Award Winning Second World War Veteran, England Educated Engineer ,Ex Employee of Bhabha Atomic Research Center Bombay , and Former Assistant Executive Engineer at Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station Trivandrum / VSSC, late Sri Abraham Gurupatham

Introduction    : Second World War Veteran, England educated  Engineer,  and former Assistant Executive Engineer of  Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, Trivandrum,[TERLS /  VSSC ]  late Sri Abraham Gurupatham was an outstanding Indian Citizen, he had the privilege to serve  key departments in the Indian Government such as Indian Navy, B.A.R.C, and Space Department with great distinction and dedication . He was a born genius , he was unassuming and he reached heights in life by virtue of his hard work and natural intelligence . His forgotten life story will galvanize many youth specially rural youth to dream high and to become achievers in life. 

                                                            Mr. Abraham Gurupatham 

Sri A. Gurupatham's Parents and Birth   :  During the early decades of twentieth century there lived  a  man by name Mr Muthu Abraham  in a beautiful unknown  idyllic village called Perunankulam  near Thisayanvilai in Tirunelveli district,  Tamil Nadu with his wife  and this couple gave birth to Mr Abraham Gurupatham on the 7th March, 1920.

Mr. A. Gurupatham's  Siblings   : Sri Abraham Gurupatham was blessed with the following siblings namely [1]Ms. Rajamony, [2]Mr.Suviseshamuthu, and[3] Mr. M.S. Kumar [ He worked as a side actor in the Tamil Film industry ,]

Mr. Abraham Gurupatham's Wife and Children   ; Sri Abraham Gurupatham was married to Ms Sudharshnal [Ms Sudharshanal's  mother  Ms Janeamma was a first cousin of  the world famous  Pianist Padma Sri Handel  Manuel. { Sri. Handel Manuel's father Dr Manuel had four siblings including Ms Janeamma]. ].  Mr Abraham Gurupatham and Ms Sudharshnal Gurupatham couple gave birth to a daughter and a son namely :-[1] Ms. Jaya Jothinayagam, and [2] Mr Jeyaraj Abraham [ Mr . Jeyaraj Abraham had the privilege to work in ISRO and he  retired as Senior Purchase  and Stores officer]. 

Sri. Abraham Gurupatham's Educational and Professional Trajectory   :  Mr Abraham Gurupatham was a student of the Concordia High School at Vadakkan kulam and after having  completed 9th grade he  went to Sri Lanka in search of employment  and in Srilanka he did all kinds of jobs . Then after having earned some money he returned to India  and in 1938 joined the Indian Navy . His inherent  thirst for progress and knowledge  forced him to continue his education and so while he was working in the  Indian Navy he sat for a Higher Education Test and passed that examination [ Which was was equivalent  to S.S.LC]  he proved himself as an efficacious sailor in the Indian Navy  He was posted to stay in London for two years [1940- 1942 ] by the Indian Navy authorities and during this stay period Mr Abraham Gurupatham did his Diploma in Electrical Engineering in Great Britain . After having  meritoriously completed his Diploma in Electrical Engineering course,in England [ 1940- 1942 ] he returned to India and continued his work in the Indian Navy and in 1958  retired from the Indian Navy as Chief Petty Officer [CPO}. .

Sri Abraham Gurupatham Joined BARC   :After his retirement from the Indian Navy, Mr A. Gurupatham joined as a Supervisor at the prestigious Bhabha Atomic Research Center in Bombay  and served in the Bhabha Atomic research Center [ BARC ] with great dedication, decorum  and innovative efficacy and he was well appreciated by his senior  officers and Scientists  It would be appropriate to recollect one incident that while he was working at the BARC , a made in Germany Generator was lying idle for long time for there was nobody to repair that, Mr Abraham Gurupatham noticed generator  and with the permission of the Chief Engineer he repaired that generator and  everybody  was stunned\and he was immensely appreciated by the Chief Engineer and  such others 

Sri Abrham Gurupatham Joined Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station   :   In the year 1965 Mr Abraham Gurupatham joined the recently started [1962 ] TERLS [ Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station as an Engineer on deputation from BARC,and he was subsequently promoted as Senior Engineer . It will be apt to say that TERLS was later renamed as VSSC[ Vikram Sarabhai Space Center after Dr Vikram's death ].. Mr Gurupatham was an innovative thinker and hard worker and so he  was again promoted as Assistant Executive Engineer  But unfortunately a Motor Cycle accident put a full stop of his promising career in TERLS/  VSSC[ ISRO} .and chased away his valuable life on the 7th April, 1974.  

