People and stories
An Educationist worth Remembering
There are teachers who go on to become legends, creating a lasting impression in the minds of thousands of students whose lives they?ve touched. In this piece, our reader Brigadier A.N. Suryanarayanan remembers R Nataraja Ayyar, the educationist who rose like a phoenix each time.
A few years ago, I was on a visit to Trichy and the usual rounds of relatives, friends and the native village, followed. I had heard during the trip that a statue of ?His? bust had been erected in the school on His birth-centenary. So while returning from my native village, I entered my alma mater and stood in reverence before the statue of an unforgettable teacher and administrator.
My mind brought back memories from six-seven decades ago: ?You are not able to calculate the earthwork dug out by x number of workers of a cylindrical hole and their wages? I can call the conservancy sweeper just now; who will answer me in a minute,? he would say. That was R Nataraja Ayyar, educationist, owner, headmaster and correspondent of E R High School, Tiruchirappalli from the 1940s to 1970s. We used to wonder how he could remember the names of over 1,300 students, their classes with sections, names of their fathers and siblings, from III to VI Forms (Classes 8 to 11).
The school
The eponymous Edaiyathumangalam Rangaswamyiyer High School or ERHS, in short, was founded in 1900 by His father, at two locations on either side of the then rural bus stand. My father and he had been classmates there soon after opening! Four generations of over 20 boys from our joint family went to the same school, for classes 1 to 11! As a token of our gratitude to the fine institution, a nephew of mine runs a Trust whose collections are annually distributed to poor and meritorious students. In fact, the proceeds from my recently self-published book titled, ?Many Laughs & A Few Tears,? will go to its corpus.
The Primary, Elementary and Middle school of ERHS were in pukka buildings right above His home and could be seen from across the Teppakkulam (Water-tank for the annual float festival, the historic landmark), a tourist view-point to see the majestic Rockfort and 83 m high rock, the only outcrop in the otherwise flat land of the city and also the highest and the largest single rock in India. At approximately 3,800 million years old, it is older than even the Himalayas. Every photograph thus captured would show the huge white lettering of the school?s name against red paint! Unfortuntely that location had been vacated a few decades ago and the primary and elementary sections have closed down.
The other location, spread over 3.5 acres, had classes 9 & 10 in about 20 class rooms in a thatched roof structure. Only the office and staff room at the entrance and 8 sections of class 11 at the far end were in proper brick and mortar rooms, one of whom His statue adorns now. But today it is a huge Higher Secondary School.
Always dressed in full sleeved khadi-kurta and ?panchakachcham? with the traditional holy ash smeared on His forehead, he could be seen in three-quarter-sleeved khadi-kurta and dhoti, only after school hours and on Sundays. He taught Mathematics to classes 10 & 11. On the blackboard, he could draw a circle better than what one could with a compass and write better than printed letters, even at the age of sixty-five! Whatever his designations were, children always referred to him as ?Manager? ? why, I don?t know even today!
The school building
His transport was a bicycle, which had seen better days: without a light or a bell. But no policeman would ever check him riding back after a game of bridge in the City Club, a kilometre away at night. Kind-hearted but hiding behind a veneer of strictness, he gave plenty of fee concessions to the poor, the backward classes, the needy and also the bright ones. Under His charge, SSLC results were always 100 per cent. No admission was possible without his vetting. Quarterly Progress reports for classes 9 to 11 were handed out by him in class individually, with a pinch of cheeks ? the pressure and the words used proportional to the goodness or otherwise of the report.
Calamities struck the school repeatedly during the early 50s, when I was a student there. First, there was a cyclone and everything came crashing down, being thatched structures. A couple of years later, a fire destroyed everything again. Neither deterred him from His noble aim of providing quality education at an affordable fee. A flood in 1964, by when I had been in the army for three years, did not affect either. Rising like a Phoenix, he continued providing excellent education. Ministers, MLAs, Film actors, IAS/IPS and Generals have passed through the portals of His school.
News about a faction-fight between His grandson(s) and former-teachers for control of its Rs 600 Crore worth property, with politicians bidding for Rs 19 Cr saddened my heart. Luckily, the prime mover of the ?take over? group died last year and there is hope after all, that the Courts will decide judiciously keeping the interest of quality education at heart.
All photographs courtesy: Brigadier A.N. Suryanarayanan
Comments
VDhandapani
27 Mar, 2024
Sir, Your article on R.Nataraja Iyer really moved me as an old student of E.R. High School.I did my 5 th and 6th forms during 1952/54.The teachers then were highly dedicated and inspired the students.
VDhandapani
27 Mar, 2024
Sir, Your article on R.Nataraja Iyer really moved me as an old student of E.R. High School.I did my 5 th and 6th forms during 1952/54.The teachers then were highly dedicated and inspired the students.
Swaminathan
22 Aug, 2020
Bring, are you from 1969 batch of SSLC?
Prakash H.R.
