He has named these memoirs as “Feast of Memories”.
In this concluding episode Dr. Madavan talks about the bond of cooperative spirit and personal chemistry that Dr. Kurien and the founder Chairman of Erode District Milk Producers Cooperative Union Thiru Paramasivan developed over the years. There can not be a better person than Dr Madhavan who with his team was a witness and an active participant in this experiment of replicating Anand Oattern Cooperative structure to Erode in the early years of Operation Flood.
Dr Madhavan shares the twists and turns in the story of Thiru Paramsivan fulfilling his wish to install a stature of Dr. Kurien at Erode.
Thank you Dr. Madhavan for your contribution to Vrikshamandir. We and wish the Centanarian Dairyman, Kurien Award winner Thiru Paramsivan and the best of health and peaceful life. May we get opportunities to read more from you.
Dr Kurien’s Statue at Erode
It was the cherished desire of Mr Paramasivan to install Dr Kurien’s statue at Erode. In 2010, he expressed his desire and asked me to obtain Dr Kurien’s consent. It was a difficult task knowing fully well that Dr Kurien would not like to have his statue installed while alive. Nevertheless, I ventured to broach this topic to Dr Kurien. First, I mentioned this to Mrs Kurien who promptly replied that Dr Kurien may not agree. However, she agreed to check with him. When I called her after a few days, she asked me to talk to Dr Kurien directly. When I spoke to him, he out rightly rejected the proposal saying that how can his statue be installed while he was alive. I told him Mr Paramasivan was over 90 years and he wanted to have the statue installed while he was alive. His apprehension was that after his death, it may not happen. I stressed upon the urgency in the matter and requested him to agree. Finally, Dr Kurien said “Madhavan, you do whatever you want to”. Thus ended the conversation and we proceeded.
Mr Paramasivan was very happy and immediately commissioned a sculptor in Chennai to make the statue, under my guidance. Though the statue got ready in about three months, it took considerable time to finalise its location.
The statue should have rightly found a place at the Erode Milk Union’s dairy premises – the land purchased by them and belonging to them, but for want of clearance from the Tamil Nadu Govt, it could not be installed there. It was finally installed at the NDDB Regional Demonstration & Training Centre at Erode. At a function attended by over 400 farmers on February 25, 2015, Mr Paramasivan, Founder Chairman of Erode District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Milk Union unveiled the statue. I had the privilege of presiding over the function. Thus, the long cherished dream of Mr Paramasivan became a reality. Perhaps, Erode stands first to install Dr Kurien’s statue in the country, after Anand. The Erode farmers couldn’t have thought of a better option to honour the Father of White Revolution!
Paramasivan is 102 years old now, keeping “Good Health”. I keep in touch with him and also meet him in his village, occasionally. May God bless him with good health.
Gopal Srinivasan after reading Dr Madhavan’s 18 episode posted this picture ( He with his family) on Facebook standing in front of Dr Kurien’s statue at RTDC, Erode.
Contributed by Dr. E. Madhavan, Former Regional Director NDDB , Mumbai
- A story in search of an end; “A Bull Made of Steel”
- Shri R N Haldipur. Humility Unlimited
- Random Reminiscences of a forgetful old man 1968-1975 Manthan and Mani Bhuvan-3
- वसुधैव कुटुंबकम; वाक्यांश क्या केवल एक जुमला है ?
- Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam; Is it just a slogan being used these days?
Responses
Thanks, Madhavan Sir, for the story about Dr Kurien;s statue at Erode.
Dada used to joke and say ‘don’t put any statue of me outdoor as the birds would shit on me’…never ever believing anyone would do it after his time….my father s silly sense of humour that we all got so used to!!