Conclusion   : .. Really late Sri Abrahm Gurupatham was an outstanding and innovative  Engineer  and he was a great  soul with inherent compassion for the poor, lowliest and last . Incidentally he happened to born in an unknown village  at the Southern  Tamil Nadu but he earned the privilege to do a Diploma course in Electrical Engineering  in England, UK. He had the rare privilege to serve in two prestigious Scientific Research Institutions namely, BARC and VSSC and also had the honor to know and move with  towering Scientists like Dr APJ Abdul kalam and others . He was a close  friend of Dr APJ. and used to chat with him on many important official and personal matters  . Sri Abraham Gurupatham was very intelligent and he was innovative and unassuming .  He was a man of principle and values, humble and honest . I was told  by his son Mr Jeyaraj Abraham that Mr Abraham Gurupatham uplifted many poor and underprivileged people and also had  helped nearly 150 people to get jobs in the T.E.R.L.S  / VSSC mostly from fisher folks. It is written some are born great and some achieve greatness.and Sri Abraham Gurupatham belonged to the second category .His self elevation from a very ordinary background without any uncles  and cousins to help him , to enviable places and  heights deserves our appreciation . With a salute to  Engineer  Abraham Gurupatham I end this write up 

END

By . Babu Manoharan, M.A, [ All rights are reserved. This Article will be modified, enlarged or corrected later if needed ] .

Three Forgotten and Historical Sisters of South Travancore [ Kanyakumari District] Ms. Marial Sundaram Pillai , Ms. SARAH GNANASUNDARAM PIllai and Ms Marthal Aaron ; Part -- D

Introduction   ; Ms Sarah Gnanasundaram Pillai  daughter of Ms Mariamuthu and Mr Arulanandam of Osaravilai village in  Kanyakumari district  was a cultured. educated, God fearing and blessed lady and a scion of an illustrious Christian family of South Travancore [ Kanyakumari District] . Her forefathers brought, introduced and established   LMS to South Travancore and  a recollection and perusal of her life and her family's history will inspire and help the readers to understand some forgotten historical chapters of the Church history of South Travancore and Tamil Nadu.

Ms Sarah Gnanasundaram Pillai's Parents and Birth   :  Many decades ago there lived a blessed Christian couple at Osaravillai in Kanyakumari district namely Ms Mariamuthu and Mr Arulanandam and this couple gave birth to three smart sweet  daughters including Ms Sarah Gnanasundaram Pillai 

Ms. Sarah's Marriage with Mr Gnanasundaram Pillai    :-  Ms Sarah was married to Mr Gnanasundaram Pillai of Murungankurichi, Palyam Kottai and Mr Gnanasundaram Pillai hailed from an illustrious and well known Christian Family of Tamil Nadu .and South India. . It will be immensely useful to  give some basic idea about the family background of Mr Gnanasundaram Pillai. Mr. Gnanasundaram Pillai was the son of Mr Gnana Sigamoni Pillai who was generally and popularly called as Gothavari Pillai [ Mr Gothavari Pillai's father was a step brother of the great Tamil Christian Poet and Lyricist Sri Vethanayagam Sastriar.] . Mr Gnanasundaram Pillai's house was located at  Rhenius Street at Murungankurichi  in Palayam Kottai.  It is very important to remember a historical fact that the famous CMS missionary Rev C.T.E. Rhenius lived at the house of Mr Gnanasundaram Pillai at Murumgankuruchi, Palayam Kottai . Not only Rev Rheneius but also the famous Christian Missionary Rev Ragland also lived at the house of Mr Gnanasunaram Pillai  and continued their evangelical work at Palayam Kottai and surrounding places and villages . It is also  important to mention the names of the siblings of Mr Gnanasundaram Pillai and his  siblings were the following namely "- [1] Mr Gnana Dhas Pillai, [2] Ms Gnana Theebam Ammal ,[3] Ms Gnanambal [4] Mr Gnanenthran  Pillai and [5] Ms.Gnana Retnam  

