An Eminent Artist appreciated by Mr Rajiv Gandhi the Honorable Former Prime Minister of India , Civil Engineer, Architect, Sculptor, Singer, Social Thinker, Best Artist Award Winner , The Best Youth Award Winner Mr .J.R.Ivan Shelley, B.E ,.

Introduction   :  Late  Mr. Ivan Shelley, B.E, was a remarkable man and a multifaceted  personality.  He was a great Artist, Architect, Sculptor, Social Thinker, Companion of the Companion-less,  Singer, and State level Best Artist Award Winner and his prolific profile will definitely galvanise and fill  the  minds of the  Readers,  and the younger generation with high ideals,  aesthetic taste, creative spark , brainstorms  and inspire  to lead a fruitful, meaningful and trailblazing life .   

                                                              Mr. J.R.Ivan Shelly,  B.E,.

Mr Ivan Shelley's Parents and Birth   :    Long time ago there lived a gentleman by name Mr Velayutham in Nagercoil and when he accepted Christ  as his saviour his name was changed as Mr Vethanayagam. Mr Vethanayagam married Ms Paramayi and this  couple gave birth to Mr V. Isaac . Mr. V. Isaac married Ms Perinba Muthu Chellammal and this couple gave birth to Mr I. James Robert and  Mr.I. James Robert married Ms Agnes and this couple shifted to Vadakkan Kulam in Tirunelvel District from Nagercoil  on account of their employment in Concordia Higher secondary  School at Vadakkan Kulam, and they were working in the Concordia higher Secondary School Vadakkankulam as Drawing Master and Drill Teacher respectively  . Mr . James Robert  and Ms Agnes  James Robert couple gave birth to Mr. J.R. Ivan Shelley, B.E  on 6th September 1968 in Nagercoil.. Mr James Robert and Ms.Agnus J. Robert couple gave birth to a female child also by name Ms J.R. Cynthia  Dharmaraj. B.Sc.

Mr. Ivan Shelley's Educational Track   : Mr. J.R. Ivan Shelley did his education up-to Plus Two ,at the famous Concordia Higher Secondary School at Vadakkankulam in Tiriunelvelli district.. . After having passed his Plus two examination in 1983 with high marks Mr J.R. Ivan Shelley pursued his B.E.[ Civil]  at the famous Indian Engineering College at Vadakkankulam and passed his B.E,[ Civil] in the year 1989. 

Mr. J.R. Ivan Shelley's Wife and Children   :  Mr Ivan Shelly met Ms. K.Suseitha inside the Indian Engineering  College,Vadakkankulam campus  and they were mutually attracted and their sincere love united them in marriage  . Ms Suseitha is also a great Architect, Artist,  and Sculptor like  Mr. Ivan Shelley.  Mr. J.R.Ivan Shelly married his College mate Ms. K. Suseitha .B.E, on the 8th November 1992 at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church , Thoothukudi.  God blessed this romantic couple with all the connubial  blessings and this couple gave birth to the  following children namely : [1] Ms. Anisha  Percy Jesinth, B.Arch  and she is married to  Mr. H. Davidson Dhas . B.E[ Aeronautical Engineering , Sathyabama University, Chennai] , M.S,[ Engineering Management, U.K ], [2] Mr Judha Benhur after having passed his  B.Tech [Bharathidhasan University, Trichy ], he pursued his  M.Tech at the same  Bharathidhasan University, Trichy and passed his M.Tech in 2022 and  secured Second Rank in the University.  Currently Mr Judha benhur is  working at the National Institute of Ocean Technology [ N.I.O.T] , Chennai,  as a  Project Scientist and it is learned that Mr Judha Benhur is the youngest Scientist  working in N.I.O.T in the whole of India and [3]  Ms Aaradhana  and she  is doing B.Sc [ Music] ..  

Mr j.R.Ivan Shelleys' Engineering and Artistic Career Track .  Mr Ivan Shelley worked as a Civil Engineer, Architect, Artist and Sculptor . All his pencil Drawings, Oil and Water Paintings , Embossing Arts, and other Mode of Art Creations,  exhibit  his artistic and  aesthetic creativity. He was a great Architect also and  the Buildings and houses that he planned and constructed candidly speak about his high level imagination and creative excellence.  He was an expert in Metal Embossing Art work also 