16 Jun, 2020
I am delighted to read your article about my Mama Thata, the venerable teacher and educationist Sri. E.R. Nataraja Aiyer. He is my mother's maternal Mama. My school education began in Trichy. Later we moved to Hyderabad. I used to visit my grandparents in Kulumani during. I have fond memories of visiting him for his blessings and use to hold him in high esteem and take pride in being a decendent of his family.
Anonymous
31 Aug, 2019
I am his student and now as a retired professor I recall with love and gratitude ,a great teacher who moulded our lives . His simplicity and his knowledge are unmatched. I cannot forget his bicycle. I have many a times I have spoken about him to my students .- Narahari,1962 batch student
Anonymous
20 Feb, 2019
Dear Brig Suriyanarayanan, Excellent write up that brought nostalgic memories. I studied in both the school blocks on two sides of the roads at Teppakulam during 53-57 until I moved to St.Josephs and gratefully remember my teachers and my friends of that period Yes Kadhar kurtha and panchakacham were teachers dress. I do remember Nataraja Iyer coming in a cycle and will sponsor a laddu for all students on the last day of the school.Great person. Those were the great days at Trichy Sidney Ponniah
Dr. Ananth Sundararajan
22 Jan, 2018
Thank you for your excellent write-up on E.R. Nataraja Iyer, the former owner and manager of E.R. High School where I had the good fortune to be a student of, during 1946-1951 ( 6th to 11th std). I knew him personally and he was a simple, unassuming man and a top-notch educationist. I remember with gratitude and pleasure the excellent teachers there. I owe my academic success to my early schooling at E. R. High School. Dr. A. Sundararajan, Norman, Oklahoma, U.S.A. (Nick name: Angarai Raju)
S.Ganapathy
19 Sep, 2016
That was a beautiful article by Brigadier A.N.Suryanarayanan. I was in the 1954 batch. Had the privilege of being taught by Sri R.Nataraja Iyer, Seshasayee Iyer, Ramanatha Iyer, Srinivasa Iyer. Jalaja was my class mate for a few years. (I Read your note also, Jalaja. A visit is due.) Nataraja Iyer was always exuding love,affection, talent,excellence and pleasantry. I compare him to Mr J.R.D. Tata , my employer, as a great personality........Ganapathy
Sreenivasan.G
14 Jun, 2016
Mr.E.S.Vaidhyanathan (Edayathamangalam sundaram vaidhyanathan) residing in A Block, Bhuvaneshwari Apartments,Bharathidasan Colony, K.K.Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600078, India.He s such a wonderful and amazing teacher and mentor.He was retired from Ramakrishna mission school (South &North)
V.Viswanathan
18 Mar, 2016
Link to my article published in The Hindu BL a few years ago on my grandpa Late Shri Raghupathy Iyer of ERHS. http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/a-teacher-who-favoured-all/article3858680.ece
V. L. Swaminathan
16 Mar, 2016
ERHS RN's 2nd daughter's son V Ramdoss is my batchmate "B" section through out. I am A section through out. E S Natesa Iyer son E N Subramnian is my classmate and lives in Bangalore. Style Venkatarama Iyer E Section son V Ramjee is my B Sc classmate. Maths Teacher Raghupathy Iyer's daughter Sow Anandam is my classmate until III form ( April 1955). On the occasion of turning 50 - exactly on 26Dec 1993) I met Raghupathy Iyer and enquired about Sow Anadnam. He told me that she lives in KK Nagar. I mistook KK Nagar to be in Chennai. It took another 15 years to trace her and I met her on 31Mar2008. As a consequence to the meet, her youngest son became my younger sister's son-in-law, E S Sundaram Iyer's son E S Vaidhyanathan is my B Sc Classmate. I will appreciate if you can give me a trace to find him. Regards Swaminathan VL
Brig A N Suryanarayanan
16 Mar, 2016
Thank you, Divya, It is ERHS and our "Manager' who shaped us into whatever we could achieve before joining the army.... during... and now, 20 years after! I nostalgically remember all the teachers named by Mr VLS above and many more. In fact, whenever we all brothers, cousins, nephews etc meet, ERHS and Shri RNA will come into our talks! Coincidence, Mr R Raghavan, a grandson called and spoke to me and corrected me that NO politician is interested: I heaved a (second) sigh of relief.. the first was the death of the take over leader.
Mr R Raghavan
16 Mar, 2016
a grandson called and spoke to me and corrected me that NO politician is interested: I heaved a (second) sigh of relief.. the first was the death of the take over leader."