Ms Sarah and Mr Gnanasundaram Pillai Couple's Children and their families   :  Ms Sarah and Mr Gnana Sundaram Pillai couple gave birth  to one son and a daughter namely :-[1] Mr. Arul  Sigamoni  and [2 Ms . Sornavadivu [ But Ms G. Sornavadivu died at the tender age of four ]. , Mr Arul Sigamoni married Ms.Yesunesam, daughter of LMS Catechist Mr.Caleb of Navalcadu and Ms Jeevaretnam Caleb  and this couple gave birth to the following children namely :- [1]  Ms. Gnana Sundra Sarah Bai, [2] Ms. Mabel Mary Retnam, [3] Mr Ebenezer Chelliah , [4] Michael Sundaradhas [5] Mr Alexander Sornadhas, [6] Mr Francis Gnanadhas, and [7] Mr John Easter Devadhas. 

Conclusion   : Mr Gnanna Sundaram Pillai joined CMS and so he and his wife Ms Sarah Gnanasundaram Pillai went to Visakapattinam to do the ministry.as CMS workers. After having served in Visakapatinam  area for nearly for six years, they were returning  to Nagercoil but on the  way  Mr Gnanasundaram Pillai died at a place called Anthiyur. So Mrs Sarah  Gnanasundaram Pillai returned to Nagercoil with her young son Arulsigamoni  . Then Mrs Sarah  studied Nursing and joined as a Nursing Staff  at the famous Catherine Booth Hospital, Nagercoil  , where her sister Ms Marial 's husband Dr Sundaram Pillai was serving as a Doctor, Ms Sarah was living inside the CBH campus with her only son Arul Sigamoni  untill Arul Sigamoni attained the age of seventeen . Ms Sarah Gnana Sundaram Pillai lived as a loving wife to her husband till his death,  wise and affectionate mother to her children and a memorable grand mother to her grand children  till she passed away from this world .  Both  Ms Sarah and  her husband Mr Gnansundaram Pillai were privileged to hail  from  outstanding  and good Christian families of Tamil Nadu . She was a pious lady and  she loved and  obeyed God's words and as a result of her good Christian life her children and specially her grand children and great grand children have been richly blessed and her descendants are doing extremely well as Doctors, Engineers, Pilot and so on  Ms.Sarah Gnanasundaram Pillai was  blessed by God as He blessed the  biblical Sarah. 

 . Part E will follow soon 

By P.  Babu Manoharan  , M.A [ All rights are reserved . This Article will be enlarged , modified or corrected later if needed ]. 

 

Three Forgotten Historical Sisters of South Travancore [Kanyakumari District] Ms Marial Sundaram Pillai, Ms Sarah Gnanasundaram Pillai and Ms Marthal Aaron. Part -- C

[ 3] Mr. Chelliah Sundaram Pillai and Family  : Dr. Sundaram Pillai's son Mr Chelliah Sundaram Pillai was married to Ms Retnam from Tirunelveli district and this couple gave birth to three sons and one daughter  namely :_[A] Mr Sunder Raj and he married Ms Amni and this couple gave birth to one son  namely Mr Vinod Koshy and he married Ms Prabha Chandra and this couple is blessed with one son and one daughter,[B]Ms Vimala  and  she was married to her paternal aunt's son Mr Thomas Masillamani,  and this couple gave birth to five children [C] Mr Thiagarajan and he died at an early age and [D] Mr Charles  and he married Ms Nora  daughter of Mr. Muthunayagam Noah and this couple is blessed with a  son and a daughter namely :-[1]Colonel Thiagaraj, now he is settled in US after having served for some years in the Indian Army as a Commissioned Officer and [b] Mr. Charles' daughter's name is not readily available and she  is  living in  Canada.  

