A Blessed Mother of two Eminent sons Including an I.A.S. Officer , Former Associate Professor and Head of Chemistry Department at Rani Anna Govt College for Women, , Tirunelveli Mrs. Asso Professor Esther Chellam, M.Sc, M.Phil,

Introduction   :     Former  Associate Professor and Head of Chemistry department at Rani Anna College for Women Tirunelveli  Ms. Esther Chellam, M.Sc, M.Phil, is a remarkable women  educationist, with good virtues, values,  and appreciable traits She was an ideal and excellent Teacher who was/ is loved and respected by her students, colleagues and the family members very much. She was a brilliant student and efficacious Teacher  and had produced many brilliant students. She is a blessed mother of two eminent and intelligent sons including one IAS Officer, She is a an inspiring  educationist and unassuming honest human-being and her enviable profile will definitely galvanise the readers and fellow citizens to live a meaningful life 

                               Rtd. Associate Professor of Chemistry  Mrs. Esther  Chellam , M.Sc, M.Phil,.

Asso. Prof. Mrs. Esther Chellams' Parents and her Birth   :  Former  Asso. Prof Esther Chellam's  native village Oduppurai, Kandanvillai  is a tiny village but it has produced a few great  Government servants like  former Additional Chief Secretary to the Govt of kerala Mr. Michael Vethasironmoni, IAS and this unsung, unknown poetic village lies on the eastern side of  Eraniel town , the former capital of Travancore Kingdom  .The father of Associate Professor Esther Chellam , Mr D. P  Mony was a native of this village God blessed Mr. D. P Mony and his  affectionate and prayerful wife Mrs Paulammal mony  and this  blessed couple gave birth to Mrs. Esther Chellam the heroine of this Article,  on the 8th November 1950. 

Ms Esther Chellam's Siblings  : Mr. D.P. Mony  Mrs Paulammal Mony couple was blessed with all the connubial blessings and this blessed couple gave birth to the following children namely ;- [1] Mrs. Esther Chellam , M.Sc, M.Phil. , the heroine of this blogpost. , [2] Mr. P. Michael Vethasironmony, M.Sc, IAS and he retired as an additional Chief Secretary to the Govt of Kerala and [3]  Mr. P. Charles  D Mony, Director , Geological Survey of India [Rtd], 

Asso. Professor Esther Chellam's  Educational Track   : Since her  Primary School days Mrs . Esther Chellam had been a brilliant student .  As her dear father Mr. D.P.. Mony was working in the Indian Army he was transferred frequently to various places in India and as a corollary Ms. Esther Chellam pursued  her education in various places in India.  Ms Esther Chellam did her Primary school education  at St Mary's School , Alahabad in U,P,. She did her VI th Class  at  the SMRV High School , at Vadasery, Nagercoil,. Then she pursued her VII to XI classes at the Holy Family High School, Trimulgherry, Secondrabad in Andrapradesh. . After having passed her SSLC with very high marks she did her P.U.C and  B.Sc at the famous Holy Cross College , Nagercoil and passed her BSc meritoriously. After having passed her B.Sc with flying colours she pursued her M.Sc at the prestigious American College, Madurai  and she passed her MSc with University rank.  In line with her relentless thirst  for knowledge she pursued her M.Phil at the M.S University Tirunelveli and passed her  M.Phil, meritoriously. 

Her Teaching career   ;  Ms. Esther Chellam,  joined as a Chemistry Lecturer at the famous Holy Cross College, Nagercoil,  and worked in the Holy Cross College  during the period 1972- 73. From 1973 she worked as  lecturer at the famous Sri Meenakshi Govt College for Women , Madurai 2. From June 1975 till October  1983 she worked as a Chemistry Assistant Professor   at the NKR Govt College for Women, Namakkal . Then she was transferred and from Nov !983 till May 2007 she worked as an Associate Professor and Head  of Chemistry Department  at the famous  Rani Anna Govt College for Women Tirunelveli ,with great distinction and efficacy and she retired on May 2007. . 

          Asso, Professor Esther Chellam and Rtd Asist Director of Statistics mr. Thanapaul, M.A,. 

Her husband and children :  Ms. Esther Rani Chellam married Mr. N. Thanapaul. M.A, son of Mr Nallathambi  from Vadakkankulam  and Mr N. Thanapaul worked in the Govt of Tamil Nadu  and retired as Assist. Director of Statistics .  Mr. N. Thanapaul and Mrs Esther Chellam Thanapaul couple  gave birth to the  following children namely ;[1]  Mr. T. Arvinth, B.E , M.B.A, and he is working in Virginia, USA and he married Ms Ethel  Arvinth , B.E,  and she is also working in Virginia , USA and [2]  Mr. T. Anand , I.A.S,  and he formerly worked as Collector of Tiruvarur District in Tamil Nadu and  also had decorated many important Offices in the Govt of Tamil Nadu with distinction and  currently he is working as Commissioner of Adhi Dravidar Welfare Department , Govt of Tamil Nadu and he married, Ms .Asha Anand B.E. M.B.A.

