The man with the Midas touch passes away
TNN | Mar 2, 2019, 04:04 IST
R JayaramanT’puram: The call-sign VU2JN has stopped transmitting. The ‘Old Man’ (OM denotes male amateur radio operator) has bid adieu to the city, which remained his favourite place.
R Jayaraman, former principal of College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram (CET) and director of technical education, breathed his last at his residence at Gowreeshapattom at 8.30am on Friday. He was 82.
Professor R Jayaraman was a man who wore many hats. A student who passed civil engineering with gold medal from CET, a professor who was admired by his wards, a pioneer ham radio operator, Jayaraman was a man with a Midas touch. Securing amateur wireless station operator’s certificate in 1964, Jayaraman was an inspiration for many, including some of his students to pursue ham as their favourite hobby. He was the recipient of the first life-time achievement award of the amateur radio society of India (ARSI) affiliated to the international amateur radio union (IARU).
Jayaraman’s daughter, journalist and filmmaker J Geetha, credits his passion for ham radio for giving her and her siblings a different outlook towards the world. “As children, we used to wake up early to the sound of Morse code and voices of people from different parts of the world,” said Geetha, who made a documentary with her husband Ian McDonald ‘OM: OldMan’ on her father’s passion in 2017. The documentary won several international awards.
Jayaraman’s connection with CET began even when he was just a child. His father S Rajaraman was one of the founding faculties of CET. After a short stint in the public works department after his graduation, Jayaraman returned to his alma mater in 1957 as a faculty and eventually became its principal like his father. Jayaraman was the brain behind CET’s planetarium.
He was under treatment for cardiomyopathy for the past 20 years. Apart from daughter Geetha, Jayaraman is survived by wife Kamala, son Anantharaman J and daughter Radha J. Jayaraman’s mortal remains will be kept for homage at his Gowreeshapattom residence till 2pm on Saturday. Last rites will be performed at Puthen Kottai Brahmana Smashanam, Manacaud, at 3pm.
R Jayaraman, former principal of College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram (CET) and director of technical education, breathed his last at his residence at Gowreeshapattom at 8.30am on Friday. He was 82.
Professor R Jayaraman was a man who wore many hats. A student who passed civil engineering with gold medal from CET, a professor who was admired by his wards, a pioneer ham radio operator, Jayaraman was a man with a Midas touch. Securing amateur wireless station operator’s certificate in 1964, Jayaraman was an inspiration for many, including some of his students to pursue ham as their favourite hobby. He was the recipient of the first life-time achievement award of the amateur radio society of India (ARSI) affiliated to the international amateur radio union (IARU).
Jayaraman’s daughter, journalist and filmmaker J Geetha, credits his passion for ham radio for giving her and her siblings a different outlook towards the world. “As children, we used to wake up early to the sound of Morse code and voices of people from different parts of the world,” said Geetha, who made a documentary with her husband Ian McDonald ‘OM: OldMan’ on her father’s passion in 2017. The documentary won several international awards.
Jayaraman’s connection with CET began even when he was just a child. His father S Rajaraman was one of the founding faculties of CET. After a short stint in the public works department after his graduation, Jayaraman returned to his alma mater in 1957 as a faculty and eventually became its principal like his father. Jayaraman was the brain behind CET’s planetarium.
He was under treatment for cardiomyopathy for the past 20 years. Apart from daughter Geetha, Jayaraman is survived by wife Kamala, son Anantharaman J and daughter Radha J. Jayaraman’s mortal remains will be kept for homage at his Gowreeshapattom residence till 2pm on Saturday. Last rites will be performed at Puthen Kottai Brahmana Smashanam, Manacaud, at 3pm.
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