Sir,
I am deeply saddened to note the passing of Prof. V.K. Nataraj (VKN) in the city on Dec. 9. During 1961-62, I had the privilege of sharing a room with him — Room 92 (or perhaps 93?) — at the Maharaja’s College Hostel. At that time, I was pursuing my M.Sc. in Statistics, while he had enrolled for a Ph.D in Economics under the guidance of Dr. Devaraj Urs.
I fondly recall these cherished memories of him:
• He was an exceptional English debater and orator, frequently securing the first prize.
• Prof. C.D. Narasimhaiah (CDN), who was the Head of the English Department and Principal, was a guiding presence during those days.
• An ardent devotee of Sri Ganesh, his faith was unwavering.
• He was a habitual late sleeper, often staying awake past 1 am.
• Along with Dr. Urs (an alumnus of Columbia University, NY, I believe), he frequented Ganesh Theatre in Krishnamurthypuram or Gayatri Theatre on 100 Feet Road (as it was called back then).
• Despite being a heavy cigarette smoker, he was fortunate to evade cancer until the age of 85.
• His simplicity and dedication to academics were remarkable.
• He regularly attended rehearsals of ‘The Dumb Wife of Cheapside’ (or Cheepside?), a play directed by Professor Gururaja Rao with the support of Sampath and his team. Prof. Rao also played the role of the dumb wife’s husband.
Though I last saw him in 1962 — exactly 62 years ago — his facial features seem unchanged. The photograph of him published in Star of Mysore today vividly resembles the vibrant and youthful VKN I knew back then.
May his soul rest in peace!
– Dr. Ananda Gubbi (Ph.D), Slippery Rock PA, 9.12.2024
You can also mail us your views, opinions, and stories to voice@starofmysore.com
This post was published on December 14, 2024 5:55 pm