Conclusion :  After her retirement Former Associate Professor and HOD of Chemistry at Rani Anna   Govt College for Women Tirunelveli now   resides with her husband at Santhi nagar, Palayamcottai, Tirunelveli .2. , happily . She is an ideal daughter, ideal sister, ideal wife and ideal mother and a valuable citizen of India. . She is noted not only for her excellent educational accomplishment but also known for her exemplary way of living. . She very simple and un asuming. Her Husband and Children praise her with great adoration and love  in line with the 31st chapter of  Book of Proverbs, Old Testament .   it is not possible  to accommodate all the important chapters of  former Asso Prof   Mrs. Esther  Chellam within the space of this Blogpost and so I will this Article with the following sentence,  " Dear  Prof. Esther Chellam , I thank God for you and I am proud of you ". 

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

A Forgotten great Foreign Tamil Scholar, A Lexicographer of Tamil -English Dictionary ,A Pioneer Translator of the Bible into Tamil [ Arumuga Navalar version] , A Former Principal of Jaffna Central College and the First Registrar of the University of Madras Rev. Peter Percival

Introduction         ;  Late Rev. Peter Percival was a remarkable and multifaceted personality and Christian Missionary and his contribution to the Tamil language and for the cause of education in Sri Lanka and  Tamil Nadu  deserves our  attention admiration and adoration. According to Rev. G.G. Findlay and Rev.W.W. Holdsworth,  the authors of the famous book , " The History of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society'[p.34] Rev.P. Percival was a scholar of marked distinction-- the greatest Tamil Scholar methodism  has ever had ". He leaned Tamil and its literatures assiduously and became a great Tamil Scholar  and became a lexicographer of a Tamil - English  Dictionary.. He preferred to tell the Gospel to the local people  through schools rather than doing direct evangelisation with the people.  A perusal of his real life story will help the readers to understand his contribution to the cause of  Bible translation ,Tamil Language, Linguistics  and education will inspire the people to love our  mother tongue Tamil and to live a meaningful life .

                                                                   Rev. Peter Percival 

Rev. Peter Percivals' Parents and Birth   : Rev. Peter Percival was born in  a beautiful town called Prestwitch in England which lies three miles of north of the magnificent Manchester city in England on 20th June 1803 .; to Mr. Peter and Ms Jane   It will be useful to the readers to learn  an interesting truth about the Prestwitch town . Prestwitch is   consistently named as one of the best places in UK to live  happily and safely. 

Rev Peter was sent to Sri Lanka as a Wesleyan Methodist Missionary in  1826  : After having completed his education  Mr Peter Percival wanted to become  a Wesleyan Methodist missionary and after due consideration and training, Mr Peter Percival was ordained as a Wesleyan Methodist missionary and was sent to Sri Lanka as a Wesleyan Methodist in 1826.. And he started his missionary work among the Tamil People in Sri Lanka and as he had already learned  the rudiments of the Tamil in England from a gentleman who had spent many years in South India and North Ceylon  he easily moved with the people and learned the modes of thought and expressions of the Tamil People. As a corollary he developed a desire to study and use Tamil Proverbs  in his speeches and writings. 

Rev Peter Percival was moved to Bengal in 1830;   :  From 1826 till 1829, Rev P. Percival worked in North Ceylon  with great enthusiasm and in 1830 Rev Percival was moved to Bengal in India . While Rev Percival was in Bengal he got the acquaintance with  another Clergyman who had natural interest for the collection of proverbs and had collected numerous Bengali proverbs. And that clergyman  published those  Bengali proverbs collected by him as a Book  with an English translation .[ Rev, P, Percival, : TAMIL PROVERS with the ENGLISH TRANSLATION , Madras , 1874, preface to the second edition ,  p. v] This book influenced and impacted Rev. P. Percival so much and galvanised him to become a committed   Collector of Tamil proverbs.. After a few years  his connection with the Mission in Bengal was withdrawn and so  Rev Percival returned to Ceylon and continued his missionary and educational work with the Tamil people in North Ceylon 

Rev. P. Percival Started Educational Institutions in  Ceylon ; Rev. P Percival gave pre-eminence to education as a means of reaching the people.  His convictions were mainly in favour of educational work and in 1834 he  reorganised and renamed the English school started by Rev James Lynch  in Jaffna as Jaffna Central School .  After wards this school was raised to the status of a College   This Jaffna Central School   has produced many eminent lecturers, professors, doctors, engineers, politicians, legislators, businessmen, etc.  Following the Jaffna Central school,  a Girls Boarding School was started by Rev. Percival  and this School was placed under the management of Mrs. Percival [ G.G. Finlay and W.W. Holdsworth , op.cit p.p.38& 39].. In 1938 Rev Percival started  an English school in Point Pedro and that Scholl was called as Point Pedro Wesleyan Mission Central School. This School also progressed well due to the consistent effort taken by Rev. Percival . The central  Wesleyan Methodist Mission Committee in London was satisfied with the  progress of this School and paid 400= British Pounds to Rev P. Percival which he had incurred as expense. This Point Pedro Wesleyan Methodist Mission Central School is now called as Hartley College   The following were some of the famous old Students of this Hartley College. namely Prof. Christie Jeyaratnam Eliiezer [ world renowned Mathematician and Scientist ] ,  Mr. Ganesalingam [ Former Jaffna Mayor ]., Mr. Ratnasri Wickremanayakea [ Former Prime Minister  of Ceylon], etc,. 