                     Mother Teresa  --A Metal Embossing Art Work done By Mr. Ivan Shelley 

Mr. Ivan Shelley made excellent  Portraits  by using Burnt Safety Match Sticks.:  By using burnt safety match sticks Mr Ivan Shelley had made many mind blowing portraits of great people. and leaders  The picturesque Portraits made by Mr Ivan Shelley by using  burnt safety match sticks won the appreciation from various nooks and corners of the country. The Portrait of Jesus made by Mr. Ivan Shelley by using burnt safety match sticks  won the First Prize,  in the Poompuhar State Award Contest conducted by the Tamil Nadu Handicraft Development Corporation Ltd  and he received the  State Level Award [ First Prize]  from the then Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Ms. J. Jaya lalitha in 2004.  In addition to the above said prize,   the portrait of Jesus made by Ivan Shelley by using the burnt safety sticks  won the appreciation of  the then Additional District and Sessions Judge, Thuthukudi Distrcit Mr N. Retnaraj , B.Sc, B.L. Moreover  Rev Suseshamuthu the then Director of  Christian Media Centre , Chennai was immensely impressed by  the artistic appeal of  the portrait of Jesus made by Ivan shelley by using burnt safety match sticks, gladly  used  this Portrait of Jesus  as cover picture of the Christian Media Centre's magazine Vanmalar and the cover  portrait  of Jesus won the spontaneous applause of hundreds of the readers of the Vanmalar magazine and  Rev Suveshamuthu wrote an Appreciation letter to  Mr Ivan Shelly and congratulated him profusely. 

 Portrait of Jesus made by Mr. J.R.Ivan Shelly using burnt safety match sticks 

                                          

     Mr. J.R. Ivan Shelley receives the State Award from the then Honourable C.M of T.N

Mr J.R. Ivan Shelley was appreciated by the Former Honourable  P.M of India Sri .Rajiv Gandhi: :   Making the portraits of Leaders was a passion to Mr Ivan Shelley and accordingly he made the Portrait of the honourable Former Prime Minister  of India Sri. Rajiv Gandhi by using 5500 burnt safety match sticks and presented to Sri Rajiv Gandhi during his visit to kanyakumari District at Nagercoil town, after having gone thorough strict security Check Up by Delhi Police . 

The Portrait of Mr Rajiv Gandhi, made bymr. Ivan Shelley using  burnt safety match sticks  was Checked by Delhi Police for security reasons  

In addition Mr Ivan Shelley also sent by Post a beautiful photo copy of a portrait of Mrs. Indra  Gandhi made by him using burnt safety match sticks to Mr Rajiv Gandhi and this photo copy of the Portrait of Mrs Indra Gandhi  on receipt, was spontaneously and greatly  appreciated  by Sri Rajiv Gandhi. Sri. Rajiv Gandhi sent a Letter of Appreciation to Mr Ivan Shelley.  I will quote one or two sentences here, from the Letter of Appreciation written by Mr Rajiv Gandhi to Mr Ivan Shelley. . " I was deeply touched to receive your letter in which you have sent me a portrait you have made of late Smt. Indra Gandhi using only burnt safety match sticks. I must congratulate you on your extremely innovative and indeed unique effort . I was happy to learn that the portrait is kept in your college auditorium. It was always nice to hear from young persons like you doing professional course like engineering. It is ultimately our youth who will lead our country to ever increasing progress and prosperity. " 

No words can candidly recognise the artistic excellence ad efficacy of Mr Ivan Shelly than these above written lines of  former Prime Minister of India Mr Rajiv Gandhi  .

              

 

Mr. Ivan Shelley was a Great Architect and Sculptor   ;As already said above Mr Ivan Shelley was a great Building Planner and Architect and he had the opportunity  to plan and construct some  beautiful privately owned houses in Nagercoil city in his unique style. He was the Architect of the striking and spectacular  Nursing College Building in Catherine Booth Hospital and the newly Built Head Quarters Building of the India South Eastern Territory in Nagercoil   He was a  Sculptor also Mr. J.R. Ivan Shelley had sculpted the magnificent  Dr.Ambedkar Statue that  stands majestically in front of the District Court in Thoothukudi.city . 

Conclusion    :  Mr. J.R. Ivan Shelley was a born Artist, Artisan , Architect  and a worthy Scion of a famous family of Artists.   He was a great and talented Singer also. The unkind, untimely and unexpected mortal death of Mr J.R. Ivan Shelley,on  21 march 2023 had snatched away a brilliant artist and a multi-faceted personality and a  compassionate human being from this world.  Mr J.R . Ivan Shelley was a great Social Thinker and  he was a great Social Activist during his college days.  He was an Egalitarian and  believed that all human beings are born equal with some inalienable fundamental basic  rights  to live with dignity and freedom.  He was very kind towards the poor people. Not only his Artistic creations were beautiful his mind too was very beautiful . He was blessed with natural aesthetic sense, he was a  lover of nature and he was a very talented Photographer .  He was a God fearing man and he was blessed with a loving wife and affectionate intelligent children and a cute grandchild.  The Jaycees Club of  kanyakumari selected Mr Ivan Shelley as the best Youth of the Year and honoured him in  1989. . It is not possible to record all  the aspects and  chapters of his enviable life story and accomplishments within the space of this Article . So I  will end this Article with the following sentence,. " Mr J.R Ivan Shelley was a born Artist, Creative and Social Thinker , he wanted Self Respect for all  and I am proud of him"  

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