The search for a missing photograph of G.N. Balasubramaniam

Jayati Jayati Bharat Mata… — a fascinating Sanskrit song written by Mayuram Viswanathan and rendered classically by GNB — G.N. Balasubramaniam, the prince of the music world.

This song missed becoming our National Anthem as the other two songs — ‘Jana Gana Mana…’ and ‘Vande Mataram…’ — were associated with the freedom movement.

During my school days in Karnataka, ‘Jayati Jayati’ was sung daily at the morning assembly.

Jump to 1979. Loyola College, Madras. I stood in line with my dad outside the cabin of Fr. Kuriakose, seeking admission to B.Sc. (Physics).

My dad said that we would see GNB in the group photograph of the 1930 BA Honours batch.

These black-and-white photographs were part of the wall adornments opposite where Fr. Kuriakose sat.

I asked my dad how he would be able to spot the great GNB. My dad replied that his father’s brother (G.N. Krishnamurthi — GNK) would be in the same photo.

GNK always used to mention GNB whenever we went to visit him.

After meeting Fr. Kuriakose and elaborating on our historical connections to Loyola, throwing up the names of GNK and GNB, my dad and I tried spotting GNK and GNB in those B&W group photographs, but were unsuccessful.

Fr. Kuriakose offered me a seat in B.Sc. Statistics. I took it and felt proud that I would continue in the paths set by GNK and GNB.

Three brothers — my grandfather and my granduncles — blazed their own paths in the 1930s. GNK, G.N. Madhava Rao (retired in the 1960s as Secretary to the Maharaja of Mysore — my grandfather) and G.N. Sridhar Rao (retired in the 1960s as President of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, Bombay). I was thrilled to have commenced a journey on the paths of GNB, GNK, GNM and GNS!

Three years in Loyola, 1979-1982, I tried locating the BA Honours group photographs of the 1925-35 batches, but was unsuccessful.

After retirement from service, I recently had time to read more about GNB.

My granduncle, GNK, was wrong.

GNB was a student of BA Honours… Correct. He passed out in the same year as my granduncle… Correct.

But then… the reason I could not find the B&W photo of GNB at Loyola was…

THAT GNB PASSED OUT OF Madras Christian College (MCC)!

— Sujay Gopal Rao

Retd. Chief  Manager, Indian Overseas Bank, Yelwal