Rev. P. Percival and the Tentative Version of the Bible or Jaffna Version of the Bible       : Even though some Translated Tamil  versions  of the Bible had been made , none of the versions were completely satisfactory  and so a new venture was taken in Jaffna to bring out  a new better  version of Bible in Tamil .  In this connection a translating Committee was constituted and it was called in short as Jaffna Committee .The Jaffna Version of the Bible had one advantage over all previous Tamil Versions of the Bible . All the previous Tamil Bible versions like Ziegenbalg, Fabricius , Rhenious etc were produced by individual translators  The Jaffna version was the first that was produced by a Committee. And this Committee was called Jaffna Committee and this Committee was consisting of the  following members namely : [1] Rev. Peter Percival [ Chairman and The Chief translator] , [2]  Rev. Levi Spaulding , [3] Rev. H.R. Hoisington, [4] Rev. Samuel Hutchings, [5] Rev. Daniel Poor , [6] Rev. Miron Winslow .  Great Tamil Scholar Navalar Arumugam was the Chief Assistant to the Bible Translating Jaffna Committee . At the very outset, a resolution by the Madras Auxiliary Bible society  made in 1841  almost tied  the Jaffna Committee by laying down that the new translation should stick to the English Authorised version of 1611, otherwise known as King James Version.. The Jaffna committee made some agitation against  the resolution of the Madras Committee.   . However the Madras Committee, on the proposal of  Rev. Miron Winslow, modified its earlier resolution as follows : " that the translation be made from Greek and Hebrew originals and that as to the meaning of any particular passage , the English Version be made the standard of reference of highest authority and that in no case should be  a deviation from the English version be allowed, unless  approved of by two thirds of the Committee". .After some negotiation and discussion  , the version of Rhenius was made the basis for the  new translation by the Jaffna Committee, with the  approval of both the Madras and Parent Society in London.[ Vol. VII. No.3. , July ,1958,   Tamil Culture,  Journal of the Academy of the Tamils . Sabapathy Kulandran, , THE TENTATIVE VERSION OF THE BIBLE  or " THE  NAVALAR VERSION ". ]

From the end of 1845 Rev Percival relinquished all other works and involved himself entirely to the work of translation of the Bible. He devoted six hours every day to the regular work of translation , with his Native Assistants. . There was a weekly meeting of the Revision Committee . As each book of the Bible finished ,copies were struck and sent out for comment and criticism. The Jaffna version was translated by a six member Committee presided by Rev, Peter Percival, [the then principal of Jaffna central School and Chairman of the North Ceylon District of the Methodist Church]. . Along with this  six members  of Jaffna Bible Translation Committee , there were two  Tamil Pundits namely Arumuga Navalar and Elijah Hoole, enlisted by Rev. Percival to help with the style while Missionary Scholars took Final responsibilities for the accuracy of the version [    Dr. Charles Hoole, Principal Baldaes Theological College , February 2003, , Arumuga Navalar. } The Jaffna version was produced in 1850 by the Jaffna  Auxiliary of the Bible Society  . . This Jaffna Version also received both appreciation and  criticism .but the intent, interest and effort taken by Rev. P. Percival deserve our sincere appreciation and admiration 

Rev. Pecival Returned to England         In 1851,after having completed the Bible translation work ,  Rev Percival returned to England and he was expected to return to Ceylon to continue his missionary work but during his furlough a serious disagreement rose between him and the Wesleyan Methodist Mission Secretary in London [ Findlay and Holdsworth , op.cit p. 39] :   So Rev. Peter Percival resigned from the Wesleyan  Methodist Mission and joined the Anglican Church and he was ordained as an Anglican Deacon in 1852,  Following his ordination for next two years he served as a lecturer at  the St. Augustinr College in Cantubury City and was teaching  a course about India and its religions. He served as a Teacher at the Canterbury and then went to  Madras in the year 1854. 

Conclusion: Rev. P. Percival Served as the First Registrar of the University of Madras  On his return to South India, Rev. Peter Percival got the privilege to work as  the first Registrar of the University of Madras in  1857, The University of Madras was  established  when Lord Harris was the Governor of Madras in 1857 and Lord Harrison served as the first Chancellor of the University of Madras . Rev. P. Percival got the opportunity to serve as  a Professor of vernacular literature at the famous presidency College in Madras  Rev. P. Percival died at Yarcaud , Salem district,  in Tamil Nadu,  British India , on 11th July 1882.  . "TAMIL PROVERBS with their ENGLISH TRANSLATION [ contained of six thousand proverbs] by the Rev. P. Percival,  Madras, Dinavarthini Press Mylapore , 1874] is  a lasting intellectual, cultural and scholarly  contribution by Rev, P, Peercival to Tamil .It is not possible to accommodate all his accomplishments within the space of this article and so I will  end this Blogpost  with the following sentence, "  Rev.  P. Percival was a Great iconic Tamil Scholar, Educationist and Educational  Institution builders and I am proud of him "

END . 

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

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

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An Ardent Reader, Talented Artist, Experienced and Efficacious Computer Engineer, Former Technical Specialist in H.C.L, and Currently Operations Manager at Epsilon India Mr. Er. Stephen Masilamoni, B.E [ Computer Science }

Introduction       ;  Er. Stephen Masilamoni is one of  the highly  promising and efficacious Computer Engineers in India . He is an efficient administrator,  talented artist,  good conversationalist, an voracious reader,  and  in short  he is a  multifaceted personality . As an Operations Manager of Epsilon India, he is discharging his professional duties in a laudable manner . As a first generation Computer Engineer his accomplishment in the Computer and  I.T. field will definitely galvanise the  youth of this nation with more confidence , grit and motivation to reach higher places in  high tech  professional  fields. 

