Impressions

A Lasting Impression

Students

Dr. Henry Thiagaraj
Founder Director, Human Rights Education Movement of India
Director, Delta Training Center

I am an old student of Dr. C.T.K.Chari, then studying in  Philosophy B.A.(Honors) degree course in MCC 1954-57. Dr. CTK was an inspiring model teacher and professor, a rare and unique personality, of his times. A learned scholar, he will come prepared for his lectures in class and the English will flow freely,
with  elucidation of the subject he was teaching to the admiration of educationists. It was a treat to listen to his exposition of great Western philosopher, Immanuel Kant's difficult philosophy to students.
On any subject he was an authority. He was thorough with science, metaphysics, philosophy, religion, etc. as he propounded Nobel Laureate Henri Bergson's Two Sources of Morality and Religion. He was a versatile scholar. I enjoyed his classes and would never miss his lecture.

It was a tradition in MCC that students called on the Principal and Professors at their homes. If in class he looked very stern and serious, well dressed in western suits, at his home Dr CTK was a gentle South Indian, dressed simply in white cotton, Kurta and Dhoti, He was kind in his discussions, enquiring about our (students') families and our aims to find suitable jobs. He was hospitable and his gracious wife welcomed us and made us feel at home.

It was indeed a privilege and honor to me to be Dr. C.T.K.'s student in MCC. I am glad a book will be published to honor him. I wish all success in this noble endeavor.

Dr. A. Besant C. Raj

Chairman & Managing Director

BESANT RAJ INTERNATIONAL LIMITED

(Management Consultants & Consulting Psychologists

 

I had the privilege to study at his feet at the Madras Christian College during the years 1951-54.  When I think of Dr. C.T. Krishnamachari, your illustrious father, the image I have is that of an erudite scholar with in-depth knowledge of Indian and Western philosophy. He could also effortlessly sail into Psychology and even the physical sciences! He was also endowed with a powerful delivery. Even more impressive was his simplicity and humility, in spite of his erudition. As students, we used to listen to him in rapt attention, spellbound. Since graduating from MCC in 1954, I have had the privilege of studying in other great educational institutions like IIM, Ahmedabad and the world renowned Harvard Business School of Harvard University. Even in these great institutions, I did not meet a scholar and teacher like Dr. C.T.K.

 

Kshama Rangarajan(nee Desikachar)

 I was a student of Dr CTK between 66 and 68--and have wonderful memories of the passion and deep understanding which he brought to the teaching of a dry subject like Philosophy. I attribute my lifelong interest in Science and Philosophy to his wonderful teaching. It is indeed fitting that his centenary is being celebrated. 

M.Ramachandran

MEMORIES AND IMPRESSIONS OF DR.C.T.K.CHARI

I was really fortunate to have listened to his lectures, when I was a student in the Intermediate course in Madras Christian College, Tambaram, after finishing my schooling in Christ King convent and Corley High School, Tambaram. He was taking classes for Intermediate students, in LOGIC. I did my Intermediate Course during 1951-1953 and B.A. (Economics) during 1953-1955.

In those days weekly tests were conducted in optional subjects. In the first test in Logic I secured only fail marks. He took out my answer paper and pointed out in the presence of all students, how I have miserably failed. That gave me an impetus to improve myself and in the next weekly examination I scored very high marks. He then advised me to maintain this level right up to the end of the Course Dr. C.T.Krishnamachari was a fair complexioned, intelligent and arduous type of Professor who was liked by all and his enforcement of discipline among students was unique.

After finishing my degree course in economics, I aspired for joining M.A. (Economics) course in MCC but could not get admission since was not in the optional subject (Mathematics) which I studied in the Intermediate course. The optional subjects were Mathematics, Modern History and Logic. Hence I approached Dr. C.T.K. Chari in his quarters in the College Campus to help me in securing admission in M.A (Philosophy), in MCC. He then convinced me that after all I am going to join a Government Organization as a “quill driver” and the B.A. degree itself is sufficient to get into this job. Accordingly I wrote Railway Service Commission examinations and was appointed as a clerk in the Accounts Department of Integral Coach Factory, Chennai – 38 in September 1956 and retired as head of a branch of the Accounts Department, ICF in October 1993. His far sighted vision and constructive advice came true.
When I approached him in his quarters, he wanted me to wait for some time, typed a “Conduct and Character Certificate” in my favor describing me as a painstaking student and wishing me all success in my future. In order to keep my memories about him fresh forever, I am still preserving the ‘Conduct and Character Certificate’ given by him on 24th October 1955,

 

R.R. Santhi Devi., M.A., M.Ed., M.Phil,

(Retired) Deputy. Director of Education,

Directorate of Education.,

Govt. of Delhi

 

As a philosophy student of M.A. Degree Course (1967 -'69) of the Madras Christian College, Tambaram, Chennai, I felt the thrust of Dr. C.T.K.'s guiding spirit and his concern for his students.

