A towering presence and inspiration for many

Thiruvananthapuram: The road to Samskrithi Bhavan in GPO Lane, where one of the noted institutions ‘Bharatheeya Vichara Kendram’ established by veteran RSS pracharak P Parameswaran functions, wore a deserted look on Sunday morning. Many representatives of the institute had left for Palakkad after they came to know about the demise of Parameswaran and a few who left behind were busy with preparations to accord a final reception to their leader at the institution, which he established in 1982.
Friends and followers of Parameswaran recollected their association him. “Even during his last days, he was very much active in the programmes of Vichara Kendram. He had visited the institution in January and had recently participated in a convention held in Kannur, after which he fell ill. I started associating with Parameswarji after I joined the city unit of Vichara Kendram. It is his simple yet powerful words that inspired everyone. An example for his dedication towards a cause would be the Bhagavad Gita campaign, through which he wanted to spread the message of Gita to the masses,” said Rajan Pillai, treasurer of Vichara Kendram.
His demise came when Parameswaran, who frequently travelled to various branches of Vichara Kendram, was scheduled to visit the centre in the city on February 14.
K C Ajayakumar, writer and translator, who has a 30-year association with Vichara Kendram, became an active member in 2012 after he met Parameswaran. “Parameswaranji had once asked me to translate a speech by Mohan Bhagwat. Not only in public conventions, even during causal talks, he discussed only social issues. Parameswaranji had an extensive plan for research work at Vichara Kendram, which he wanted to upgrade as an international institute of research,” said Ajayakumar, who is the state committee member of Vichara Kendram.
A recipient of the Padma Vibhushan award, Parameswaran has over 20 books ranging from philosophy, essays and poems to his credit.
Pointing at the collection of books authored by Parameswaran, BVK representative Ajayykumar R S recalled Parameswaran’s creative talent to pen poems at any moment of inspiration. “I had travelled with Parameswaranji for around four years. I remember one day when we were going for a morning walk, after observing the place, Parameswaranji wrote a poem then and there. He was always open to our suggestions like changing some words in his poems while we were editing his works. It is his poems that we sing at the Vichara Kendram units every day,” said Ajayykumar.