                                        Er.  Stephen Masilamoni , B.E [ Computer Science].

Er. Stephen's  Parents and  Birth     :  Some years ago there lived a gentleman by name Mr. S. Masilamoni with his smart wife Mrs Mariammal Masilamoni in Nagercoil city and this couple gave birth to Er. Stephen on 11th September , 1982. 

Er. Stephen's Siblings         : Mr. S. Masilamoni and Mrs. Mariammal Masilamoni were blessed with all the conjugal blessings and this couple gave birth to the  following children namely :[1] Ms Bobby David Livingston, B.Sc,  and she married  Mr. David Livingston , D.M.E, and this couple gave birth to a son by name Mr. D. Steve Hamilton and he is doing his final year B.E, [2] Mr. Stephen Masilamoni, B.E, and he is the Hero of the this Article and [3] Mr. Steward Godwin , B.E and he married  Mrs.Adline Vinutha , M.O.T and this couple is blessed with one son by name Mr. Christen, Mr. Steward Godwin and Mrs. Adline Stephen are working in UK, Mr. Christen Steward is studying in a School in UK . 

Er. Stephen Masilamoni's Educational Track      : Er. Stephen did his Primary School education at the famous Etna Noble primary School in Nagercoil. Then he pursued his High School education and Higher Secondary School education at the S.L.B, Govt Hr Sec. School in Nagercoil . He passed his SSLC in the year 1998 and Plus two  in the year 2000. . After having passed his Plus Two with high marks he pursued his B.E[ Computer Science ] in the famous Magna College of Engineering in Chennai and passed his B.E [ Computer Science] in the year  April, 2005. 

Er. Stephen's Professional Track   : After having passed his B.E [Computer Science], meritoriously  Er. Stephen Masilamoni  joined the famous Hindustan Computers Limited  [ BPO  Division ] in November 2005 as a Technical Support Officer. After some years he was promoted as Technical Specialist.   While he was working with the Hindustan Computer Ltd [ HCL] he was moved to Redmond city, King County, Washington State, U.S. to provide service for Microsoft application. He worked from Client location from 2010 to 2018. and during this period he discharged his professional duties very efficiently   In  this context it would be apt to say a few lines about Redmond City here.  Redmond city is well known as a Centre of Technology and a  location  of acclaimed High Tech Companies, After having worked for some years in Redmond he moved to Cary town , in North Carolina, USA.. .It would be  useful to the readers to have some basic idea about  Cary town  and this Cary town is consistently ranked among the most desirable places to live , work, and to do business in USA. . Cary Town is  well known for its famous Research Technological Park [RTP.]. In Cary, he discharged his professional  duties with great distinction . After some years  in 2021 he returned to India and continued to serve in HCL as  a Technical Specialist . In March 2021   Er. Stephen  resigned his job in H.C.L, and joined the Epsilon India as an Operations Manager . As Operations Manager  at Epsilon his main functions are to manage the performance of Service Desks and Support to Clients .And also to ensure that the Service levels are achieved and customer expectations are met or exceeded. He is also responsible for ensuring the Staff are meeting and exceeding expectations with regard to performances , requirements etc.  

Conclusion   : Er. Stephen Masilamani is really a muti-faceted personality  with striking creative ideas . He is a talented artist also . Recently Epsilon India conducted  an event  to exhibit the art work of its employees , and Er Stephen also ardently participated in the Exhibition and displayed his art Work and his Art work got second prize. He is an  voracious reader. and he loves  to read literary fictions  written in English.  He is a fan  of Booker prize winners  and generally he loves to read the Booker prize winning books. He is a talented artist and he is highly talented in Charcoal and graphic drawings. . He does Acrylic paintings also .with aesthetic touch  and artistic beauty. . Er. Stephen Masilamoni is a keen observer and explorer of  nature and engages in outdoor activities like Cycling . He loves his mother, siblings and their families. and also he loves his close friends and maintains good human relationships with his fellow human=beings and colleagues .and superiors.. Definitely he will reach higher and enviable places in his professional career.  It is not possible to cover all the important chapters of his real life history within the page of this Article and so I will end this Article with one sentence, " Dear Stephen Masilamoni,  we are proud of you and thank God for you ". 

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

Former ISRO [ Mahendragiri ] SE Grade Scientist/ Engineer Er Chandran Gandhiji, B.E[ Electronics and Communication ]

Introduction     : Former ISRO [ Mahendragiri ] " SE"  grade Scientist / Engineer Er. Chandran Gandhiji  was  one of the unassuming great Space Scientists and was an unsung hero . His remarkable jump from the lake banks of  Vedanthangal village to the space research laboratories of  of  ISRO at Mahendragiri deserves our attention and admiration. He achieved greatness by his relentless hard work and  untiring self motivation . His rise from a Technical Assistant in ISRO to the grade of SE Scientist/ Engineer will definitely motivate and galvanise the village youth to aim  for higher goals and to live a meaningful  life 

                                        Former ISRO Scientist/ Engineer Er. Chandran Gandhiji 

Er. Chandran Gandhiji's Parents and Birth   :  Vedanthangal village lies in Acharapakkam Block, Maduranthakam taluk, Chingepattu dist, Tamil Nadu and  is one of the beautiful villages in Tamil Nadu. Vedanthangal Birds Sanctuary is world famous today .  Er. Chandran Gandhiji's  parents Mr Ezhumalai and Mrs Karpagam Ezhumalai are natives of this enchanting village and this couple gave birth to Er. Chandran Gandhiji on 11th march, 1961.  Er. Chandran Gandhiji even as a boy had his visionary dreams. 