 During my academic pursuit as a student of philosophy, I got a good exposure to the intellectual brilliance of Dr. C.T.K. Chari. His sincere and dedicated exposition of abstract philosophical concepts, not only evinced his remarkable scholarship and depth of knowledge but also his concern about his students in enabling them to grasp such abstract concepts.

After my completion of M.A. Degree, I pursued my studies in the field of education. As a M.Ed. student (1973-'75) of Lady Willington college of Education., Chennai, I approached Dr. C.T.K. Chari for my M.Ed. dissertation. Dr. C.T.K. Chari aptly suggested a topic, with prospective foresight. Directly or indirectly I had come across appreciation for the apt choice of the topic for my M.Ed. dissertation (1975), titled as 'An Enquiry into Higher Education of Women in Madras' in the wake of the celebration of the International Year for Women- 1975. Credit goes to Dr. C.T.K. Chari's guiding spirit. I am immensely grateful for his invaluable guidance and advice.

After my 14 years of service in the Directorate of Collegiate Education of Govt. of Tamil Nadu, I moved to the Northern belt in 1986 to take up a career as Educational Administrator in the Directorate of Education, Govt. of Delhi. I used to cherish the memory of Dr. C.T.K.'s scholarship and his dedication to the teaching profession.. Such remembrance of Dr. C.T.K.'s further enabled me to exemplify certain philosophical concepts when I worked for my dissertation titled as 'A Study of the concept of a University as exemplified by the Buddhist Monasteries of India, for my M.Phil degree in Education in the year 1993 in the Dept. of Education ( C.I.E.) of the University of Delhi. Though this work of mine was basically grounded in education, it was engulfed by the philosophical flavor. I felt I got inspiration telepathically from our Guru Maharaj Dr.C.T.K.Chari.

I am bound dutifully to pay homage to the guiding spirit of our reverential preceptor Dr. C.T.K. Chari on the occasion of celebrating his birth Centenary.

 

Swami Vikrant, S. A. B

Prof. C T K Chari- A Gentleman Scholar and an Extremely Friendly Teacher.

I had an intimate and very friendly relationship with Prof C T K Chari for two years, 1968-70, as a day scholar student of Chari at the Philosophy department, Madras Christian College. Prof Chari was a versatile genius, a brilliant mathematician with a prodigious memory and excellent scholarship in western philosophy. In deep humility he will not stray into an area of knowledge where he had no expertise. He could give brilliant expositions of highly technical topics in economics, politics, psychology, parapsychology, mysticism, physics, astronomy and all fields in the ranges of pure science and humanities.

But apart from being a brilliant professor his human touch and most cordial human relationships were unrivalled human qualities. Prof Chari was a perfect gentleman to the core. Cardinal Newman defines a gentleman as a person who does not hurt anyone’s feelings. Prof Chari had upheld maximum degree of human freedom in himself and others. He respected others’ freedom. Though not a theist, he would never hurt other’s religious beliefs and feelings. He was a down to earth humanist. His sense of duty was fantastic and even bordering the fanatic line. With high fever he would come to class and in all my two year stay at MCC Prof Chari never missed a single class. Chari would never stoop to flatter the rich and the powerful.

Though gentle by nature Prof Chari could be devastating in demolishing pretences. Once during a national seminar on Aurobindo at the Madras University, Chari tore to pieces the feeble defences of Aurobindo by Prof K R Srinivasa Iyengar from Pondicherry - an Iyengar like Chari. All the great academics at the seminar were stunned by Chari’s brilliance at English literature which was certainly not his main subject. Chari’s opponent became speechless but there was not even a tinge of bitterness in his masterly polemic on Aurobindo as a poor dramatist.

I found ample proof of my great professor’s human heart and human touch bordering on the divine. I told Prof Chari that I needed a week’s holiday to visit Varanasi for a religious function. He readily granted me leave but made a humble request. It was for a bottle of holy ganga water for his orthodox mother-in-law. Prof Chari was so happy when I handed over to him the holy water and he invited me home to a cup of tea and he introduced me to his wife and daughter- Nirmala, at that time studying for a degree course, I think in politics. Chari told me that he was reading Machiavelli for coaching his daughter. He would clear any subtle question on any topic under the sun but he would request two or three days time. I tested his knowledge of scholastic philosophy with a question on the ethics of Duns Scotus. He gave me the correct reply in two days. Prof Chari loved his classes and loved his students like a real father rather than a mere academic. His sacred memory is firmly etched in my mind.

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