Ramamurthy Athimber

B: 28-09-1935     D:  05-11-2013

Our athimber Sri S.Ramamurthy was born on 28 September 1935 at Soolamangalam, a village near Thanjavur, Tamilnadu. His parents, Sri V.S Subramaniya Iyer and Smt Lakshmi had two daughters Rajalakshmi and Srimathy and two sons Ramamurthy and Swaminathan. They belong to Athreya Gothram; his birth star is Hastham.

Our athimber had his schooling at various places in Tamilnadu, as his father was employed in Indian Railways and naturally had frequent transfers. After passing his SSLC Exam, athimber had his engineering  studies and then joined in Army Base Workshop, Bangalore in the year 1957.

He married our sister Saroja on 27 June 1960 at Cuddalore and they started their married life at Ulsoor, Bangalore. Later, in the year 1964 he got a job in Telco, Jamshedpur and they shifted there.

They have two sons and one daughter. His daughter Uma was born on 19-02-1963 at Cuddalore. Balasubramanian, their first son, was born on 01-06-1965, also at Cuddalore. Their younger son Satya Srinivasan was born on 28-04-1973 at Jamshedpur. Athimber and Akka gave the children excellent education and brought them up nicely. As they attained the suitable age, they were married.

Uma was married to Sri (now Dr) Kalyan Sundar in Feb 1987 at Coimbatore and they have one daughter, a Doctor, Kirtana and one son Aaditya, a student at London School of Economics. Presently all of them live in London, UK. Balasubramanian (Bala for short) married Anindita in 1994 and they live in USA with their two daughters – Natasha and Sophia. Satya married Lay Eng Cheah in 2005 and they too live in USA.

Athimber served Telco at different capacities and at various places in India, like Jamshedpur, Allahabad, Kanpur, Calcutta, Kochi, and finally at Chennai. He retired from Telco in the year 1995 from Chennai. His Sashtiaptha poorthy was celebrated in 1995 at Chennai, it was a grand function. Initially they lived at Abhiramapuram and later he purchased a flat in Besantnagar and athimber and akka shifted to their own flat in 1998.

Athimber and akka lived a frugal but fruitful life throughout. He was a simple and an active person all through his life. A most kind and affectionate person, he was attached to all children.

He was a voracious reader of books, both Tamil and English and he read, and read. Even 5 minutes before his death, he had purchased a book! He read on a kaleidoscopic range of topics from Bhakti and Aanmikam to literature and mystery thrillers. He had an excellent grasp of Tamil and he wrote many stories in Tamil in his youth which got published in KALKI magazine. He started and ran a கையெழுத்து (hand-written) magazine for some years. I and my sons are very happy that we shared with him our latest English John Grishams, Jeffrey Archers, Dan Browns.

He had a good knowledge of Sanskrit and when Saroja akka started learning this language, athimber helped her a lot by writing (copying) down innumerable verses and slokas for her in Sanskrit.

He was a deep and devoted worshipper of Lord Murugan and never missed a chance to go to a Murugan Koil and worship the God.

He had a multidimensional and deep interest in various fields like Carnatic music. He was one of the most systematic men I ever met. He and Akka attended each and every function in the family and blessed us all.

During the later days, as the World progressed with Computers, Email, Facebook, Skype etc alongwith smart phones, iPhones, iPads, iPods etc, he modernised himself, and productively used these gadgets very well.  

He had the admirable habit of walking long distances daily.  Most certainly, this singular habit has given him the extraordinary health he enjoyed all these years. He never ever complained of any ill-health all these years. Saroja akka says he never consulted a doctor (except his daughter-in-law and granddaughter!!) in his life.

On Tuesday, the 5^th November 2013, he finished his customary  morning routine and at 1100 AM walked to a nearby grocery shop; on his way back home he felt pain in the chest, tried to sit inside a shop but collapsed there. His end came then and there at 11:30 AM. He was 78 years old.

He was brought home by 12:15 noon and we were all informed. Numbed, we froze in total disbelief. He and akka had gone to Ambattur (Chennai) the previous day only (4^th Nov) and he was healthy and fit as usual. This news, thus, was most unexpected. Everyone rushed to his home. His daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren arrived from London and his two sons from USA.

Thursday, the 7^th of November 2013, he was cremated at 12 noon at the Besantnagar Crematorium.

He lived a very rewarding  life all along. Now he has left us in deep grief. God only can give solace and succor to our bereaved sister Saroja. May his soul rest in peace.

With deep regards and namaskarams,

from

Rajappa
Chennai
17-Nov-2013