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Opening a treasure chest...

From the albums
Last Updated 07 October 2015, 18:47 IST

The photo was taken during the farewell party accorded to us, the senior MSc (Mathematics) students of Central College on March 28, 1966. Bangalore University office was located in the central building of the Central College Campus and Dr M Shadakshra Swamy was the Principal of Central College then.

Those days, there were only three post-graduate centres in Karnataka. Since the hostel facilities were poor, there were almost no students from other places. Even in Bangalore, the local bus facilities were not good and students used to walk or use bicycles to commute. We were 23 students — five were high school teachers deputed for higher studies, five girls and the remaining boys.

Most of us were from middle-class families. We used to give private tuition to high school students, either at our homes or at tutorials, to meet the expenses for our studies. I used to go to Cosmopolitan Tutorials in Sampige Road, Malleswaram to teach.

Our teaching faculty in MSc were highly qualified. Some faculty members who were handling our classes were Dr FJ Narhona, Dr Kamalamma, Dr Rammanna, Professor Munigavaviyappa and Professor Manjunath. There were regular seminars by eminent professors and every student had to present a paper and seminar L Madhuranath (Madhu) and I were classmates right from middle school.

We were born and brought up in south Bangalore. We studied together in middle and high school (Acharya Patashala), BSc at National College, Basavanagudi, and MSc at Central College. Our friendship is more than 65 years old. Even today, we keep in touch with each other. We meet at Bugle Rock once a year and cherish those old memories.

I was selected as engineering supervisor by the Post and Telegraph Department and joined training in Telecommunications on the next day of my final exam. Madhu joined as research trainee at NAL Bangalore. Later, he joined Acharya Patashala College of Commerce as a lecturer. Later, he served as reader and professor over a span of 33 years and later as Principal for 80 years in the same institution.

He was a member of the Academic Council and Senate of the Bangalore University. He was also an academic consultant in NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) and was associated with the activities of University Grants Commission.

HN Sreenivasa Murthy joined as a lecturer in Kamalanehru Makkala Mandira Junior College. S Revanna c joined BWSSB. Ramesh R Durg joined as a technical assistant in the Civil and Aviation Department at IISc and later as a lecturer in Al Ameen College and retired as professor / vice principal. He was a State player in table tennis during college days and had won many trophies.

Many joined Public Sector, Ranganayaki joined GTRE as scientist. I worked in various posts in Bangalore Telephones . Even though, I was in the middle-management level in telephones, I was lucky to be very close (at least for a day or two) near great persons. One such occasion was during 1969 -70, when the Congress Working Committee meeting was held in Lalbagh Glasshouse. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, had participated on all the days.

I remember by the side of the main dais, a cabin was installed. There were no elaborate security arrangements in those days as compared to the present. There were no STD facilities and telephone calls to Delhi were put through trunk exchange. Secraphone (a special system of communication, where no overhearing was possible, used to be provided for VVIPs.

Telephones were provided in front of the cabin for PM’s use only. Her personal assistant and one ESP from the telephone department used to be stationed outside the cabin. She used to talk on secraphone or on regular phone inside the cabin. One day during lunch time, suddenly she came near the cabin and I panicked as her PA was not nearby. Immediately, she patted on my back and said “Don’t panic, I don’t want to telephone,” and went inside the cabin with a smile. I cannot forget this in my life.

During 1989 to 1992, I was in charge of airport. Secraphone  used to be provided in the VVIP room. No one except for AE Telephones (myself) and JE Telephones were allowed inside the room. Thus, I could see Rajiv Gandhi, VP Singh, Chandrashekar, and PV Narasimha Rao, the then Prime Ministers of India. Looking back, those were unforgettable days and these memories will alway stay with me.

(The author can be contacted at vatsa1944@gmail.com)

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(Published 07 October 2015, 14:46 IST)

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