Centenary Celebration honouring of Retired Teachers OU2017

 

Osmania University honors retired teachers on the occasion of Centenary of Osmania University 

(1917-2017)

Left to Right: Prof Gopal Reddy Registrar, Prod D Manohar Rao, President, Retired Teacher's Association, Prof Ramana Dean Faculty of Science, Prof D Ramachandran VC, OU, Prof B Satyanarayana, President OUTA

At Assembly Hall, University College of Science OU

Studies on genetic effects of Total Solar Eclipse (1980) by CS Reddy, Dwarkanath K Murthy and NGP Rao, REPORTED IN THE HINDU 1981 Jan 28

 

This news item in the National Daily THE HINDU in reported by PTI  1981, pertains to the work carried out by Dr. C S REDDY, APAU FACULTY, at Japal Rangapur Obervatory, 60 km from Hyderabad on 16th February 1980, following the rare TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, part of the work related to Cytogenetics was done by Dr.Dwarkanath K Murthy, OU Faculty, under the guidance of Dr. NGP RAO, Vice Chancellor Agricultural University, Pantanagar, Gujarat.

First author lacked permission to attend the International Conference at Delhi in 1981, second author was attending a conference at Calcutta on the days of the conference and third senior author preoccupied as VC could not make it. 

Surprisingly the news item appeared, probably because of the chairman of the session reading it out or from published in proceedings.

The news item generated lot of interest at Department of Genetics Osmania University and became widely discussed and acclaimed. Those days coverage being rare.

TODAY ONE MAY CALL IT FAKE NEWS

BUT EVERYONE THOUGHT THEN *SOMEONE HAS PRESENTED IT*

Some observations on career

Best observations 

From class fellow of 1959 to 1966

From a first Cousin

Reflections on days art Toli Chowki Early 50s

Chicago Nrupatunga 66ers Meet

Chicago Nrupatunga 66ers Meet

A wonderful event happened between 22nd to 24th of May 2015, that was the CHICAGO NRUPATUNGA 66ers meet. This was our 49th year after schooling. Unexpectedly I participated in the same, due to single minded persuasion by NARASIMHA MURTHY and whole hearted invitation by NAND KUMAR as host, backed by Padmini and instant booking by Sriram. The agenda was well prepared by Murthy after due mail exchanges among the 9 of us who met, including 7 NRIs and two from India.

GURU RAJ REDDY (London) Spinal cord surgeon

HANUMATH RAO (New Jersey)  Doctor-pathologist 

KAMALAKAR RAMBHATLA (El Monte, California) Doctor - Pulmonologist 

NAND KUMAR (Chicago) CEO UCA group of companies 

NARASIMHA MURTHY  (Louisiana) Professor

VIJAYALAKSHMI MELKOTE (Indiana) Doctor

VITTAL SRIMUSHNAM (California) CEO Zoniac

RAVI LAJMI (Bangalore) Retd CEO Switz Group

DWARAKNATH (Hyderabad) Professor Retd.

The  NRIs, themselves met for the first time except two of them. I met Vijayalaksmi Melkote after 49 years, who was accompanied with her husband. Special guest was our drill teacher Augustine who migrated in 1974. I had met others at some point of time after 2012 at Hyderabad. Besides this 5 spouses attended.

Nandu hosted the three day event which included, receiving each from airport, lodging us at either his or Amar's house. NAND, Amar, Darshan (Nandu's son) were involved receiving and dropping 15 participants inclusive of spouses. Augustine, our physical education teacher and spouse Savitri, resident of Chicago, spent over 10 hours and he was treated as guest of honour. I was the only one whom he recognised after a gap of 49 years, besides host Nand.

The introduction program about themselves, what each had traversed in 49 years, their school days, how the came up to the present, took almost over 10 hours with a lunch and tea break. Most of them were more philosophical and spiritual in approach. The best part is a down to earth approach and interacting with the same warmth as in the class in 1966. Achievements, positions, status were far away from every ones mind. The host being CEO of a group of companies was involved from washing to cooking to hosting everyone without an iota of disparity. The Ram, Lakshmana & Sita analogy was invariably focused by many referring to host family, of course including Mrs. Prema Amar, and Nand's son. 

Murthy had chalked out a good entertainment program by way of songs, jokes etc. duets in kannada by sixtysixer couples, solo songs of Mukesh, Kishor, Rafi, Shainder were heard." Doni sagali" duet was the best.

We had 3 to 4 hr discussion over school affairs, functioning of trust. Lot of diverse views were accompanied  with in-depth discussion, difference also prevailed. NAAH activity was critically discussed. Consensus was to do something to School and keep the spirit of our mentor. 

The surprise gift was a postal greetings by Madam Sonu with a covering letter addressed jointly mentioning each of us at the Chicago meet. This was followed by a telephonic conversation in turns, with all of us, at 6.30 pm US time on 23rd. It was almost a class for most of us, picking us up for lack of proper responses.  Coming  to self she complemented for then and now collage which she said has kept as photo, questioned me of my presence having expressed inability. She put her mettle on all of us in a way. Hats off to our 81 year old Math teacher.

