SYMA remembers KE Raghavan

Today is Friday  – 25th August 2023. 

• The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) is a reserve regiment in the British Army. It is one of the oldest surviving regiments – this was incorporated by royal charter, this day  in 1537 by King Henry VIII 
• In 2012, on this day, the NASA space probe Voyager 1 became the first man-made object to enter interstellar space. On this day in 1258, George Mouzalon, the regent of the Empire of Nicaea, was assassinated as part of a conspiracy led by nobles under the future emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos.  

• On this day in 1609 - Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei demonstrated his first telescope to Venetian lawmakers. 
• Couple of years back in Covid era the 3^rd Test began at Leeds this day 2021 -  we expected it to be a high stakes game but proved to be a damp squib.    James Anderson, Ollie Robertson  and co. running in with a bright red Dukes, on a Headingley surface that never really dies outsmarted India by an innings and 76 runs !!. 

. .. no post on History or Cricket but on a man who made a deep impact in our lives as also in Social service ! Srinivas Youngmens Association (SYMA) has been doing service relentlessly since 1977.  Of our many services, Medical services and Education services are our prime activities.  

We have come a long way since 1989 when our medical services were launched in a small street corner at Peyalwar Street ~ many our volunteers have striven so hard ensuring that pleasant and quality service is extended to poor and needy.  Of the many people involved – we recall and remember the passionate services of dear KE Raghavan born on 12.10.1953 would have been 70 if fate had not cruelly snatched him this day 16 years ago.  

Srinivas Youngmens Association (SYMA) has been doing service relentlessly since 1977.  Of our many services, Medical services and Education services are our prime activities. We have come a long way since 1989 when our medical services were launched in a small street corner at Peyalwar Street ~ many our volunteers have striven so hard ensuring that pleasant and quality service is extended to poor and needy. 

The  person liked by us all “Kunnavakkam Elayavalli Raghavan”  [Alamu Stores] passed away in 2007  – his sudden death shocked Triplicane and hundreds turned up at his funeral.  He would ever be remembered for his nice words, smiling face, hard work done always at the background without ever showing up on stage.   

On a day when His Holiness  Sri Sankaracharya was to visit our medical centre in its nascent stage, he took upon himself, the task of whitewashing the entire premises and the day beckoned with the place so neat and clean.  He was exceptionally good in cooking and the sambar that he used to make still lingers.  In SYMA tours, besides other manual work, cooking and serving was his area and he made everyone feel happy with that.  He was part of MTR for sometime, later managing the provision stores of his brother.  

Every year we remember him on 25th of August – this year on Nation’s Independence day in our Eye camp conducted alongwith Sri Sankara Eye Hospital, Pammal – 140 people were screened ~ 23 persons were identified, were taken to Sri Sankara Eye Hospital, Pammal.  Cataract surgery was done free for 22 of  them, later,  they were brought back to Triplicane. 41  persons were prescribed spectacles.  The eye-glasses have been  made by Sri Sankara Eye Hospital, Pammal and they were distributed in a function held at SYMA Medical Centre today @ 6.30 pm.  

Today SYMA remembers Mr KE Raghavan, who left us this day in 2007.  The edifice of SYMA has been built brick by brick by the efforts of some and late KE Raghavan played a great part in maintaining the Centre those days. His brother Mr KE Srinivasan, Prop. Alamu Stores, distributed the glasses alongwith Mr TJ Ramani, SR Parthasarathi, Venkatramana,  Durai @ Seshadri, KV Rangarajan, MA Sadagopan, AV Seshadri and others.   Here are some photos taken on the occasion. 

 
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
25.8.2023.