[4] Dr. Dhas Sundaram Pillai   :  Ms Marial and Dr Sundaram Pillai couple's son Dr Dhas Sundaram Pillai married Ms . Mercy  daughter of  Mr .Swamidhas and Muthammal Swamidhas and this couple gave birth to the following children namely :-[A]  Ms Sundarabai  and she married Mr. Raja.Laxmana Das and this couple gave birth to  the following children namely ;-[1] Mr. Chella  Devadhas  and he is married to Ms kanch Anna Chellappa , daughter of the famous  Murasoli Artist Mr Chellappa  and Mr Chella  lives in US  with his wife and children and [2] Ms. Neena Mercy Das,B.A,,and she also lives in US [B] Ms Victoria  and she married Mr S. Chelliah and this couple gave birth to the following children namely ;-[1] Mr Dinesh and he married Ms Asha and this couple is blessed with two children ,[2] Ms .Sujatha and she is married to Dr P..Kumar Raja Sekar and this couple is blessed with two daughters ,[C] Mr Durai Swamy   and he married Ms Mary and this couple is blessed with two sons and a daughter  namely[1] Mr. Milton and [2]  Mr Harris and [3] Ms Catherine . {D] Mr Joel Singh and he  married Ms Saroja daughter of Mr N. Samuel teacher and this couple gave birth to two daughters namely-[1] Ms Asha and [2] Ms. Mala , [E] Mr Dhas Jeya Singh  and he married Ms Jamuna Bai from Vellore and this couple gave birth to the following children namely :- [1] Ms Juanita, [2] Ms Julie ,[3] Ms.Jansee and [4] Mr Jonathan Singh and {F] Ms Premila and she married Mr James Moses and this couple is blessed with the following children [1] Presie and [2] Jene 

Other Children of Dr Sundaram Pillai  : Dr . Sundaram Pillai's  other children are the following namely _[5]  Mr . Noble and he died at an early age, [6] Ms Sarah Bai she has no children , [7] Ms Devasitham, [8] Ms Kreedam and she married Mr. Deva Anbu and [9] Ms Retnam and she married Mr Arasu from Chennai 

Conclusion . Ms Marial Sundaram Pillai  and her husband Dr. Sundaram Pillai led an exemplary christian life . Dr Sundaram Pillai served as a  Doctor in the CBH for some decades, it was told that he served as a sincere and compassionate doctor and he loved the poor people with Christian loving kindness and served the sick and needy without any discrimination and won the hearts of the people.  . Now Ms Marial Sundaram Pillai's children, grand children and great grand  children were and are really blessed in all sense of the word blessing. and this Marial Sundaram Pillai couple's descendants are well educated and doing really well in life as  Doctors, Para Medical Staff, Engineers, Scientists , Advocates, , Entrepreneurs and so on and they live in many parts of the world. Of course Ms Marial Sundaram Pillai and Dr Sundaram Pillai couple's profiles remind Psalm 128.  Ms Marial Sundaram Pillai's great christian life and Dr Sundaram Pillai's sacrifice  and service for the cause of the Cross of Christ deserve a deserving place  in the South Indian Church History. 

Part D Will follow soon \

By. P. Babu Manoharan , M.A. [ All rights are reserved . This Article will be enlarged, modified or corrected later in needed ]. 

