Lat Sri Vadlamani Venkatesam
Our Association's Founding Father
Born : 28.10.1897
Died : 29.12.1987
Vadlamanis is a migrant Darvida family, who lives to this day at the village called Peruru, a mutilated version perhaps of the Tamil-Telugu hybrid "periya ooru". Vadlamani Venkatesam-VV, as the British used to call him belonged to that family. Dravidians who migrated to Andhra are true to the vedic culture. Fourteen generation of Venkatesam's ancestors had performed continuously Yajnas and Pundarikams strictly to the extent of sacrificing one to the five goats each time to maintain Nithyagnihotram – a perennial fire, at home. The fifteenth generation-his father's-however, saw a sharp nose drive from vedic heights into mundane European, 'Hoona' civilization as VV's father Yajnanarayana used to refer. It is a tragic story how he decided to switching to hoona vidya for Venkatesam, the second born of eight children.
Born in to a strict orthodox family in 1897. VV had his primary education upto third form at his home-town Perooru. He was an all-rounder and was awarded a gold medal in 1912 for his brilliance in studies. He spent a year at Arts College, Rajahmundry, switched to Engineering nest year he got a seat at Guindy, Madras where he completed his professional education.
Venkatesam's career was linked throughout with British Engineering firms from the beginning of his professional career in 1923 in Bombay upto his retirement with Braithwaites in Calcutta in 1967 at the superannuated age of 70. In Bombay he was associated with the first railway electrification scheme in India from Victoria Terminus to poona.
In Dadar, Bombay where he used to live humbly with his wife Ananthalakshmi and five children, there were just a few Telugu families around. By nature, he was intensely human and a silent philanthrppist. Drawing five hundred rupees a month at per with British and at a time when England went off the gold standard, gold sovereign was abegging for about ten rupees, he was one of the highest salaried officers in Bombay and was approached first for any worthy Andhra cause. A few Andhra Societies were existing in splinter groups here and there in Bombay – in Dadar, kurla and Parle areas, for example. Sri Venkatesam organized a two day conference of these groups in Dadar under the chairmanship of Kasinathuni Nageswar Rao Panthulu garu who made an appeal for unification under a common Andhra banner. There were the usual rival claims for prominence by each of splinter groups. On Venkatesam's advice, panthulugaru suggested a different unified name Andhra Mahasabha. The members present, applauded and cheered Venkatesam as its first president but he preferred to be in background and suggested another person for that position. In later years at Calcutta, VV often used to reminiscence his brain-child growing to its present size in Bombay over the decades.
It was some what similar story in Calcutta too. Vadlamani Venkatesam landed in Calcutta on March 31, 1935 on a transfer from Bombay. He spent three days at the open house of well known contemporary South Indian, C.S Rangaswami.
Venkatesam made a courtesy call on MVV Rao (Mallavarapu Venkata Visweswara Rao) who was a prominent figure at the BNR Headquarters. Sri Rao was funding a Andhra Home for the benefit of resident Andhra students and visitors. Before Venkatesam could complete his self-introduction, MVV appointed him on the spot as Superintendent of Andhra Home. The soft spoken Venkatesam was not given a chance to say anything. VV's predecessor as the warden of the MVV's Andhra Home was another Dravida Brhamin Kodukula Narayana Murty. Being assistant to shri Rao at the BNR Head office, Murthy was afraid of opening his mouth against his office boss in the matters of the Home. But VV spoke the truth in his usual gentle manner. The truth was that Andhra Community was happy with the home but was not so happy with MVV who was flouting even the basic rules of a corporate life, like maintenance of accounts. VV was polite and appealed personally to MVV to convene a general body meeting where the members could express their feelings and give constructive suggestions. But MVV was stubborn and did not pay heed to repeated requests by VV and a few other Andhras living in South Calcutta.
This led the Andhras to form a separate Association for themselves thus the seeds for founding Andhra Association was sown.
Despite so many odds, a few Andhras gathered on the terrace of 13-C, Jogesh Mitra Road in Bowanipore, the residence of some Telugu students who moved out of MVV's Andhra Home for obvious reason. The christening of our present Association was made on that day. A Managing Committee was formed but VV preferred to remain in the background. On the Vinayaka Chathurthi day, on 19th sep,1936, the association was formally inaugurated. Vinayaka Pooja was performed by VV and his wife Anathalakshmi.
Thus Sri Venkatesam laid the foundation for the Andhra Association, Calcutta.
In the later years, he served the Association in various capacities such as the General Secretary and President of the Association and School and Trustee of the Andhra Association Building Trust. Humble and unassuming, Sri Venkatesam was associated with all activities of the Association, School and Building Trust. He lent his grace by his presence at every function in the Andhra Hall. His unfailing evening attendance in the premises at 5, Satyen Datta Road brought warmth and freshness to an otherwise drab and dull atmosphere. Any new member was touched by his smiling and elderly presence.
VV was a rare combination of western methodical perfection and eastern orthodox simplicity. Even as an undergraduate student at Rajahmundry, he would play tennis and go for a swim in the river Godavari with his British Principal, Cowldrey, but would prefer to take his hostel meals wearing a silk dhoti in his traditional orthodox style. It was the same VV in later years going daily to his Calcutta office in a custom tailored suit in a chauffer driven car and also enjoyed occasional cocktail parties with his British colleagues limiting himself to only fruit juice cocktails. It was the same VV who never availed off a days casual leave from his office.
VV was not just the founder of our Association. Perhaps, one may say with pride he laid the foundation of dedicated social service. He set a working model of selfless service to the younger generation. Even at the age of 89 and failing health, he loved to live in Calcutta with his foster children-Association, School and Trust.