Never too late

It’s never too late to learn something, shows Bangalorean I Balasundaram, who joined an art school just before he turned 80. Nidhi Chawla met him in his Jayanagar home. Here’s his story.

Mr Balasundaram

“I had a happy childhood, is Mr. I. Balasundaram’s opening statement when asked to talk about self. Born and brought up in Coimbatore in a family of lawyers, he did his schooling and graduation in Coimbatore and Chennai and went back to Coimbatore again to study to be a mechanical engineer at his father’s behest. He is a Carnatic music buff and loves to edit and record music sessions.

The Chrysler Building

He was a keen artist, interested in water colours and wanted to pursue a career in the field by taking up a course at College of Arts, Chennai. However his father, a lawyer himself, advised him to take up engineering as in his words, “both law and art would bring him to streets.” After completing his engineering Mr. Balasundaram started his career in 1956 with Brooke Bond India Limited where he was involved in building machines as in those days importing machinery was not allowed. His job took him to Hyderabad and then to Calcutta where he rose to the level of Chief Executive – Factories. He then joined Monotype India as Managing Director. In pursuit of his career and raising a family, his interest in the arts took a back seat, even though he gave up his job voluntarily in 1985 to be with his mother in Coimbatore after his father’s demise. But soon his sons left home and moved to US, mother passed away and Mr. and Mrs. Balasundaram moved to Bangalore.

On his wife’s continued insistence and encouragement, Mr. Balasundaram decided to give his hobby a second chance and joined an art school early this year just before he turned 80. “I learnt oil painting for 15 days and discontinued as the heat and aroma of kerosene in the small room were too overbearing.” Mr. Balasundaram has bronchial issues. In the course of these 15 days he completed two oil paintings, one being of Chrysler building, which his daughter-in-law had shot for him during one of their stays in US. Mrs. Balasundaram’s face lights up with pride when we comment that the painting looks better than the photo.

Macaw

Having worked on 3 and half oil paintings Mr. Balasundaram has now moved back to his long lost love – watercolours, which he is self-learning through books. He was painting a Macaw bird when we met him. “Next I want to paint a picture of my son’s house,” says this octogenarian. When asked if either of his sons have inherited his interest he proudly shows us his elder son’s sketch book and quips, “May be he will also pursue it when he reaches my age”.

On a parting note Mrs. Balasundaram hopes that our article will inspire Mr. Balasundaram to complete his incomplete painting and bring the count to four completed paintings. We hope so too.

Here’s a slideshow of Mr Balasundaram’s work. We hope his passion and the desire to learn something new will be an inspiration to many of us