A "VIS - A - VIS" - Prof V.SRINIVASAN & Prof. Dr. AR. VENKITARAMAN

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In the year 1963 I and K. Srinivasan, a lecturer in Chemistry of the College were at NCC OTS (Officers Training School, Kamptee, near Nagpur) undergoing our pre-commission training to become NCC officers of our College. A fellow trainee from a College in North India who got to know us well during those three months was curious about how the two of us (Hindu - Brahmins) could be working in a Christian College. I had to tell him that The American College is much different from many Christian Colleges in India. Besides its location in a predominantly Muslim area - Gorippalayam - with majority of students and faculty were Hindus. I told him that we were both students of the College. A special feature in the College is the dome of the College chapel shaped almost like (in shape and size) the dome of the mosque in Goripalayam the cross replacing the crescent as the only difference. 

In the year 1952 when I was in the second year in the College many of the Heads of the Departments were non-Christians - Prof. V. Subramaniam (English), Prof. Karnega Konar (Tamil), Prof. T. Natarajan (Mathematics), Prof. N.R. Krisshnamurthy Iyer (Physics), Prof. P.S. Lakshinarayanan (Chemistry). Mr. C. R. Narayanaan (Botany), Mr. P. Vanchinathan (Hindi), Mr. Gopala Pillai (Malayalam) were the senior most or the only members of their department. 

The Vice-Principal and Professor of Logic & Psychology Prof. Devaraj G Paul, the Head of the Departments of Economics and History Prof. C I Philip and the Librarian Mr. Solomon Physical Director Mr. John S Edward were the only Christians. 

This situation changed gradually and when I retired from the College in the year 1994 I and Prof. P S Srinivasan were the only two non-Christian Heads of the Department of PG and UG Physics in the College.. 

A small digression: Prof. Karmegha Konar used to ride to the College in his chauffer driven bullock cart that used to be parked near the Faculty room. Another interesting feature about him is three generations in his family, he, his son Prof. Krishnan and grandson Prof. K..Elango had served the college in the same department. 

The PG Chemistry Department is unique in its own way: Prof. M. Lakshmanan was the first Head of the Department. After his contract period was over Prof. P S Laksshminarayan was holding fort for a short time as the Cpllege tried three others (one from overseas, two from Kerala) as Heads of Department but they all lasted for short periods. I am sorry I don't now remember their names. The position was given to Dr. Mohamed Sheriff. who held the fort as Additional Professor-in-charge of the Department till Dr. A R Venkitaraman returned from overseas. When Dr. Venkitaraman retired Prof. C B Jawhar Singh was the Head of the Department. He was followed by Dr. P M Sundaram and Prof. Narayanan. 

The Department was thus ruled by Hindus and a Muslim for more number of years than Christians! 

Why I recall these is the secular nature of the College should not be forgotten. 

 V.Srinivasan.

A small addition: In para 2 after the name of Prof. P>S>Lakshminarayanan please add: Prof. S.R. Mallikarjunan(Commerce). 

Thanks 

 VS 

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 Dear VS, 

I enjoyed reading what your active mind has dug up now from American College's history to discover it to have been a Christian institution of secular virtues, secular here in a positive, not pejorative, sense. 

Since you and I joined American College in the same year (1951), we are both privy to facts of the College then and thereafter. So I hope that I can make some corrections in the facts as remembered by you: 

1) Prof. Karmega Konar had retired in 1951 and his son, Mr. K.A.Krishnan, had forthwith joined his father's Department as a Lecturer while Prof.Jothimuthu had taken over the Headship. 

2) Prof.Mallikarjunan was the Professor-in-charge of the Commerce Department. I don't find his name mentioned in your write-up. 

3) Was not Prof. K.J.Joseph the Head of Zoology when we joined in 1951? If so, his name has to be added in the second paragraph. 

4) Prof.P.S.Lakshminarayanan opted for voluntary retirement in 1959 and so was not with the College when Prof.Lakshmanan retired in 1965 or so (?). 

5) Prof.C.B.J.Singh was followed by Prof.Stanley Edward, Prof.Narayanan, Prof.A.S.Rajendran and Prof.Thomas Jeya Bose as P.G.Heads of Chemistry before Prof.P.M.Sundaram's turn came. But I understand the context for your omission of the names that I have resurrected. 


With kind regards and greetings of the season to you and Raji, 


 Venki