A complete Rotarian

On March 24, 2020, PDG Ramakrishna Raja passed away. Just a month earlier, he was honoured with the Doyen of Rotary Award by RI District 3230 on the diamond jubilee of the Rotary Club of Madras South. The club members were numbed with shock — they were so used to his wise guidance and mentorship over 60 years that his demise seemed unthinkable. Though of light build, he was often described as Uyarntha Manidhan (a tall personality in Tamil) because of his stature in Rotary, in business and social life. Every Rotary governor regarded him as a role model — for wisdom, maturity, fairness and dedication.

Ramakrishna Raja, a complete Rotarian

Author : R V Rajan
Publishers : Creative Workshop, Chennai.
Price : ₹300

A slim biography on Raja by Rtn R V Rajan, titled Ramakrishna Raja, a complete gentleman, was released in Chennai on September 1 by N Murali, director of The Hindu group and president of the Music Academy. Former adman Rajan is a past president of RC Madras South and its member for over 45 years. He was profoundly influenced by Ramakrishna Raja, like everyone else.

His book describes Raja’s illustrious 60-year journey in Rotary and 31-year stint with the Music Academy, besides his many other roles as an entrepreneur (he ran a successful wire mesh company), business leader, friend, family head and mentor. “He was a raja (king) among Rotarians,” said PDG S Krishnaswami.

Raja served as charter secretary of RC Madras South at age 23 in 1960; he became its president in 1968–69, district secretary in 1973–74, and district governor of RID 3230 in 1986–87. As governor, he launched Rotary’s celebrated campaign against PolioPlus in the district, and also the war against drugs. He was treasurer of the Music Academy from 2005 till his death in 2020. “I couldn’t have asked for a person with greater integrity, credibility and probity,” said Murali.

Once, after an unsuccessful bid for Rotary directorship, Ram rushed from Chennai to Mumbai to cheer me up. Of all the unforgettable people I’ve met in Rotary, Raja was right there at the top of the list.
– PRIP Kalyan Banerjee

He was warm and kind, enveloping everyone who came in contact with him. He was a people’s person with a ready smile, a phenomenal memory for names and faces, and often went out of the way to help others — from offering blessings and support to just-anointed Rotary governors, to receiving guests at airports, hosting them at home, or coming up with unexpected gifts and thoughtful gestures.

PRIP Kalyan Banerjee said that in Chennai he always stayed in Raja’s impeccable home. “Once, after an unsuccessful bid of mine for Rotary directorship, Ram rushed from Chennai to Mumbai just to cheer me up.” He asserted that of the unforgettable people he had met in Rotary, Raja “was right there, at the top of the list.”

PRIP K R Ravindran met Raja long before “my Rotary days. Very early on, I realised that he was a man of wisdom, light and learning. I looked up to him. Several past RI presidents held him in high regard.”

For PRID P T Prabhakar, PDG Raja was a source of great strength, support and guidance during “my tenure as director. His knowledge and experience helped me immensely.”

Industrialist Suresh Krishna, a friend of Raja for over five decades, said, “To meet Ramakrishna is to like him. To know him is to respect and admire him.” Industrialist and philanthropist R T Chari remembered that Raja introduced him to Rotary, and also the Music Academy, where Chari became a valuable member and set up a unique music archive.

Architect Tara Murali recalled that when her father M S Pattabhiraman appreciated the traditional swing in Raja’s house, it was promptly gifted to him!

When Raja spoke about Rotary, he wasn’t evangelistic, pedantic or philosophical. He was simple and practical. He told PRID A S Venkatesh: Let your family and your business be your first priorities. You will then be able to tackle Rotary challenges better.

Very early on, I realised that he was a man of wisdom, light and learning. I looked up to him. Several past RI presidents held him in high regard.
– PRIP K R Ravindran

Club member PDG Natarajan Nagoji said, “I tried to think like him. When I faced a challenge, I thought about how Raja would have tackled it.” Writer, researcher and Raja’s family friend Prema Srinivasan said, “I learned from him how to live with grace and purpose.”

Tennis legend Ramanathan Krishnan, a Loyola classmate of Raja, recalled Raja receiving him at Tokyo airport on a cold winter night. (Krishnan was there for tennis, Raja for business.) He helped Krishnan choose his lifemate Lalitha, saying she would be a great support in his tennis career.

Raja visited his son Ranganath in the US late in 2019, to spend some time with his family, and also recover from some health issues. But he made it a point to return to Chennai in time for his club’s diamond jubilee celebrations. Though visibly subdued at the event, he was elated at his club’s achievements. After his death in March, RC Madras South instituted an annual award in his name.

Raja liked to quote C V George, the club’s first district governor: “Let us not be prisoners of the past. Let us be pilgrims to the future.” That slogan summed up his own approach to Rotary.

The book is available on Amazon or can be bought from Compuprint, Chennai. Phone: 63822 03140.

The writer is a member of RC Madras South, RID 3234