Er. Chandran Gandhijji's Siblings  :  Mr. Ezhumalai and Mrs karpagam Ezhumalai couple gave birth to the following children namely  :[1] Mr. Er. Chandran Gandhiji , B.E, [ He is the Hero of this Article], [2] Ms Gandhimathi and she married Mr. Paramanandam ,[ 3] Mr. Karunakaran Gandhi [ IT.I ] and he married Ms Dhanalakshmi and this couple is blessed with 2 sons, [4] Mr Mohan Gandhi ,[Died], and [5] Mr. Rajan Gandhi, B.A, B.L, and  and he married Ms Anu and this  couple is blessed with one daughter , [

Er. Chandran Gandhiji's Educational Track   :  Er. Chandran Gandhiji did his School education at the Govt High School at Vedanthangal and passed his  S.S.L.C in 1977. Then he pursued his Diploma in Electronics  course at the Govt Central Polytechnic  College at Adayar, Chennai and passed his Diploma in Electronics [ D.E]  course in 1981.. He joined ISRO at Mahendragiri in 1983 as a Technical Assistant  and while working in ISRO, in line with his thirst for knowledge  he pursued his B.E[ Electronics and Communication ] and passed his BE in 2011 meritoriously. .

Er. Chandran Gandhiji's Wife and Children  : Er. Chandran Gandhiji married Ms Ravathy from a respectable family from Tuticorin and this couple is blessed with the following children namely  : [1]  Ms. Geetha , B.A, and she married Mr Jegathesh Kumar and this couple is blessed with 2 cute daughters , [2] Ms. Sidharthamathi , and she did her B.E[ Mech] at the University Engineering College Nagercoil and  she meritoriously  came out as College Topper in all the subjects and she was an University Rank Holder also in her B.E .. After having passed her B.E with flying colours Ms Sidharthamathi pursued her M.S [ Mech] in Germany and passed her M.S. meritoriously and currently she is working in a Bank in Germany in Engineering section , and [3] Ms. Sangamithra and she is currently doing her M.B.B.S. final Year at the  Tirunelveli Govt Medical College . 

Er. Chandran Gandhiji's Professional track   :  After having passed his Diploma in Electronics , Mr. Chandran Gandhiji joined ISRO at Mahendragiri as a Technical Assistant and after a few years he was promoted as Technical Assistant  ," C ".  He was discharging his professional functions  and responsibilities with great devotion and efficacy and he was promoted as Scientist/ Engineer ' S.B," in 1990 --1991. He worked in the Electronic Section in ISRO at Mahendragiri   as Electronics Scientist/ Engineer and his main function and responsibilities  were  to design and develop electronic systems , satellite system and propulsion systems and also to test, evaluate and develop Systems to test and evaluate Spacecraft Hardware , etc.  He was associated with the PSLV - Liquid Rocket Engine Testing .  After having worked for 37 years and six months in ISRO  for the cause India's progress  in Space Research, he retired from service in March 2021 as ,"SE'  grade Scientist/ Engineer .

Conclusion     : Er. Chandran Gandhiji's professional accomplishments and educational achievements  deserve our admiration .  As first generation graduate his reach to the citadels of Space research in ISRO  at Mahendragiri will definitely galvanise the  Indian Youth who plays in their village streets to set their goals towards planets in the sky and to become Space Scientists like him . His father was a great Gandhian and admirer of  Mahatma Gandhiji. Er. Chandran Gandhiji after his retirement  resides in Nagercoil with his family and he loves his wife and children so much. . He instilled the value and importance of education in the minds of his daughters  and accordingly his  beloved and brilliant daughters  have reached enviable heights in education . He is a humanitarian and a great Social Thinker and a staunch follower  E.V. R [Periyar] and Dr. Ambedkar. He follows the principles of equality,  fraternity  and social justice  It is not possible to accommodate all the chapters of his real life travel and  history within the space of this Article and so I will end this Article with the  following sentence, "Dear Er. Chandran Gandhiji, we are  proud of you, along with our nation " 

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

     

y youth. 

A Short Introduction about St. Mary's Church, Madras and St. Mary's Charity School, Madras ,

Introduction   : To understand the history of St. Mary's Church and St Mary's Charity school at Madras we need to have some idea of Mr. Streynsham  Master . The Agent of British East India Company , Madras  Sir. Streynsham Master was the 8th son of Richard Master Esq., of East Langdom Court, kent, U,K,.  He entered British East India Company's service in 1659 and some years before he came to Madras , he distinguished himself at Surat in 1670 by his courageous defence of the factory against the forces of Sivaji with a party of seamen from Swally for which  he received the Gold Medal from the East India Company. He was appointed to Fort. St. George, Madras  with the understanding that he was to succeed Mr.Langhorne  [Mrs. Frank Penny, Fort St. George Madras ,p. 47 ].  Mr. John Langhorne left India with Mr. Herrys at the beginning of 1676. Mr. Master's first act was to remodel the rules which governed his Council and introduce a more orderly system of keeping the  accounts books.. On return from the Bay he set about consolidating and building up the status of Fort St. George, Madras . Mr. Streynsham Master  may be called the second founder [ Ibid. ,p. 60].He remodelled Mr. Langhorne's rules. . Fines were also imposed for swearing, lying, quarrelling and Sabbath- breaking. [Ibid, p. 61]. Mr. Master's reign was a short one yet in his  time he left two lasting memorials of his energy. One was the St. George Fort Church dedicated to God in honour of St. Mary ; the other was the Court of Judicature out of which was by and by evolved the Madras High Court [ Ibid., p. 62]. . Within a few days of the sitting of the Court of Judicature the foundations of St. Mary's Church was dug. It was the first Church of the Anglican Communion raised in India and it was built by the liberal subscriptions of the Merchants of St. George Fort , Madras . [ Ibid., p. 63]. When factories and forts were established in India  the Chaplains were appointed to them by the East India company . As early as 1655 mention is made that a protestant Chaplain in Madras Revd. Richard , the successor of Rev. Patrick Warner , and had the privilege of performing the dedicatory service of  the St. Mary's Church at St. George Fort, Madras,, two years later in 1680. [ Ibid ]. The spire was added in 1692 and quarters were built at the West and adjoining the Tower for the Chaplains[ Ibid, .p. .64]. 

