Dr.Chettiar's Correspondence

letter to Hon'ble Sir. C. Rajagopalachari

      27th Decr. 52.

My Dear Rajaji,

I wrote a week ago to your Chief Secretary about the visit of President, Dr. Rajendra Prasad to Karaikudi to lay the foundation-stone for our Engineering College on the 11th January, 1953. Dr.S.S.Bhatnagar told me this morning that he had already requested you to kindly make it convenient to visit Karaikudi on 14th January when Dr. Radhakrishnan is expected to declare open the Central Electro-Chemical Research Institute.

It is needless for me to explain the significance of the above two visits. .My happiness will be complete only when I get the privilege of your kind presence and blessings on either of these two occasions. I am well aware that I am making this request to you at a time when your normal heavy pressure of work has taken on fresh burdensome additions in the shape of the after-effects of the Tanjore Cyclone, and the pangs of the partition of Andhra Desa. Still, take the liberty of addressing this communication completely basing my faith Dn your personal kindness to me and interest in the earnest efforts that are being made at Karaikudi. I shall be grateful affirmative.

I shall be greatful for your early reply in the affirmative

Hon'ble Sir C. Rajagopalachari
Chief Minister
Goverment of Madras, Madras

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      20th August, 56.

My dear Rajaji,

Your message "These bodies of ours go into smoke and ashes, work alone remains" cheered me up as no other thought did.

I am just continuing to be alive and from my bed I keep ever doing something which is after my heart to develop the campus and the student life at Karaikudi. In this process I am busy with the arrangements for the inauguration of the Alagappa College of Physical Education by the Rajpramukh of Mysore on the 27th August. I am not a message gatheher but yours is not just a message in the normal way but an Upanishedic truth so crisply and beautifully expressed. Hence this letter and my respectful greetings The invitation is enclosed.

This is not the whole truth, though it seems to be the counter part or another aspect of Karma. To me Sir, as you have often written, Prayer has a meaning and power all its own. It might not be given, no is it necessary, to get longish life and physical prosperity. But prayers can and do "wash out" man} dirty spots and makes one pure and happy. In that state alone I am happy. .

Kindly excuse this long letter with bad handwriting. I am not fit physically to write,

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      22nd October, '56

My dear Rajaji,

I am deeply grateful to you, as ever before, for your most affectionate, loving and prayerful letter. I am now back in the nursing Home, for the nth time- this time because of a sudden cancer lesion (observed because of severe pain) in the right arm. Already my two legs are as good as paralysed, with no control whatever. Now the right arm has been invaded by cancer, and that also has been put under splint and completely immoblised. There is severe pain all the time. The only limb that God has ~given me which is now mobile and able to perform its function is my left arm. You can imagine the handicaps and the severe pains both in the legs as well as in the arm and to a certain extent in the spinal column as well, You, Sir, out of abundant affection for your iyoung friend, say: "As I said to myself I shall pray for you that your pain may be relieved once again as was often before. My prayers are feeble in potency". Out of your goodness and ~reatness you talk of the light, degree of potency, but you will kindly permit me, Sir, to say that there is no quantity in quality. I am pleased indeed by your very affectionate and loving sentiments pointing out to my goodness and my deserving of God's grace. I only hope and prayerfully wish that I be really deserving of God's grace not only by my previous conduct but what further opportunities are still left to me, though within narrow limits. God is great and that is my basis for some relief from my pain, though, Sir, I have nearly been in bed. for ten months. Your affection for me is my greatest treasure.

Sir C. Rajagopalachari
Madras