Three Forgotten Historical Sisters of South Travancore [ Kanyakumari dist } Mrs Marial Sundaram Pillai , Sarah Gnanasundaram Pillai and Marthal Aaron . Part B

Ms Marial's Parents and family :  Ms Marial's mother Ms.Martamuthu  and father Mr Arulanandam hailed from an illustrious Protestant Christian family of South Travancore and   I was told that Ms Marthal's father was a grandson of Mylaudy Maharasan Vethamonicakm. It will be apt to remembear a historical fact that Mylaudy Maharsan Vethamonicakm was a Co-founder of Protestant Christianity in South Travancore along with LMS Missionary Mr Ringeltaube.  Ms Martamuthu and Mr Arulanandam couple gave good academic education and taught Christian values to their three  cute daughters  So Mr Arulanadam and Ms.Mariamuthus couple's three daughters got well educated  husbands  from illustrious families. Mr Sundaram Pillai  was a convert to Protestant Christianity from a respectable orthodox Hindu Saiva Pillai  community .from Srivaikundam Village in Tirunnevelli district and because of his conversion to Christianity his orthodox Hindu parents disconnected their relations with Mr.Sundaram Pillai.. Mr Sundaram Pillai studied a medical course and served as a Doctor at the famous Catherine Booth Hospital  at Nagercoil for many years till his retirement with great compassion and dedication.. During this period Ms Marial was married to Dr Sundaram Pillai and  Dr Sundaram Pillai and Ms Marial Sundaram Pillai couple had been living in Victory lane, Vettornimadam. Nagercoil  till they passed away from this Earth..  As mentioned in Part A,  Ms Marial and Dr Sundaram Pillai couple gave birth to 9 children and in the following paragraphs their  families will be dealt with concisely 

 {1]  Ms Abranam Masillamani  :  Dr Sundaram Pillai and Ms Marial couple's daughter Ms Abranam was married to Mr Masillamani and this couple gave birth to the following children namely ;-[A]Mr. Sunderdhas and he married Ms. Rani a daughter of Mr Muthuraj Palmer,and this couple gave birth to the following children namely :-[1] Mr Lawrence Muthuraj and  he married Ms. Mary Lawrence] ,[2] Ms Rajeswari and she married Mr Clement, B.Com, ,[3] Mr Charandra Kumar, B.Com[died].[B]  Mr Thomas and he married his maternal uncle's daughter Ms Vimala and this couple gave birth to the following children namely ;- [1] Cyril Manohar , [2]Ms Catherine Beena, [3] Willfred Tilak, [4] Mr. Thiyagaraj, [5] Ms. Banu;[C] Ms. Clara and she married Mr Chandraprasad and this couple gave birth to the following children namely :[1] Ms.Eva and she married Mr Lamuel alis Babu, and [2]Mrs. Roshmi and she married Mr Joyson and {D]Ms Dora kamalabai and she married Mr G. Dhas and this couple is blessed with the following children namely :-[1]Ms Shyyamala and she married the famous Surgeon Dr. Chithranjan {C.M.C, Vellore] and [2] Mr. Vijayakumar., 

[2] Ms Anbai David   :   Ms Marial Sundaram Pillai couple's daughter Ms Anbai married Mr. Dr David and this couple gave birth to the following children namely ;- [A] Ms Soundry and she married Mr Velliah  and this couple gave birth to t he following children namely [1]Mr. Stephen, [2] Mr Dharmabala ,[3]Mrs. Saro and [4]Ms Vasantha , [B] Ms. Arul  Mary and she married Mr Subramaniam Iyer [ He retired as a H.M of a Govt H.S. School ] ,[C]Ms Leela and she married Mr James Victor and this couple gave birth to the following children namely :-[1]Mr. Manoharan David and he married Baby , [2]Ms Banu and she married Mr Edward, [3]Ms Shanthi, [4] Mr. Deva Kirubakaran and he married Ms Jikky ; and [5] Mr Jerry and she married his  paternal cousin Ms Santhy.;  [D] Mr Dharma. [E] Ms Chandra and she married Mr Williams from Chennai and this couple gave birth to the following children namely ;- [1]Mr. Sam,[2] Ms Getzie and she married Mr Vinod [Mr. Vinod's brother is the son in law of the great economist Padma Vibhushan Dr  Raja Chelliah] , [3] \Mr .David , and [F] Ms Navaretna Bai and she married Mr K.P Paulmer and this couple gave birth  to the  following children namely ;-[1] Mr Hubert, [2] Mr Dr, Robert, [3]Ms Dr Annette, and [4]Mr Joshua,.