                                                                Sir. Streynsham Master 

St. Mary's Church Madras      :   St. Mary's Church , Madras , is full of mementoes of men who have helped  to make history. and is the resting place of several English Governors and Commanders in Chief to the Madras Army , Mr. Francis Hastings , Sir. Thomas Munro, Sir Henry George Ward, Sir Alexander Campbell , Sir Samuel Hood, Lord Hobart, Lord Pigot, and others . [ Mrs. Penny, p.66]. Since the time of the consecration of St. Mary's Church , a Vestry was formed to govern its affairs. The history of this Body is unique being the story of irresponsible effort  nobly sustained for the general good of the settlement. The Governors usually presided at the Vestry meetings, supported by the Members of the Council and the chief people in the Company's service. The most important duty of the Vestry was the administration of the St. Mary's Charity fund. . This Fund was commenced with the foundation of the Church. -[ Ibid, pp 67 & 68]. Provision was also made for the orphans of poor Europeans by the St. Mary's vestry, as has already been described , which resulted in the foundation of St Mary's School in the  St George Fort Madras [ Mrs. Frank Penny, p. 129].  

Evolution and Establishment of St. Mary's Charity School , Madras         :   In 1670 the Directors of the  British East India Company made some inquiries about the education of the Children at St George Fort , Madras . In 1678 was taken, by the appointment of a scotch preacher named Pringle who kept a School for teaching the Portuguese, Eurasians, British Eurasians and the children of a few Indian subordinates.. Mr Pringle, Mr. Ralph  Ord,  and Mr. John Barker  successively worked in this school as teachers. When Barker died this small School grew in importance and attracted towards it, gradually increasing Charity stock for the care and education of the orphans.  After 1692 the work of superintendence was entrusted to the Chaplains who were required to have knowledge of Portuguese and Tamil for the performance of their new duty, by the Company Directors.. During this period of time Rev. Lewis was working as the Chaplain of St Mary's Church ,  Rev. Lewis  recommended to the then Governor of the Fort  Mr. Pitt  to establish two Nurseries one for Boys and the other  for Girls. . Mr. Lewis object was to make Portuguese the medium of instruction . [ Narendra Nath Law , Promotion of Learning in India,  London, 1915, pp 11 to 13 ].. But  his Plan was not carried out. [ Ibid],.  Yet Mr Lewis was  a great educationist he himself without waiting for any help from the Company or any other source,  founded a Free School in a large room under at the  St. Marys Church Library  which was carried on by himself as long as he remained in the St. George Fort Madras . After his departure he was succeeded by Rev. William Stevenson. {Ibid pp 14 & 15]. .

Rev. William Stevenson established the St Marys English Medium School    . Rev. William Stevenson thought that an English School for the children of English soldiers would be more useful than a Portuguese school. So Rev William Stevenson established an English School called  St Mary's English School and left the Portuguese teaching to the Danish Missionaries. [ Narendra Nath Law , p, 15]. This English School was opened in December 1715 with 18 boys and 12 girls under the name of  St. Mary's Charity School. Among the boys there was a Portuguese boy sent by the Danish Missionary Mr. Grundler [ Narendra Nath Law , op.cit. .pp 15 & 16. ].The establishment of  St. Mary's Charity School was one of the results of the greater attention paid to the matter by the authorities in England .[Ibid , p, 19]. During the initial days after the foundations of the School there were more than 30 children . The boys lived in one apartment under the charge of a Master and an usher and the girls in a  separate house under the care of a Mistress and an Assistant [ ibid , p.23]. Whether boys or girls, shall be taken into the school house at 5 years of age or thereabouts and be put out to service or apprenticeship  when they are about 12 years old. And while they are entertained in the School the boys shall be taught to read write, cast accounts, or what they may be further capable of and the girls shall be instructed in reading and the necessary parts of house-wifery. [ Narendra Nath Law , op.cit, pp 20and 21] .  

