Over the Decades

Prof. Raman Kolluri

Our Dad was born in 1936.  This year, as part of a new resolution, we started the practice of asking him a question a day with the expectation of a succinct 50-75 word answer.

January was fun.  We discovered the questions we ask him fall into different patterns - sometimes personal, sometimes professional, sometimes on a particular theme such as science, current affairs or life lessons.  In February, a new series of questions formed - they had to do with what his best memory was (one each) from each decade of his life.  That was an interesting series, and we had a lot of fun with it.

We asked our Dad what he thought of this continuing exercise of questions and answers.  He replied, "My family, children and grandchildren are most important to me.  Beyond that, I am delighted to have this opportunity to have this wide ranging conversation.   It is indeed a difficult task to restrict myself to only one memory per decade!  My only lament is that I wish that I did this with my parents, when I had an opportunity a few decades ago.'

We hope you also enjoy these responses.


What is your best memory from the 1930s?

We were the first three children at that time, of the eventual eight.  This was the time of pre-Indian Independece, and there was a cultural aspect of wearing British style clothing as well.  My father bought 'English Gentlemen' clothing for my two older brothers, Rama Rao and Venkateswar Rao.  I fondly remember that they would watch over me and my other siblings over the years to ensure that we played well and did not get into trouble.

I recall this episode from those very early years.  When we were the three of us, they would be taken on a buggy ride (a stroller for kids, not babies).  This particular buggy had seats opposite to each other and could only seat two.   I remember being envious that my brothers would get a ride, but not me.

One day, I somehow climbed into it and sat in one seat and put my legs in the other seat.  Our Nanny  came and saw that I had already occupied the buggy.  I demanded that I should be taken around that day instead of my brothers.

Unfortunately, my mother came and told me that I was too small to be safe in the buggy and that my turn would come later when I grew up a little more.

However, for reasons I cannot recall now, I don't think I ever got that buggy ride.


1940s?

The day I saw Mahatma Gandhi.  It was 1946. I was hardly ten years old.

Public domain photo

We heard that the train carrying Mahatma Gandhi was going to pass through Rajahmundry, the town I grew up in. For more than three hours we were standing at the railway tracks behind our school waiting for the train carrying him was to pass through that place. No one knew whether the train would stop there as it was in between two stations. But hundreds of us were hoping at least to have a glimpse of him.

Around noon we saw the train from a distance and a big roar went up 'Mahatma Gandhi ke Jai'. When the train has started to slow down, our excitement knew no bounds.

The next scene is something I will never forget in my life. The train stopped right in front of us! Mahatma Gandhi in person was standing at the open door with folded hands and a toothless smile. He was indeed a short person and with only lower part covered and bare chested, he almost looked like a small child.

We all felt that day we had seen God himself. All this happened without the knowledge of my parents as they would have never allowed us to go near the train tracks.

1950s

Public domain photo

To independently travel in a train was one of the greatest ambitions at that time. My friend and I undertook a journey which I can never forget since it caused so much trouble for all and at the end, for me as well.

We just had to do such a travel though we did not know the consequences.  We got into a freight train with an empty compartment hoping that the train would stop at the next station. But the train did not stop.

It went on for nearly twenty miles and stopped at a signal two miles from a place called Kadiam. We had no money and there was no way we could walk that distance and it was already getting dark.  We walked for nearly two miles and reached the station. Meanwhile there was panic at our homes worried about what happened to us.

We begged the station master to tell the conductor of the next train towards our home to allow us to travel without a ticket. Finally we reached home at 8.00 PM on a cycle rickshaw promising that fellow that we would pay the fare at home. There was so much commotion and despair at home that only has to be imagined.

My mother hushed my father not to say anything until we ate food. When we finally told our story hardly anyone could believe that we would do such a foolish thing. Of course I got a huge lecture from my father.


1960s

New job!

It was my first day at my very first job.  I was all formally attired in a suit.  I hopped on to my motorbike and rode like a cowboy ready to conquer all the enemies.

Except I was stopped at the huge gate which was completely covered up so that no one could see the inside.  A fierce looking guard was at the gate of the Woman's College where I received an appointment as an instructor.  I was the very rare, if not first male instructor to be appointed to this all-Women's College.

The guard with his nose up, hardly looked at me, let alone greet me.  I went to him and said that I had to go in.

He replied contemptuously (in Urdu) 'Fat chance!'  I tried to plead with him that I have teaching job there.

He burst into a big laugh and said, 'You need a better excuse than that!'

Meanwhile, a whole lot of people gathered to watch the fun. I became the butt of jokes of all of them.

I finally said, 'Will you at least take this letter to the principal's office and show it to someone?'

He thought for a moment and took the letter and went inside, securely locking the door from inside. After what looked like eternity, the secretary to the principal came and profusely apologized to me and took me inside to the principal with the watchman scratching his head in disbelief.

But my triumph was very short lived as I had to walk to the principal's office like a lamb walking to the slaughter house, with dozens of girls lining the path on either side and giggling at the prospect of the fun they are going to have teasing me in the class.