Murthy came well prepared with tea shirts embossed with emblem of the meet, names 9 couples for all of us. The last item was to discuss our 50th year, fixing of date, coming with logo, with venue at Hyderabad etc. in 2016. We expect for a good beginning. Our data base now includes 37 with 20, 9 and 8 at Hyderabad, Karnataka and NRIs respectively, hope to search for more and we get the needed the cooperation from all. All of us being 65+ we can't expect them to respond with the same spirit. Biological, mental and chronological ageing do not always tally.

Me and Bhusawal - random thoughts

         

                 

                     MATERNAL GRAND PARENTS      

           Four maternal uncles at Bhusawal home

   

Me and Bhusawal (EK) - RANDOM THOUGHTS

Dwarkanath K Murthy

It was 1957 to 1959 I was away at Bhusawal under the care of maternal grand parents, where my grandfather was the town chief electrical engineer. Here is an account of my vivid recollections of the stay. I was admitted to  St. Aloysius High School (Estt.1874) Bhusawal  in class II. My maternal aunt also taught in the same school. It was a wonderful period to initiate my studies, my grandfather, a London returnee of 30s was a Hitler like but with compassion, under whose guidance I started learning English, which was beyond the class room teaching. Being a  disciplinarian schedules were well - playing between 4.30 to 6, then study, dinner by 8, preparing bed by 8.30 go to bed by 9. I remember he had provided me a separate diary like book wherein I was supposed learn and write at least 5 words a day.

Being an electrical engineer visit to theatre was gratis, though not able to understand I was one with the group to enjoy the movies. The movies I remember are Madumathi, Survarna Sundari, Bhabhi, Zimbo comes to town, it was also a learning experience  in a way, the song Asman Jukh Rahi Zamee Par introduced me to the term HORIZON by my grandpa. The town had four theatres Vasanth, Pandurang, Mamaji and Linda for English movies. Outings to river like Tapathi, adjoining Ajantha and Ellora caves and like were often, my grandpa being adventures. On the way with overflowing river on low lying bridges the tiny prefect ford used to get stuck, that hardly mattered for him. No way I have inherited this trait. It used to be a drop by car for me and my aunt to the school, a terrifying incident was on the way I saw myself sitting in the back seat leaning to the window which just got opened and me hanging to it, dare not tell my Hitler grandpa, it was my aunt who observed and saved the moment. Imposition for going on picnic was to submit a write up in my own words, here when I wrote "kannabd" for a sweet meat preparation, had a lesson and I learnt the word "porridge". This was after a visit to Ellora on my 10th birthday.

We are generally advised regarding food intake during eclipse, on a day when eclipse was there I bought pea nuts with  3 paise coin (brass circular one with hole in the middle) given by my mamma, just 7yrs elder. Nothing happened, but eclipse effect showed in way in 1980 for publishing a paper on solar eclipse, in my career - a move from campus to NC (in a lighter vein).

The most important jump was a double promotion from II to IV class, owing to the efforts of my aunt, training me with III class portion and making me write a special exam. I ought to remain grateful for life time, to my aunt. Today we are fascinated by Ganapathi processions, thanks to Chenna Reddy's acts which has spread over entire state subsequent to 1980. This was well established feature in Maharashtra and Bhusawal was no exception, on the immersion day it was a day out to view these. With huge Pratimas preceded by variety of dances.

Bhusawal being a railway junction, major part were occupied by railways. To mention about the phone, almost non existent there, was one at home connecting the Electrical office and Substation, hand rotate it once it is office, twice it's Substation.

One of the interesting book, I don't think it was school book, which I was made to read - a good book with moral values with lessons on Zoraster, Buddha, Thirthankara, Santh Tukaram, Jesus , Rama, Krishna, Gurunanak etc. A taste for film music was initiated there co listening along with my aunt and uncle, Ameen Sayani's Binaca geet mala between 8 to 9 on Wednesday on Radio Ceylon. It was loma time which was a standard. The last song invariably was "inaminadica daidamadica". My uncle was still a student making up and down trips to Jalgoan for his intermediate education. Being a maths student I used seem him working on slate solving problems which even our class I have left behind. The only friends I remember is Raju and Joey my neighbours.

Last but not the least had the ordeal of learning very elementary Marathi as a language in addition to Hindi. This went for a toss after repatriation, as I started learning kannada and working knowledge of Telugu.

With my grandpa retiring around 1959, my exile from Hyderabad came to a close and was repatriated to home at Narayanguda, Hyderabad, joining my five siblings and parents, of course two of them were born post 1959.

Interstate problems gave me one more double promotion jumping from IV to VI stabilising at Nrupathunga.

An ambition is to see the place which I left 57 years ago, hope I can make it.

                 Group photo at Bhusawal 1956