Reply to the felicitations upon retirement

Reply to the felicitations in Tamil  (Video)

Dear friends,

When I thought of inviting all friends, retired and serving for a lunch, it was just a thanks giving – for having traveled along with you all so long in the department.

But Kannabiran, Mahi, Sathish, Uma Sivadasan, Shalini and Priyadarshini, perhaps with the hidden hand of persons like Hari and Murali sir made it a function, which I had not intended or thought of.  When Kannabiran told me that there could be a get together, I just thought it will be an occasion for people to meet each other and exchange pleasantries.  Then, the function became quite a formal one almost.

I felt like I had an obligation then to respond to some of the observations made during the speeches in the function.  But since time was short and since I did not want to make people wait any longer for the lunch (the real purpose for which I had in fact invited them) I had to cut short my speech.

Thereafter, in the group there were some observations that I could post a message, containing the unspoken part of my speech and there was also a suggestion that I make it into a video and post it.

I could not get time for the same.  There was another dilemma facing me – what language to adopt.

So I have decided to type it out in English and speak in Tamil so that there will not be communication gaps.

At the outset, once again I thank one and all for having graced the occasion, in spite of it being a holiday.  Thanks once again for the lavish gifts, in the form of articles or generous encomiums during the speeches. Thanks also to several friends who either sent messages or called me up to convey their inability to come for the event.

And once again thanks to the organizers of the entire event. For once, I never knew any trouble about anything.

I will start where I had left in a retirement function two months ago – the retirement of Senthilnathan – where I had made a mention about a youth association that was started by me along with Sendhil.  Commissioner (Appeals) madam, had, during her subsequent speech asked what was the name of that Association and whether it was ‘Varuthapadadha Valibar Sangam’. 

In his speech during the function on 31^st Mr. Nagarajan had wanted me to say how I had spent my teenage.

The reply to both the above are similar.

The youth association started by me when I had crossed 17 was called ‘Bharathi Tagore Youth Association’. It initially had the idea of involving in literary work.  A manuscript magazine was started.  Then, the idea of social work crept in and we started going to some nearby villages, planting saplings, conducting evening classes, etc.  We conducted competitions for school children and in the second year renamed our Association as ‘Yuva Bharath’.

Thereafter when I joined the AG’s when my friends were busy in making friends and getting company, I was drawn again into social activities like collecting money and materials whenever there was a fire in some slum or flood, etc.  I had joined some people who were involved in such services.  People were very generous in contributing for such cause and perhaps also because a youngster was involved in. Thereafter I got involved in conducting free coaching classes for SSC, classes for NTSE, etc and also taking classes in the Blind School.  I was also drawn into active activities in the Service Association till my leaving the AGs.  During this time I had the opportunity to get acquainted with a lot of literary works also, which has stood me in good stead through-out.

On considering the reasons for such a tendency, I would attribute it to my exposure to Scouts Movement and the NSS during my school days.

Having been exposed to the thoughts of Bharathi, Tagore, Vivekananda, VOC, Gandhi, Jayakandhan, and similar others, I had strongly felt that humans being a social animal was duty bound to take care of the social requirements more than anything else.

My entering the government job itself was only due to the compulsion of my parents who thought that I may become a nomad.  In fact, my dream was to become a journalist and spend time in social work only.

So, during my teenage, I think I jumped from Bala stavat Kreeda satha, to Vridha Stavat chintha satha’.

 

When I left the AG’s and landed up in Central Excise at Hosur, I came with an intention again only to go into the neighboring villages and try to impart knowledge particularly of the Consumer Protection Act, which I thought was very important in those days.

But thanks to our first AC Mr. John Lazar, I was pulled into supporting some of our colleagues who were ill-treated by him and eventually had to take the post in the unit level.  At this juncture I should mention the great courage and service of Ashraf sir, who was then a very senior Inspector at Hosur, awaiting his promotion as Superintendent. Unmindful of the consequences upon being promoted, he stood by us, the very raw and junior youngsters in our protests.  He subsequently took over the leadership of the Superintendents Association of Coimbatore, when the then office bearers had resigned enmasse and provided a protection to all cadres, along with Subha Rajan Madam. This, Ashraf sir did in spite of his failing health.

