Remembering Prof. S. Dandapani

Sir,

Apropos the letter Tribute to my Teacher Prof. S. Dandapani by Dr.N.N. Prahallada, former Associate Professor in Education, RIE (SOM dated Apr. 22), I too would like to share my association with Prof. Dandapani.

When I was appointed as Principal of Navodaya Vidyalaya, Shivaragudda, Mandya, in 1986, I was asked to go to New Delhi for a six-day training. As per instructions, I went to NCERT guest house. The receptionist gave me a room and told me that there was already one person in the room and I was the second person.

I went into the room and the person they told me was not there. The room attendant told me he had gone out for a walk. As I was tired of the journey, I thought of taking a nice hot bath and went to the bath room. I finished my bath and dressed up and was waiting for the person.

He arrived. A tall personality. Smiling face. I stood up and introduced myself. He told me that he was Pof.S. Dandapani of RIE, Mysore. I was very happy to get his company but at the same time I was a bit afraid of talking to him as he was an elderly person with more experience. He spoke humorously and we usually spoke about English literature.

In the early morning amidst the falling mist in February, we used to go out for a walk, and at a distance there was a chaiwala who used to give us good tea. Generally we spoke about R.K. Narayan’s books and exchanged jokes in it. Thus I spent six days with him fruitfully.

Every morning going for a walk and talking about literature, education issues and so on. I learnt a lot in his company. Even after returning from Delhi I used to go to RIE to meet him.

Even after my retirement (he was also retired by then) we used to meet in Ramakrishna Institute of Moral and Spiritual Education (RIMSE) where I was given teaching assignment in B.Ed. section and he to deliver moral and spiritual lectures.