V. L. Swaminathan
16 Mar, 2016
Dear Brig Suriyanarayanan Greetings from V. L Swaminathan. Thank you for your wonderful article. I am student of ERHS from V Std to SSLC (1951-58) I hail from Valady. There were six/Seven teachers were teaching ERHS commuting with me from Valadi. Notable amongst them were V S Krishnamoorthy Iyer (my first teacher). V S Srinivasa Iyer, AR Seshasayee, A R Ramakrishna Iyer, L S Saptharishi Iyer, M V Venkataraman. I have the photograph of ERHS Nataraja Iyer being felicitated b then ERHS Teachers Association during 1956. When I passed out SSLC in 1958, that was his last term as ERHS HM. Subsequently Shri TDA Subrahmanian took over as HM while ERHS RN served as teacher and correspondent. Ananda Vikatan convered an article about him in the serial Columns "Aasiriyar Nava rathinangal"" publishing a caricature photo of RN holding his cycle without break During 2009 /2010 and his trademark Vibuthi Pattai. During his cenetenary year Oct1996, THE HINDU published an article carrying anecdotes from B Ramamoorthy and Dr Mathrubhootham. If at all what I am today, it is mostly due to the Elementary middle and High School gems of this noble Institution ERHS. I will forward this article to my ERHS friends thanking my B Sc ( St Joseph's ) batchmate Ranga, a Brigadier Retired from Indian Army and student of National College High School Trichy. Both of us are settled in Bangalore.
Jalaja Viswanathan
16 Mar, 2016
Many people have praised my father's teaching but your words really touched my heart. I was refreshed by memories of my good old days in Trichi. Thankyou very much...
Divya Sudarshan
16 Mar, 2016
Dear mama..I am sure you know my father idolized him...dad's true wish was to teach ..and ride a cycle in a veshti and help the struggling students..though weused to constantly poke fun at his day dream..since it was a very far cry from the golf playing,car driving brigadier we knew...I think teachers make such impressions in the soft clay of a young child's mind..that when you scrape everything away...only that first impression remains....I loved your write up..and lets hope good sense and good education prevails!!
Ar.Suriamoorthy
21 Feb, 2014
WHOLE TAMILNADU NO MATHEMATICS HOMEWORK TEACHER SRI NATARAJA IYER
Ar Suriamoorthy
20 Feb, 2014
MY SCHOOL ER HIGH SCHOOL. MY ADDRESS:29,SRI LAKSHMI GARDENS,THINDAL P.O.ERODE-638012
K. V. Pasupathy.
22 Mar, 2013
It's all true. In fate Nataraja iyer is my mama-thatha. My patti's (my father's mother) brother.My father name K.M. Vaitheeswaran. Bank Manager. I am K.V. Pasupathy. My native Kulumani village.
Ragavan D
08 Nov, 2012
Excellent write up Brig Suryanarayanan. Enjoyed every bit of the contents and other comments Nostalgic memories. I was a student of Sh Nataraj Ayyar, Raghupathi Ayyar, Valadi Srinivasa Iyer, AVK, Lakshmanan, TMS,Thiruvenkatachari and so on. Great days and wonderful childhood in Trichy. I studied from sixth to eleventh in ERHS and we have a what's up group of ERHS 11th standard friends That's how Throughone of class mates I came across this article. Regards D Ragavan Mumbai
Ramanan Alias Vengdi
05 Jun, 2012
Vandhadhunu Elam kollum Maharajan Kappal ( auto correct ) sorry
Ramanan Alias Vengdi
04 Jun, 2012
Thank you Suri Mama for the details and accolades of our dear Nataraja Iyer. When I did my SSLC in 1966 he was only correspondent TDA used to be Principal, VL Srinivasa Iyer( Karalakattai nick name) was my English teacher for 10& 11. Whatever Vocabulary, Diction I have today I owe to him. Ramamurthy Iyer Tamil ( used to play Veenai in Srirangam). ,he used to say whenever you put hand in pocket you should get Rs5/- note.Fearlessness taught by him. Subramanian Iyer was science teacher for both classes. He made it so easy. He used to break it down Question which have to 2 Line answers AV Krishnan was my Maths Teacher. Excellent foundation he gave me for Algebra zgeometry. I met him in 2006 For QED his example was You can call Erumai( Bison) a brake inspector . Bust can you call a Brake inspector Erumai ! Raghpathy Iyer was Maths teacher in XI once I was chatting in class in last bench Ramachanran. He spotted asked me to repeat what he had said. I blinked. Came and gave me a slap . The effect of that was in Engg before the problem was fully written on board I will be ready with answer. Raghuparhy Iyer's book was SSLC book all over TN Ramanathan Iyer was social studies teacher He taught values. History repeats itself so leArn History Nagarigam vandal padippu Varadhu Ayyah. India is Vandhau Elam killing Maharajan Kappal( ship) on reflection our country has all religions with highest proportion than any other country Thanks to Shri Natraja Iyer for choosing such colleague teachers today whatever I am I owe to them Shri Natraja Iyer we used to look at him in Awe with respect fear due to his humility riding in his bicycle . We are from a family of people where my great grant father Sti LS Srinivasa Iyer subsequently 5 of my Mamas studied in ERHS Love Namsakarams to ERHS & It's Gurukulam
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