Conclusion      : I think it will be good to revisit the story of the St Mary's Charity School so that we can cover some uncovered information in this regard.   A Free school for elementary education had been in existence at St George Fort for many years. designed and established at the outset for English children, it was afterwards opened to the offspring of Portuguese and native parents. Mr.. Ralph Ord was appointed as School Master in 1678 was followed in 1682 by Mr John Barker, who governed the institution for a quarter of a century.. On Barker's death in 1707, Mr John Knapton was nominated to succeed. The Chaplain the Rev. George Lewis who had a good command over Portuguese language seems then to have assumed the Control of the school. After his return to England in 1714, , Rev. William Stevenson succeeded him as the Chaplain. Rev. William Stevenson emphasised the necessity for a  Charity School on the English Model ,  The vestry of St Mary's Chapel  agreed. to this proposal.in 1715 a Scheme was drawn up for an institution to accommodate the poor protestant Children from 5 to 12 years of age who were to receive both education and board. The Overseers of the School were the Ministers and Churchwardens with three others elected by the Vestry. This Church school was established on the 28th October 1715. . It received the assistance and support of the Mr.  Harrison's Government . . The Overseers of the school in 1716 were the Rev. William Stevenson, the Rev. Charles Long and Messrs Thomas Way, Mr. Catesby Oadham , Francis Hugonin , Thomas Robson and Thomas Theobalds. The SPCK cooperated with Ziegenbalg's Danish Lutheran Mission at Tranquebar and in 1717 the Rev. Grundler came up to the St. George Fort  to promote a scheme for erecting two Charity Schools in Madras one for the Portuguese in the English Town and another in Black town for the Malabars. The teachers were at first to be native converts from Tranquebar. With the approval of the Directors , Jearsey House and ground were granted for a new School building on the understanding that the compensation already given for the Church house which had been absorbed in the new  Hospital  should be refunded  [  HENRY DAVIDSON lOVE , VESTIGES OF OLD MADRAS , 1640-- 1800, vol  11, LONDON, 1913, PP 163 TO 165]. In 1872 the St Mary's School was removed from St George Fort to Egmore and amalgamated with the Civil Orphan Asylum,  another charitable institution for destitute Children [ Mrs Frank penny ,p. 130]. in short the St Marys Charity school played a galvanising and motherly role for the growth and spread of  modern  public education among  all classes of people  in Madras ,  Tamil Nadu and India. . The impact made by the St Mary's Charity School, Madras   and the Free Schools started by the Danish missionaries in and around  Tanjore ,    on  India's educational and intellectual progress deserves a detailed study.. 

END . 

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

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Illustrious and Concise History of the Founder of the Wesleyan Methodist Mission in India Rev. James Lynch.... PART FINAL.

Rev. James Lynch preached his First Sermon In a Godown in Black Town    ; Rev. James Lynch  reached Madras via  Tanquebar and on arrival in Madras Rev Lynch was received by one Mr Dunford with great hospitality and love. . On his arrival in Madras Rev. James  Lynch reported his arrival in Madras  to the then Governor of Madras . On March 2, 1817 , Rev. Lynch preached his first sermon in a godown in Black Town, and that was the first sermon preached by a Wesleyan Missionary in Madras.  and close to this godown  the English Wesley Church stands now.   In a  room at the backside of this godown Rev Lunch found his study room and bedroom and his meal he took with his friend Mr Dunford. , It was very clear that Mission urgently needed  a more suitable house for Church. [ G.G. Findlay, op.cit, p.179].

                                                     

                                                              Rev. JAMES  LYNCH       

The First Wesleyan Chapel was built in Royapetta            :         Rev. Lynch assiduously searched for a suitable place in Madras to buy and build a  Church  , At last there came an opportunity of purchasing a property in Royapetta  and Rev. Lynch thought it was a suitable place and his opinion was confirmed by  Mr.  Clough and Mr. Jackson who had come to Madras on a visit. . Finally this property in Royapetta was purchased by Rev Lynch with the support of Mr. Dunford. and this place became the Head Quarters of Wesleyan Methodist Mission  in Madras  A Chapel was built on the site thus acquired and it was opened for the public worship  on March 7, 1819. A Wesleyan Methodist Missionary society was formed  on February 1, 1819, and Mr Frederick Orme an English man practicing as a Lawyer in Madras was the first Secretary of  the Methodist Society in Madras . A systematic  method of seeking  subscription was adopted and during the three years which followed a large sum of Ten Thousand rupees was collected by way of subscription . In addition to this, large sums were obtained for the erection of chapels. It was clear that the first Wesleyan Methodist  Mission enjoyed the goodwill of the people, In 1820 the Rev Titus Close arrived Madras from England to help Rev. Lynch. Rev Close was put in charge of Tamil congregation . Rev Lynch was now able to minister to English and Eurasian residents at St. Thomas Mount and at San Thome . [ G.G. Findlay , p. 180 ].. In the same site a small Wesleyan School was also built by Rev. James Lynch in 1818.  and this Wesley School in Royapetta  became a High School in 1851. 

Rev. Lynch purchased the Second property for the Mission in Black town    : Rev. James Lynch bought the second property for the Mission in Black Town in North Madras .  Black Town was the most populous part of Madras and where the largest congregations assembled , the services had been held in various incommodious and unsuitable places, one of these, where the Methodist meetings were  first held in  Madras, was a stable altered for the purpose [ Elijah Hoole, op.cit, p. 178 ] . Rev. Lynch purchased a plot of ground with some old buildings upon it, situated in Pophams's  Street, or, it is usually called Popham's Broadway , being one of the widest and best streets in Black- Town.; and the principal building , a low room about sixty feet in length and ten feet in breadth, was  appropriated to the purpose of public worship: The Wesleyan society and the congregation agreed with the missionaries that a chapel was necessary and began to subscribe towards its erection .. It was resolved that the chapel  to be erected should be raised  one story from the ground floor , to secure free circulation of air and  to avoid the annoyance from insects and from the noises of the crowded streets . Rev. Lynch found no difficulty in receiving the encouragement  and liberal subscriptions from many of the servants of Government and other highly respectable residents in Madras and as well as from those who had profited by the ministry of himself and colleagues. .The Chapel was  substantially constructed of bricks and chunam and entirely plastered with chunam and without [ Ibid]. The below picture will give some proper idea about the chapel and its premises . 

