandfather - S. Srinivasa Aiyar - was the one who completely changed the course of our family.
Hailing from Elathur - a small village near Vellore, he obtained his B.A degree from the Christian College in Chennai and then went on to graduate as a Bachelor of Education. This was in the late 1920s. In 1941, when offered the position of the Principal of the South Indian Education Society's high school in Bombay, he moved house and settled in Bombay and like most South Indians - then, in Matunga.
Hailing from Elathur - a small village near Vellore, he obtained his B.A degree from the Christian College in Chennai and then went on to graduate as a Bachelor of Education. This was in the late 1920s. In 1941, when offered the position of the Principal of the South Indian Education Society's high school in Bombay, he moved house and settled in Bombay and like most South Indians - then, in Matunga.
He was the first Principal of this - then newly founded school. Almost all of us have been educated in this school - which was literally a stone's throw away from our childhood home.
He was the first Principal of this - then newly founded school. Almost all of us have been educated in this school - which was literally a stone's throw away from our childhood home.
He was a great educationist and was at different times - the President of the All India Headmasters Association; the Bombay Secondary Teachers Association, the President of the Bombay Tamil Sangam and President of the Bombay Geographic Society. He was a meticulous record keeper and we have zealously guarded his records to this day. A few photographs of the news paper cuttings from those days are shown below. He was a strict disciplinarian and had great mastery over both Tamil and English and could speak very well and extempore in English and Tamil. His Hindi remained hilariously wrong till the end!
He was a great educationist and was at different times - the President of the All India Headmasters Association; the Bombay Secondary Teachers Association, the President of the Bombay Tamil Sangam and President of the Bombay Geographic Society. He was a meticulous record keeper and we have zealously guarded his records to this day. A few photographs of the news paper cuttings from those days are shown below. He was a strict disciplinarian and had great mastery over both Tamil and English and could speak very well and extempore in English and Tamil. His Hindi remained hilariously wrong till the end!
He was obsessive about English pronunciation and would write endless letters to AIR - correcting the pronunciations of the News readers at the 9 PM news. He was also very meticulous about the way South Indians spelt their names and would fight hard to say that the correct spelling was "Gita" not "Geetha" as many South Indians would do.
He was obsessive about English pronunciation and would write endless letters to AIR - correcting the pronunciations of the News readers at the 9 PM news. He was also very meticulous about the way South Indians spelt their names and would fight hard to say that the correct spelling was "Gita" not "Geetha" as many South Indians would do.
On the left is the photograph of the Third edition of the Oxford English dictionary from 1934, that was his Bhagavat Gita at all tines of doubt about anything "English" . This copy is still available with us. As children, we have often heard him talk of this book as " original, revised, unabridged and enlarged" version of the OED.
On the left is the photograph of the Third edition of the Oxford English dictionary from 1934, that was his Bhagavat Gita at all tines of doubt about anything "English" . This copy is still available with us. As children, we have often heard him talk of this book as " original, revised, unabridged and enlarged" version of the OED.
In 1948, on a matter of principle, he had a nice run-in with the SIES management and was then relieved of his responsibilities at the school.
In 1948, on a matter of principle, he had a nice run-in with the SIES management and was then relieved of his responsibilities at the school.
The farewell address from the school's ex-students association is here.
The farewell address from the school's ex-students association is here.
He then joined the Dharmaprakasha Srinivasiah High School in Sion as its Principal and later on founded the "Peoples Welfare Society's High school" - which is now a popular school in Sion East.
He then joined the Dharmaprakasha Srinivasiah High School in Sion as its Principal and later on founded the "Peoples Welfare Society's High school" - which is now a popular school in Sion East.
Below are a few newspaper cuttings from thatha's own archives.
Below are a few newspaper cuttings from thatha's own archives.
You can see the full collection of the relevant newspaper cuttings of the articles written by him on Education and related topics at this link. (This is a large download and will take awhile - please be patient)
You can see the full collection of the relevant newspaper cuttings of the articles written by him on Education and related topics at this link. (This is a large download and will take awhile - please be patient)
In the book entitled "மும்பையின் மறைந்த தமிழ் மாமணிகள்", by 'செம்புரான்' you will find a nice write-up about Thatha.
In the book entitled "மும்பையின் மறைந்த தமிழ் மாமணிகள்", by 'செம்புரான்' you will find a nice write-up about Thatha.
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By November 2021, that generation just befor us, passed on.
By November 2021, that generation just befor us, passed on.
When we turned Seeta Sadan upside down and cleaned all stuff, we found some rare documents.
When we turned Seeta Sadan upside down and cleaned all stuff, we found some rare documents.
The People's Welfare Society's High School in Sion East in 2017 .
The People's Welfare Society's High School in Sion East in 2017 .
The seeds of this school were sown by thatha in the 1960s.
The seeds of this school were sown by thatha in the 1960s.
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