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The tale of four generations

From the albums
Last Updated 27 September 2017, 18:50 IST

This picture was taken in 1974 at Gundappa Kurpad’s, our grandfather’s house in Jayanagar 5th Block. The photograph was taken on the occasion of ‘Kanakabhisheka’, which is a rare and auspicious event to celebrate. There are four generations of the Kurpad family in this frame.

I am seated on the right. Behind me is my husband KS Ramaprasad. Next to him are his parents K Somasunder Rao and Krishna Bai. On my right are his grandparents Gundappa Kurpad and Sakamma. The baby is our son Shankar. This picture brings to my mind the rich heritage and lineage of our family.

Gundappa Kurpad was the son of K G Shamanna, who was an Amaldar during the British Raj before World War I. The iconic Shamanna Park on DVG Road is built on the land donated by him to the public. Adjoining the park is the well preservedcentury old Kurpad ancestral house.

It was one big joint family at that time. As the family grew, people moved out to their own homes. So did Gundappa Kurpad, our ‘thatha’.

He followed his passion and rose to be the assistant director in Department of Agriculture, Government of Mysore. He was an active member of The Theosophical Society and also Masonic Lodge. My father-in-law Somasunder was the eldest of his children.

Although Somasunder Rao lived in Nizamabad working for The Nizam Sugar Factory, his son my husband,K S Ramaprasad grew up in Shankarpura. An engineer with Masters in Management, he is widely travelled in India and abroad. He retired as CEO of a German Automotive Electrical Company a couple of years back.

I moved to Bangalore in 1980 with the dream of influencing young minds, moulding them and raising a generation not only with a structured, knowledge-based curriculum but also with the right values and life skills. Opportunity opened its doors when I entered the portals of Sophia High School.

It became my temple of work for more than three decades. As an educator, I had to play multiple roles which honed my skills and capabilities. Besides working with the chalk and board, I scripted and staged plays, conducted the choir and raised funds for a cause by organising carnivals and street ‘santhes’.

On retiring from Sophia High School, l joined The Brigade School as the Coordinator. After a brief stint of about three years, I decided to take a call and spend time with family. I am a homemaker now and enjoy gardening in my little yard.

Time has flown by. Our son who is a baby in this picture, is now an orthopaedic surgeon Dr Shankar Kurpad.

Our second son Arjun Kurpad, who was born after this picture was clicked, is with Google at San Francisco.

(The author can be reached on mythiliramaprasad@gmail.com)

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(Published 27 September 2017, 14:44 IST)

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