Parat C will follow soon 

By. P. Babu Manoharan, M.A, [All rights are reserved, This Article will be enlarged, modified or  corrected later if needed.

Three Forgotten Historical Sisters of South Travancore [Kanyakumari Dist] Ms. Marial Sundaram Pillai, Ms.Sarah Gnanasundaram Pillai and Ms. Marthal Aaron .. Part A

Introduction ;   The Profiles of these three forgotten historical sisters of South Travancore namely  Ms. Marial Sundaram Pillai, Ms Sarah Gnanasundaram Pillai and Ms Marthal Aaron [Wife of Dr V.Aaron of Mylaudy- Crown Street Nagercoil ]  deserve  a revisit and review and  it is  unfortunate that the present generation do not have any reasonable  understanding about these great sisters and the contribution made by them and their forefathers to the religious, cultural. social and  educational progress of South Travancore [Kanyakumari district ]. The forgotten history of these three sisters definitely deserves some chapters in the social, religious, cultural  and educational history of Kanyakumari District.and Tamil Nadu. 

These Three Sisters' Birth and Parents ; It is said that each house in Osaravillai  village has a valuable history and in that historical Osaravilai village in Kanyakumari district  many decades ago  there lived a blessed Protestant Christian [LMS} couple  by name Mr Arulanantham and Ms Mariamuthu  , this lovely couple gave birth to three smart and cute daughters namely ;-[1] Ms. Marial Sundaram Pillai, [2] Ms Sarah Gnanasundaram Pillai, and [3] Ms. Marthal Aaron .I was told that Ms Mariamuthu's father was a grandson of Mylaudy Maharasan Vethamonickam .Now let us deal with the concise profiles of these three historical sisters. one by one. 

{1] Ms Marial Sundaram Pillai   :  Ms. Marial Arulanandam married  Dr Sundaram Pillai from a  famous village called Srivaikundam  in Tirunelveli district and he hailed from an orthodox Hindu family. During the last decades of nineteenth century and the early decades  twentieth century due to the influence of  Christian Missionaries like Rev C.T.E. Rhenius, many embraced protestant Christianity even from the orthodox Hindu communities; to cite a few namely Mr E. Muthiah Pillai, H.A krishna Pillai, Mr. T.A. Jothinayagam Pillai, Mr.W.E. Ganapathy Pillai , Mr Jesudasa kavirayar. Mr. A.S. Appasamy  Pillai  and many others . And following the footsteps of these pioneers Mr. Sundaram Pillai of Srivaikunam also embraced Protestant Christianity. and as said before  Mr Sundaram Pillai married Ms. Marial a daughter of Mr Arulanandam from Osaravilai village that lies near Mylaudy in  kanyakumari District .Mr Sundaram Pillai  studied a medical course and served as a medical doctor in the famous Catherine Booth Hospital in Nagercoil  for many years and settled in Victory lane, Vettoornimadam in Nagercoil  with his wife and children 

Ms Marial Sundarm Pillai and Dr. Sundaram Pillai Couple's Children  :  Ms Marial  Sundaram Pillai and Dr Sundaram Pillai couple gave birth to the following Children namely :- [1] Ms. Abranam Masillamani, [2] Ms Anbai David , [3] Mr Ebenezer Chellaih , [4] Mr Yesuretnam Dharmadhas, ,[5] Mr . Noble  [remained as a bachelor]. ,[6] Ms Sarah Bai [ died at and early age ], [7] Ms Devasitham , [8] Ms  Kreedam Deva Anbu [ Mr Deva Anbu was a a brother of the well known English Professor and Educationist late Prof, Arthur Davis, M.A]. and [9] Ms Retnam Arasu . 

Part B Will continue soon 

\By . P. Babu Manoharnan, M.A [ All rights are reserved, This Article will be enlarged, modified or corrected later if needed ].