[ Leelalu Chai ]
I lost my father when I was a little girl of 10 years.
But soon a father figure emerged in my life.
Today I lost that father figure – Venkataraman Sir, or Captain Sir, as he was fondly called by many of us.
Sir, who came from an Army background, taught us all VKVians how to do the perfect march past, in unison and in straight lines.
He introduced the Army band in VKVs. At a time when on 15 August and 26 January only the Army, CRPF and police personnel had their bands in Arunachal, VKV students proudly had multiple school contingents marching to their lively band tunes.
When I was a roly-poly young child, Captain Sir first called me out when he caught me playfully sprinkling ink on one of my friends. When he motioned to me, I was afraid that I would be admonished; but he playfully tugged my chubby cheeks and gave me a loving pat.
After that day, he would always call me out whenever he visited VKV Tafrogam. I liked to think of myself as a teacher’s pet, Captain Sir’s pet.
From the day when I spilled ink on my friend, I formed a lifelong relationship with Captain Sir. He was our local guardian when I, with many of my friends, went to Chennai to study Class 11 and 12. He continued to be the local guardian in Chennai for many VKV and non-VKV Arunachali students who went to Chennai for studies.
In Chennai we met Paatti, Captain Sir’s mother. Even at her advanced age, she looked so radiant and beautiful. Paatti always reminded me of MS Subbulakshmi, the famous classical singer.
Captain Sir had left Vivekananda Kendra because of his mother’s advanced age, to be at her side and to take care of her. And he religiously did that till she passed away in 2021, in her late 90s. When we visited Paatti during our Chennai days, I would be amazed at how lovingly he took care of his mother.
I had the good fortune of meeting Sir again a few years back, when I visited Chennai. He was as jubilant and enthusiastic as ever, though age was taking a toll on him.
In one of my last conversations with Captain Sir, I asked him when he would visit Arunachal again. We discussed the possibility of his future visit and he sounded quite gung-ho about it.
Alas, that was not to be.
Sir, you could not visit Arunachal again. But you live on in the hearts and minds of all the young souls whose lives you touched.
You led a simple life of frugality and simplicity. But you have enriched the lives of thousands of Arunachali VKV students and their progenies for generations to come.
You have been instrumental in setting the fabric of Arunachal society through your students, many of whom are doctors, engineers, IAS officers, teachers, lawyers… all of whom are giving back to Arunachal society what they learned and imbibed from you.
We, your students across all VKVs in Arunachal,salute you for your selfless sacrifice for the nation. You will forever remain in all of our hearts.
From your loving student and daughter. (Leelalu Chai is from the 3rd batch of alumnae of VKV Tafrogam, Tezu. She is a computer engineer, currently working in New Delhi. She can be reached at leelaluchai.tezu @gmail.com)
