It was heartening to know that his second daughter Mrs Sujatha Muthu and son-in-law Muthu alias Hemant took very good care of him, both at their home and the hospital in Singapore. It is said that the real character of a person is revealed in times of crisis. Both Sujatha and Muthu handled the crisis very well. I am sure God will bless them both for ensuring that my brother got the best medical treatment available.
My brother Ramani was like Lakshmana to me.(though I am not Ram). He always showed lot of respect and love towards me. He consulted me on personal as well as business matters. I cannot think of any occassion where he disregarded my views. It is indeed a very big loss to me. The sorrow has crept in slowly and time alone will help me to tide over the shock. He shared all my responsibilities. He was very religious. In his working life, he had trained a lot of people and got jobs for not less than 100 people in the Middle East. One Mr Shroff, a person trained by him, told me at the funeral ground that he had become "anatha" (destitute). One seeing my brother!s body. he broke down and wept uncontrollably. This is the impact created by my brother in his field.
Let me recollect some nostalgic moments.
Our bonding really started only after our family shifted to Tiruchirappli in 1955. We used t go to a lot of Tamil films together. In fact, in 1952, when we had gone to see Parasakthi",a Tamil film in which Shivaji Ganesan was introduced, he developed unbearable stomach pain, half- an- hour before the interval. I asked him to wait till the intereval. In the interval, I took him home and came to the theatre (Wellington Talkies) to resume watching the movie. Later, tests revealed that he had swallowed a safety pin.He became alright after two days. I literally carried him on by back from the theatre to the residence. (Uppu Mootai)
In 1961,he had completed his Pre-University Examination. He was good in Mathematics. He desparately wanted to become an Engineer. Though I also nurtured a similar ambition, my marks in Secondary School Examination did not help me to accomplish that dream. Early in January that year, I had taken up a job as Sub-editor in "The Indian Express",Madurai. I had come to Tiruchi on two days leave. During that time, the postman gave Ramani a letter at the Post Office informing him of his selection in Regional Engineering College,Surathkal. He came running to me with that letter.The money required for admission was Rs 835/- We did not have that money. It was only our Mother!s sheer determination that helped us to proceed further in the matter. While in the College, he was called "Thuppa" because of his fondness for butter/ghee. I still remember one incident. I had gone to his College to see him,but could not locate his room. I asked one of the students about his
room number. He replied "Around the corner, there are three rooms and Ramani willl be one of the rooms". When I asked him to be specific, he told me "If you find lot of un-wased clothes below the cot, that is Ramani!s cot". Thereafter, it was not difficult for me to find Ramani.Before leaving, I asked him to wash his clothes atleast twice in a week.
In 1964, I joined UCO Bank as a Prabationary Officer.I was transferred to Coimbatore in June 1964 at my request. I decided then that there will be no more borrowing for the family. My carry home pay was Rs 420/-. I would send Rs 80/ to my brother and another Rs 80/ would be spent on rent. In the balance Rs 260/- we lived very well from 1964 to 1967. Our family then consisted of my parents, my brothers Chandru and Nandu and sister Radha. During those periods, my younger sister Vasantha would also come periodically for delivery and rest. Ramani was very disciplined. He would never spend more than Rs 80/- and would never ask for more money.
After becoming an Engineer, he could not get a job immediately. There was severe recession then. It was this that compelled us not to admit my another younger brother Chandru in Karikudi Engineering College. Through the influence of our uncle Mr N.Balachandran, we could get a job for Ramani in Hyderabad Asbestos. He was paid on daily basis. After some time, they discontinued his job and he did not inform us about this immediately. We came to know after a month. He did not have enough money to buy ticket from Hyderabd to Coimbatore. Through a common friend, we brought him to Coimbatore. In 1967, I sent him to Mumbhai. I still remember the day when I went to Central Station in Madras on a rainy day to see him off. I gave him Rs 300/ and advised him to stay with our Chittappa in Ambernath till he got a good job. His first job in Mumbhai was with Blue Star Engineering. He stayed in Ambernath for three years.
Mumbhai would never let anyone down. Ramani prospered in the city. He bought his first flat in Sion,behind Roopam Cinema,and because of his good nature acquired a lot of friends. In 1977,he wanted to buy his present flat in Garodianagar. He was short of unds. He came to me in Pimpri,Pune and asked me to somehow arrange the balance amount of Rs 12,000/. He had already sold his one bed-room flat in Sion I did not have that kind of savings then. However, I sanctioned him two loans of Rs 6000/ each in two different names as loans to Professionals, though it was against bank!s rules to sanction loans to relatives without prior permission. I explained the position to Ramani and asked him to pay the loans within two years. To his credit, he paid the loans in 15 months time,just before my transfer from Pimpri to Madras. He always knew about his commitments and he kept all his promises.
In 1993, he was having high fever continuously. I went to wish him on a Deepavali day and I found him shivering. I immediately advised him to see a specialist. It was diagnosed that he was suffering from Hodgins disease. I accompanied him on his first visit to Hinduja Hospital. Doctors told us that he had to start chemotherapy immediately. While I was talking to the doctor in a separate corner, he told me that there was only 20 percent of chance for survival as he was in Level 5.. Unfortunately, Ramani had also heard this and he was naturally depressed. I tried my best during the next fifteen days to motivate him. I asked him " Ramani, give me one reason why you should not be in that 20 percent". This gave him confidence. I prayed to God then that my dear brother should be spared for another fifteen years-atleast till all his daughters were given in marriage. I even prayed to Sidhi Vinayak that HE should take ten years of my life and give it to Ramani".
Though it may be hard to believe this, it is a fact. My mother also prayed like"Take my life and spare my son". My mother died of cancer in 1997.
I was very closely connected with my brother in all his good and bad days .I had the satisfaction of playing some role or other in all the important phases of his life. I am glad that God has been very kind to him. All his three daughters and sons-in-law have done their duty to him. In fact all of them are exemplary children. May God be kind to them all.
There are memories and memories. I can still write a lot,but these thoughts and expressions will not bring back my brother.
May his soul rest in peace.
V.K.Balasubramanian
8th June 2010
VKB, remarkable relationship between brothers. I can understand how the loss affects you. May his soul rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteNVS/11.06.2010.