1970s

Hosting visitors at college

The decade of seventies was one of the most exciting in my life.   I have recorded this decade in a previous note as well (In Search of a Dream)

But at the same time, it also saw one of the most tragic events which I will remember all my life.  One January evening, three of our friends, one, a professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department, the second, an entrepreneur, and the third, a physician who was also our campus doctor and myself went to Bangalore to meet my bother to discuss a business deal.   We were all in a jovial mood discussing how great the venture would be.

After the discussions and dinner, we returned back to our hotel. Our entrepreneur friend complained stomach upset and was profusely sweating.  Our doctor friend said that we must take him to a hospital. It was a Sunday.  But still we managed to find a hospital but in a few minutes after arrival at the hospital, our friend passed away due to a heart attack.

We were all stunned at this totally unexpected development. We had great difficulty in dealing with administrative matters and getting our friend back to his family for services. It was an unforgettable and horrible ordeal.

He was such a great friend and his sudden passing away left a terrible feeling in all of us.  Now looking back from the vantage of 2015, all those friends have passed away.

1980s

This was the most turbulent period of my life. It is the period in which we had changed our identities from Indians to Americans. 

All this started with the visit of my brother Ram in February of 1985.  I was not quite happy with my academic life and the prospect of advancement for my children in India. My brother asked me about the visa application for immigration to US which I filed twenty years ago, when I was a post doctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University.   

I replied that I did get approval at that time but never had actually taken the step to accept it. He said that it did not matter how many years it is. Once the application is accepted, then it is always honored.  True to his words, I did get a positive reply.

But then it took moral support and encouragement from my brother Giri to actually work up the fortitude to make a decision to move the family.  In the blink of an eye, we had moved from a small southern town in India to the US.  

1990s

Finally, some recognition! I had taught, conducted research and guided doctoral students for twenty five years in India and never got a single recognition of any kind. 

In this decade I had two recognitions accorded to me in the US.

One evening, my son asked me to drop him at the airport. As it was a Saturday, I said that I would be happy to. We were at our brother's house before we left for the airport when I got a call from my colleague saying 'Where are you ? You have been awarded the Faculty of the year award!'   I was stunned.  I never expected such a unique recognition after only teaching for five years at the college. 

The other I will remember for ever is the reception I attended at the American Embassy in London where the American Ambassador, at a reception given to us said, that we the Fulbright Scholars are the true ambassadors of the country.  I was indeed very proud to represent my new country and show America at its best in a foreign land.

I recall fondly that my younger brother Sastry gave me constant company when I was writing my PhD thesis at Osmania University.  When I shared the news of this recognition with him, he was elated and remarked that all my hard work over the years has been finally recognized.

2000s

Catastrophe struck. That early morning after Christmas day my dear wife Kameswari passed away. Nearly a half century of association abruptly ended. 

After the exact moment she passed away,  I hardly knew anything that has happened.  I am thankful that my younger brother Narayana was constantly at my side during that ordeal.

I can not really express my loss in words.  If tears could be used as words, I would be Shakespeare.

The enormous psychological vacuum I continue to experience in the years that have passed, would indeed be unbearable but for my children, their families and my sister Rama's enormous support.

2010s

That was my last commencement. After twenty five years of service in the US,  this was the day I said good bye to the college. I had a surprise waiting for me! When it was announced that I would get a medal for distinguished service, I was quite surprised. 

It was indeed an honor which I will cherish for a long time to come.

I have recorded my 50 years of teaching earlier as well (50 years with students)


Looking into the future, what do you expect will be happening in 2036?

When answering a question about future, one has to assume a linear progress, which is not always the case.  History has many examples where actually a U-turn took place. Hence I venture to say something about science which may happen or may not. Among the vast topics that exist I had chosen only three so that I can write something with some degree of coherence. 

First the space and Universe. I am quite confident that not only we will find an answer to the riddle of the origin of the universe but also find a planet similar to our earth with life supported by the conditions that exist there. But the enigma is what form of life will that be ? Will it be similar to ours or not?

The travel to Mars by humans will be a reality and perhaps even an attempt to colonization. But the biggest obstacle is still the longevity of human life to sustain the ordeals that such a journey entails.

That leads us second, to medicine and genetics. I am certain that human organs will be grown outside the body and grafted to supplant failing organs. Medicines for the deadly deceases such as cancer and diabetes will be found. But I am afraid that new deceases will crop up. Genetic engineering will be a part of regular human development. But one feature that haunted throughout the human existence - human fallacies and greed will not change.

Finally, in subatomic state, nanotechnology will advance rapidly and super computing will be the order of the day. How this affects the rest of the technology is difficult to say. A single discovery like the recent cell-phone may change the whole ball game.

The only one uncertainty that can reduce all these predictions to a naught is the ability of the rogue nations acquiring and using the nuclear weapons. Then all bets are off.

All in all, I expect the world to be a great place to live and  life will be much faster and enjoyable with all the new developments that are taking place.