Once a Unit Secretary, it became my responsibility to take up the immediate issue of lack of transfer norms.  Then the rest is known to all.

Several persons who spoke on 31^st have referred to the agitations and the impetus it created to get the upgradation, etc. I should say that if Mr. Asok Kumar, then Inspector at Hosur (retired as AC from Erode) was the person behind my being projected for the post of GS of the Coimbatore Association, it was Mr. Roy Joseph who was instrumental in making me go for that agitation which brought Mr. Unnikrishnan, the then Federation President and Mr. Raja Climax, the then enfant terrible of Tamil Nadu cadres, to our premises and made the agitation go to the knowledge of the then Revenue Secretary. 

CSN Sir, Ramachandran Sir, Pastin Richard Sir and some hand full of persons were running the Association at Coimbatore with great personal commitment.  But there was no organizational structure.  This problem was there at the All India level also and continues to be so. Hope the new generation takes note.

There are several others in the cadre of Inspectors, Supdts, Drivers, Stenos, DEOs Ministerial Officers and Havildars who have been of great help in creating an atmosphere of Association in Coimbatore.  It will be difficult to name each and every one.

Later Mr. Arunasalam was the reason for my becoming the State Secretary, he himself being the President and then he along with Mr. Gnanasundram put me on the National Stage, though at that time I really had no clue as to what to do there.  I felt like I was pushed into a child marriage.

Shri. Murali had referred in his speech during the retirement function about the Land case.  I do not want to disclose the advanced stage at which it is now, thanks to the efforts by Mrs. Brinda Bhoopathy and later effectively taken up by Mr. Harish, ADC and the present Pr Commissioner.  Details are not to be disclosed for reasons one could understand.

PAP had as usual made a comment that I was antiestablishment or not.  I consider being antiestablishment a well thought out position.  JK had time and again referred to any establishment as corrupt.  Then, there is a difference between an organization and an establishment.  Once an organization loses its life and becomes mechanical, gathering in its fists the power to decide others lives alone, then it has become an establishment.  It has to be fought to be made flexible. Antiestablishment does not mean anti organization.

Kannabiran had asked me to spell out the high moments and low moments I had felt in my Association career.

When almost the entire work force of Hosur refused to meet the visiting Collector with representations for transfer as per a resolution taken there and which made that Collector who had threatened to make the tenure at Hosur as six years, to accept a two year tenure, it was a water shed moment.

When the entire cadre of Inspectors from Coimbatore to Pollachi to Erode, to Salem to Hosur walked out of offices within 15 mts of a call given by the EC, in April 1997, it was in the words of Thangavelu Sir, a moment like the French Revolution.

When the entire cadre just sat and watched without batting an eye lid or showing any signs of deference to an ADC and two JCs who were asking them to clear out of the premises when on a hunger strike and which eventually forced the CC to fly down from Chennai and sign an agreement with the Association, history was created.

The lows were felt by me when the local office bearers were not able to come out of fear psychosis, even after the administration was forced to bring me back from Chennai.

The most painful moment was when a few persons for their vested interests thwarted the move to get a zonal transfer norms arrived at when Mr. Premkumar was the CC, pretty well knowing that I had gone out to Tirunelveli on my own volition and yet they could indulge in mudslinging.

In conclusion I would like to reiterate what I used to tell my close friends.  I have never done anything for the benefit of anyone else.  I firmly believe that we indulge in any action only to benefit ourselves.  It is our duty and redemption.  I can take no claim for any correct decisions nor for any errors because when circumstances have forced my hand, I could depend only upon larger guidance.

I have also a feeling that terming ourselves as Pensioners itself gives a very negative impact as if we are no longer of any worth. We continue as social animals and have to continue to be relevant to ourselves and the society.  That is my personal feeling.

Once again I thank you all for this wonderful opportunity. Hope to stay in touch.