Celebrating the Memory of Smt. Sakuntala Bai....On her Birth Centenary 7 April 2019- A Tribute to the Grand Old Lady of My family

Smt. Sakuntala Bai ( 7 April 1919 -  18 July 2003)  -  Centenary Celebration Tribute 7 April 2019

I would call her our God Mother...for she had been our best woman in life...our Nanamma (Father's mother).   Like most of the children from Andhra Telugu households,  we were also raised by her.    Grand parents play a pivotal role in the raising of children in our part of the world, and we were just lucky to have had her as nanamma.   A very simple woman...with simple living and high thinking,  she was a big influence in our lives. 

Early Childhood and Education

She was born in Madras, in the then Madras Presidency with 3 brothers and a younger sister to Sri Jayaram and Smt Lakshmi Bai on 7 April 1919.   They had a very strong family connect, where her nieces and nephews are still connected and we stand by each other during all good and bad days even today.   Her brother J.C.Krishnan and J. Parthasarathy and Sister Smt. Radha Bai were of great support, help and influence on her.     In those era of British Empire in India..she went to pursue her education in Lady Wellington School & College in Chennai.   Passing 10th in those days was a great thing.

1939, she attended the Public Meeting of Sri Netaji Subash Chadra Bose and was deeply influenced by the 'Lion of Bengal's roaring speech.   She later narrated comparative stories of Freedom struggle from the perspectives of two great leaders Gandhi and Netaji.   These bedtime stories used to be creating a patriotic urge in us as children

Marriage and Children

She got married to Narayana Swamy Chettiar, a widower and a father of a 2 year old child and an Agricultural Engineer those days.  She instantly adopted the child Vimala Bai as her own daughter.   Later on, she was blessed with Sampath Kumar (*my father) and Smt. Jayalakshmi.    We grand children never knew that Vimala attai was my father's step sister until we were old enough to understand the relationships.  For she never treated any one differently.  The magnanimity of a woman who can love everyone around unconditionally is a greatest virtue of her life that we try to inject in our heads always.

Employment - In Women and Child Welfare Department of Andhra Pradesh

In the era, where women were mostly confined as homemakers,  my grand mother worked as a 'Laison Officer' in the then British Government in the 'Women and Child Welfare Department',  Her primary job included travelling and laisioning on the welfare schemes of the government and taking them to the rural villages and towns of Andhra Pradesh.   She reported on to one IAS officer of those days Smt. Jayalakshmi Rao,  and she took great pride in the work she did.  I remember her taking me to this officer's house in Taylor's Road, Kilpauk after her retirement.

Influence on our thought process

Her stories of her employment and welfare schemes, had a very strong influence in my life, as the seeds of Women and Child Welfare started from home very early.   I remember her taking my elder sister Yamini along with her to her office in the final days before her retirement and once she retired, she took over the full responsibility of raising us and teaching us several things that schools could never do. 

Being strong in thoughts and actions, loud in voicing honest opinions,  polite and respectful to elders,  friendly with neighbours, caring and loving to family and relatives and being a strong pillar of support to her children and a pedestal of strength and growth to the grand children.   She was very soft-spoken, but very strong in her convictions.   She was an ardent devotee of Sai Baba.  She used to teach my sister's small songs and bhajans that I loved listening and dare not singing.... Very good cook, who carried our meals to school and meet our teachers regularly.   She ensured she was there for all sports days and annual days.   She was our punch bag for everything in life. 

Tragedies that shook her apart and Final Days

Probably one of the worst tragedies that took the life out of her while she was alive, was the sudden passing away of our father at the age of 48, her only son, to a heart attack.   She raised above the personal loss of my grandfather in August 1977 and Vimala atthai's husband early in life.  However, the death of her son affected her like nothing else.    We had to move away from Eluru and live in Chennai and she went off with my Jaya attai to live in Hyderabad.   One side, losing her son was a havoc and other side, parting from us caused her health have a downward swill

Later on, my aunt's family moved to Chennai and she spent her final days living with them in Madambakkam and she was excited with our weekly visits,  she was super excited attending our weddings and she was fully of josh and happiness when my daughter Aishwarya was born and she was with full of happiness and mad love when my nephew Ajay was born.   Her happiness knew no bounds when all her great grand children Sai, Prajwala, Aishwarya and Ajay were born and seeing them grow.

She passed away after a brief illness on 18 July 2003 leaving behind great footprints that will keep inspiring us for rest of our lives

This is the story of an ordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life of simplicity, devotion, love and service and great thinking and influencing her family by her every day actions.

Today, we take a moment to pause and remember her deeply with love and a sense of gratitude for all the efforts she took in raising us..raising us right..giving us a sense of pride for having born as a woman. 

Love you Nanamma...today and forever.   Happy Birthday God Mother!