The upper story which is the chapel, is fifty seven feet long, independent of the covered verandah or porch in front , about seven feet and thirty feet in breadth; and is capable of accommodating a congregation of three hundred persons : more than that number have assembled in it on special occasions. The roof  is of teakwood and covered with tiles; but within, has an arched ceiling of boards , the centre of which is nearly nineteen feet from the floor , which is also of teak wood.. The lower apartments are dry and commodious ; the front one is used as a vestry; that to the left is occupied as the Depository of the Madras Track Society ; that on the right is used for Committees and class meetings. The. small buildings to the right of the chapel is the place  formerly used by the English congregation as a place of worship [ Ibid]. 

The  Wesley Chapel in Popham's Broadway, Black Town  was opened in 1822 :  The newly built Wesley Chapel was opened on the 25th of April, 1822.  Before the appointed time of the opening of the newly built Chapel  at Popham's Broadway, the chapel was quite filled. . Missionaries from other Christian societies also participated in the opening function of the chapel.. The service was commenced by the hymn, beginning with , " Jesus we look to thee " &c, . Rev. Lynch preached an appropriate  and thought provoking sermon on Matt. xviii,  20:  " Where two or three are gathered together  in my name , there am I in the midst of them ". Thus another milestone Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was dedicated to the service of the living God, in Black Town in North Madras. .[  [1] G.G. Findlay , D.D, and W.W. Holdsworth , M.A, B.D, The history of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society , 1924, pp.181  & 182 ] ; [ii] John Telford , B.A,  A Short History of Wesleyan Methodist Foreign Missions,   p. 84, and [iii] Elijah Hoole, Madras, Mysore, and Other South India on a PERSONAL NARRATIVE , London,  1844., pp. 178 to  181 ] 

Lynch founded a Wesleyan Methodist Congregation at St. Thome , Madras       :    Following this a favourable opening  presented itself in St, Thome, Madras. The descendants of the Portuguese who more than two hundred years ago occupied St. Thome as their chief Station in this part of India. Numerous Indo Britains also resided there ;.sufficient to form a good English congregation  A poor Fisherman of St. Thome  whose father was an English man invited Rev. Lynch and Rev. Elijah Hoole  and requested them to make use of one of  his houses  at St. Thome as a Chapel. This request  was readily accepted and regular services at that house in St.Thome was commenced on August 28th, 1822. Rev. Lynch commenced the service with prayer and  short address in English . This House was subsequently purchased and altered for the purpose of public worship. . Regular English service  has been ever since held in it, twice or thrice each week and Tamil and Portuguese sermons have been occasionally preached in it to attentive congregations. Two schools one English, and the other Tamil were established and a English Society was formed . Thus a house was converted as a Chapel by Rev James Lynch. [ Elijah Hoole, , op.cit, p.p. 184 to 187 ]. 

Conclusion     :  After having worked nearly for seven years [ 1817 to 1824 ]  Rev. James Lynch was on the point of returning to England and Rev. J.H England, who had recently arrived in Madras was  obliged  to take up the  work among the English people in Madras . With the return of  Rev. James Lynch to  to his native country  in 1824, the first period of Methodist Mission to India came to an end. In the same year[ 1824] the division of the Tamil District, into two separate Districts of Madras and Jaffna was effected. and  Rev. Carver was transferred from Ceylon to Madras to preside over the continental section [ India]. . Rev James Lynch died in Leeds, England, on March 14, 1958. On many an  account Rev. James Lynch  was the most remarkable of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionaries who sailed with Dr. Coke to the East. . His possessed and manifested both  strength and tenderness. According to author G.G. Findlay, D.D,  , Rev. James Lynch . was one who pleaded with men for reconciliation to God.  The schools founded by Rev James Lynch served as seed beds for the cause of education.  It is not possible to accommodate all the activities and details of Rev. Lynch's religious, spiritual, educational and social  contributions  within the space of this Article  So I will revisit the words of  Mr. Thompson about Rev. James lynch and end this article. Mr. Thompson goes on to say :  " There was to be , however, another link  in  this chain of causation which James Lynch did not ,and could not, see.  William Butler, afterwards a bishop , and the pioneer and founder of the Missions in India of the American Methodist Episcopal Church , was an Irishman. he tells us that a Minister whom he knew in Ireland , of the name of James Lynch , first directed his thoughts to India and kindled the desire to become a Missionary in his heart . He once said  in the Irish Conference , " James Lynch laid his hands on my youthful head, and from him I received the missionary spirit." The Mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church have met with  marvellous success, and during the last thirty years have gathered in, a quarter of a million adherents to Southern Asia.' .Ziegenbalg, Wesley, Lynch, Butler -- so runs the line of spiritual ancestry."  . I thank God for Rev. James Lynch   and I adore Rev. Lynch for the remarkable part played by him for the cause of spiritual awakening and educational uplift of the people specially  in Ceylon and Madras and South India ".

END .

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