Dilip February 6, 2009
Posted by amrut in College.trackback
Dilip Veeraraghavan passed away yesterday. He was suffering from cancer.
He was one of the best, if not the best, teachers whom I’ve had an opportunity to learn from. He taught me Indian National Movement (course name). In class he was very objective and fair in his treatment of the course material and his treatment of the class. He could bring events into perspective like no one else could. I still remember him talking about bonds issued in London for the financing of the Indian Railways in the very beginning and the booming British steel industry’s connection with the Indian railways. Why was the Indian Railways built? Sure it was built to reach into raw material sources and new markets. But firstly, because building it was profitable for shareholders. Why did Gandhi have a firm grip on India? Because he went from village to village and taught them healthy sanitation practices. (I might have told you someday that Gandhi’s greatest contribution to India was that he taught Indian villagers to shit properly. That was never from me, it was from Dilip.) My understanding of India, its freedom struggle and indeed my own patriotism is rooted in the understanding that I gained from that course. The power of his teaching was in his thought — clear and logical. And that in a subject which had earlier been taught to me by propaganda.
More than that he was a good friend. His ability to understand the unsaid was uncanny. He could sense moods. He could read meanings into breathing pauses inbetween words in a sentence. He was a social networking guru. Almost every thinking IIT Madras student in the last 15 odd years have been his friend. He listened. He understood. He cared. He adviced just enough. He joked. He laughed. When I recollect the few people who have influenced me the most by sheer strength of their character, Dilip will be on top.
He could see more than what most people could. Its an irony that he was blind. He will be remembered in the hearts and though-processes of the many who were inspired by him. We love you Dilip.
“He could sense moods. He could read meanings into breathing pauses inbetween words in a sentence.”
Absolutely spot on
I was to take the Indian National Movement course with him last semester – unfortunately the course had to be cancelled. I really regret the fact that I never took a course with him – although he sat in on some of our Indian Constitution classes. He was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable.
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