J.V., MY FRIEND

J.V.,  MY FRIEND

(08-11-1935  ------14-01-2014)

.

D.SAMUEL LAWRENCE
                                                                            
                                                                             

 As I write this, several thoughts about Prof. J.Vasanthan criss-cross my mind; some of them coming to the surface yearning for expression. I don't know how far I would succeed in presenting these thoughts in a coherent form. But, let me try.

While I am sad that the icy hand of Death has snatched Prof. J.Vasanthan away from us  I am happy that I had the privilege of being one of his close friends.  I thank God for the gift of friendship with him because, in more than one way, it moulded my character, and broadened my outlook on life and the world. The indescribable bond that existed between him and me resulted in enriching and enlivening my life.

He was a simple, sincere and affectionate person. He may be called a non-conformist,  who lived in a world of his own,  far removed from the mundane, materialistic and Machiavellian world..He was never after popularity, publicity, position or power. The truth is that they came seeking him because of the many talents God had endowed him with.( Had he been interested he could have easily gone to some big city in India or abroad and become rich and  well-known. In fact, offers came to him but he was simply not interested in them). He loved teaching ;he loved Madurai; he loved the American College and he loved life. He was a great teacher, writer, artist, conversationalist and above all a fine human being.  

As a teacher, he won the hearts of many a student through his interesting and informative lectures, peppered with wit and humour- liberally sprinkled with interesting anecdotes and funny jokes. He had the extra-ordinary skill of presenting his ideas and thoughts  using simple but the most appropriate words and expressions. His drama, particularly Shakespeare classes, were eagerly looked forward to and enjoyed the most.  He was respected, loved and adored by the students for his scholarship, gentle manners and friendly nature.

He formed a theatre group called the Curtain Club and almost every year, he used to stage plays. His colleagues and friends happily involved themselves in the various aspects of  production and made them a grand success. He was a talented artist and his drawings and cartoons appeared in several magazines, including Filmfare, Star and Style and Caravan. His regular column 'Down Memory Lane' written in a simple style, brought before the mind's eye the various facets of life in Madurai and some interesting and inspiring personalities like the Rev. Frederick Jacob, former Vice-principal of the American College,  known for his noble principles and eccentricities. J.V. loved chidlren the most and enjoyed their company. His Jeyabalan Stories with his own illustrations, published in a children's magazine, Gokulam, earned for him several admirers among children.

More than anything else, he was a fine humanbeing. In spite of all the talents he had, he never suffered from inflated ego. Everyone felt at home in his company. He was above the narrow artificial distinctions like religion, caste, community etc. The  beautifully drawn pictures of Gods like Jesus Christ and  Ganapathy adorn the drawing or puja room of many of his friends. Reflecting his concern for the needy, he used to celebrate his birthday or wedding day with the inmates of some orphanage or old-age home. It may be mentioned here that his eyes were donated for organ transplantation.

It is remarkable that during the  last days of his life, true to his character, he bore the suffering with stoic resignation, never giving in to self-pity. In his passing away, I have lost a good friend.