The Pride of Tamils

Ten Tamils I am extremely proud of (Part I: 3/10)

(I reflect as I type, there is no particular order of importance followed)

1. Palaniappan Chidambaram (பா சிதம்பரம்) - Chidambaram has definitely risen; Risen above all ranks of politicans, and all rungs of politics. In the world of Indian Politics, he has been there, done that; From Finance and Planning to Personnel and IS, he has seen it all. From the lousy, bratty, desk-thumping graduate from Madras Law College, to the bespectacled, fountain-pen-flaunting scholar from Harvard, Chidu had been it all. Alright, Alright, when it comes to Chidambaram, I wish to dwell in the present. To begin with, what befogs me, is the suaveness with which the Staunch Socialist Chidambaram functions with indomitable ease in a country that leans on Capitalism. And to note that this socialist was one of the driving architects of India's successful Neo-capitalism policy, it pushes me to a state of irrecoverable bewilderment. Chidu was entrusted with the toughest job after 26/11 - the thankless job of the Home Minister's. He inherited the Ministry of Home Affairs from the soft-spoken Mr. Shivraj Patil. Shivraj, though a savant in every sense of the word, had only one deficiency: he converted internal security meetings into Sai Baba Satsangs. Successor Chidambaram, like a tornado in a farm land, chucked all peace in the IS Meetings out of the partisan windows. He woke the drowsy babus up with his child-like dynamism and set the sweat-rate high in the cozy cabins of the Ministry of Home Affairs. He revamped the NSG and has set plans to revamp the Indian Police. Today, one year after the Mumbai Blitzkreig, Chidu has pulled the trick, and has lived up to his job. With Kashmir and Naxals enough to itch his mind, lets give his Tamil heart a warm, redeeming hug. For more on PC, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P_Chidambaram
2. Allah Rakha Rahman (அல்லா ராகா ரகுமான்) - A.R. Rahman is probably the biggest musical seed that was ever planted in Tamil Nadu. His is the curious case of the small seed planted in Chennai, that grew up to be a huge Banyan in California! More than his music (maybe because I am a Dasan of Ilaiyaraaja, whose monopoly Rahman broke), I am electrified by the rapture he commands from the National audience with his International appeal! I think only a true-blue Indian gone global could do that. I saw his Oscar Acceptance Speech; The pride of being Tamil surged in me, when he mentioned his Mother. Which Tamil's success-sentiment is complete without the mention of his/her mother? I was almost there on that occassion when Rahman made us all proud, standing on that high-voltage podium at the centre of the Kodak Theatres and receiving the World's most coveted Film awards. To this Tamil with wavy hair and humane musicality, a cheer from the highest note my voice-box can reach. For more on ARR, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AR_Rahman
3. Srinivasa Ramanujan (ஸ்ரீனிவாச ராமானுஜன்) - Math Wizard Ramanujan, has more relevance to me, not because of his path-breaking discoveries in the World of Math, but because of the commitment my family has towards him. When I say my family, 99.999% of it comprises of just my grandfather, PK Srinivasan (who shall, to his amusement, from his study in Heaven, which I am sure is filled with a lot of books, research papers and newspapers just like his study here back home, find himself listed in the later part of this congregation of my top ten Tamils). Ramanujan died in 1920, sixty nine years before I was born in 1989. But, one of the first family members I knew, one of the first faces I recognised, and one of the first names I pronounced, was that of Ramanujan. Readers, like many people from the World Math Society mistake, please note that Ramanujan was not a family member by blood though he was from the same Vaishnavite clan. He was more of my family's identity from the external point of you. As regards to what Ramanujan discovered and what all his fuzzy logic included, I am yet to get past the counfounded. All I can say, is in the layman's tongue. I think Ramanujan is great. Two sides to his greatness; I think Ramanujan is a great in the Math World, because my grandpa thought so. I think Ramanujan is great within my heart, because my grandpa fed us everyday with his greatness. For more on Ramanujan's actual contributions, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srinivasa_Ramanujan

Do save this page on your bookmarks. I shall be right back with the remaining seven after attending to a few everyday rigmaroles. தமிழ் வாழ்க! தமிழனின் புகழ் பெருக!