How I see others - part 2

Prof. PR Pisharoty

For me to write about him is like an ant measuring an elephant - he was such a gigantic personality with international fame. His knowledge was not confined to Physics and Meteorology alone; he was well versed in Sanskrit literature and cultural subjects. You mention a subject, he would have mastered it. His memory was stupendous and grasping power immense. Here, I will say that my son has inherited these qualities to a certain extent. The number of papers he has written is so large that he himself may not know the exact number.  His advice on many subjects was eagerly sought. Even our Ex-PM Indira Gandhi admired him and took his advice. Ex-President Abdul Kalam also admired him - that shows his greatness. He never showed off and had no pretensions. He was frank in expressing his views and so the demand for his advice on any subject under the sun was great.

The first time I spoke to him personally was in Trivandrum when Thumba Rocket station was inaugurated. Sarabhai and he respected and admired each other a lot. Sarabhai invited him to Physical Research Laboratory and installed him there as Professor Emeritus. His later research work and paper publishing were all from there. He loved that place. This was after his retirement in 1966. At the time of retirement, he was a bit mentally imbalanced for a few months due to the pressures of the Government job. That was when Sarabhai invited him to PRL, by God's grace.

All accolades poured in after his joining PRL Ahmedabad. He was Prof. CV Raman's student and has written a book on him. He had darshan of Sathya Sai once at Whitefield. Whenever he would visit some place, he never forgot to go to the nearby temple, wherever it was, and would often wear the traditional MUNDU at that time. He was very prone to reasoning, but modest, with strong views. He started his working life as a lecturer in Thiruchi St Joseph's college and then in Loyola college and later he would go to the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. From there he joined the Meteorological department. 

I have met his mother who was a strong-willed lady. Rema's brother Narayan has inherited his father's intelligence as well as physical resemblance, including the baldness. He too is of the reasoning type, but mild. He too is a PhD from US and is stationed in Pune. Rema's younger sister Jaya is in Bangalore, a renowned Gynaecologist married to renowned endoscopist and gifted laparoscopic surgeon Dr MG Bhat.

After the death of Drowpathi chechi (I called my mother-in-law that) Ramettan (that is what I called my father-in-law) was totally inactive and partly depressed. He continued to be with Narayan till his death in 2002.

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