Our School
 |
 |
 |
 |
THE LIFE OF LATE SIR M. VENKATASUBBA RAO
Sir M. Venkatasubba Rao, the Founder President of our parent organisation Madras Seva Sadan, was born on 18-7-1878, educated in the Madras Christian College and having enrolled as a Vakil (there were no advocates in those days) in July 1903, practised along with his friend from College days, Mr. V Radhakrishnaya for over 17 years. Mr. M. Venkatasubba Rao practised on the original side and soon became one of the leaders of the bar.
He was appointed Judge of the Madras High Court on 17-12-1921. His being appointed a Judge of the Madras High Court had two unique features. He was the first practitioner on the original side to be made a Judge and secondly, he was the youngest
person at the age of 42 years, to be made a Judge of the Madras High Court. He was
one of the ablest Judges of India. He was noted for his independence and passion for Justice. The law reports bear ample testimony not only to his command of English and his legal learning, but also to his anxiety to get over technical impediments, to a just and equitable decision.
In 1935 he was appointed as member of the Delimitation Committee which toured the whole Country.
He was knighted in 1936.
He retired as Chief Justice of the Madras High Court in 1939.
Later in 1939, he was made the Agent for Berar of the Nizam of Hyderabad.
He retired from this office in 1942.
His zeal for Social reform and Social Justice personified itself in the starting of The Madras Seva Sadan along with his wife Lady Andal M. Venkatasubba Rao (Padma Bhushan) who was one of the pioneer Women Social Workers in India, in the cause of unfortunate women and girls. This multi-purpose welfare institution for women and girls which was started in 1928 by Sir M. Venkatasubba Rao and Lady Venkatasubba Rao with 8 destitute women and children, today caters to more than 10,000 women and children, in various welfare activities in and around the city of Madras.
It was to commemorate the name of the Founder that the Madras Seva Sadan started Sir M. Venkatasubba Rao Boys School in their own premises at 57B, Thirumalai Pillai Road, T. Nagar, Chennai. The Management will endeavour to run the school in accordance with the high ideals set out by the late Founders.
Lady ANDAL VENKATASUBBA RAO
(Padma Bhushan)
One hundred years ago, Madras was, as you can imagine, a very different place. Huge, shady trees formed lovely avenues, very few vehicles were seen on the road, and people led gracious simple lives.
But it was, in other ways, not such an idyllic place. There were many injustices in those days, especially aginst women, who were not treated well at all.
It was into that world that our Founder Andalamma, was born, in the year 1894. Since she came from a well-to-do-family, she had the benefit of good education (not many girls did, in those days.) She went to St. Thomas Convent , Mylapore, and the Presidency High School, Madras, and she learnt all the crafts and skills of a young lady of her time. But Andalamma, as she grew up, was also learning something else that no school taught, but which everyone needed. That special ‘something’ was Social Awareness- the ability to feel compassion for the poor, helpless and less fortunate, and the desire to do something to change their Plight.
Lttle did she realise how her opportunity would come. At a very young age, Andalamma became a widow, and thought she must now accept a life seclusion – for widows in those days could not remarry or mingle in society.
It was then that she met the person who would change her life – the Hon’ble Justice M. Venkatasubba Rao, a brilliant and much respected Judge who was determined to make Andalamma his wife – a brave gesture in those times! But Justice Venkatasubba Rao was a very special man – learned, courageous and upright in his beliefs. He deeply wished to transform the ills of society, and in his young wife he found the ideal partner. Together they set out to brighten the lives of hundreds of under – privileged people.
Both of them believed in living by example – never to preach, but practise their ideals, to show others by lighting the way. And this is what they did. In 1928, with their own money ( a grand sum of Rs. 10, 000) which at that time was a generous figure indeed) they founded the Madras Seva Sadan - an institute to protect, teach and help destitute women and children - people who had been abandoned and mistreated by society. Here on the sprawling grounds of this noble institution, all the ideals and all the love in the mind and heart of Lady Andal began to take shape.
At the Madras Seva Sadan, women who thought they had nobody to live for found new purpose and meaning in life. They were fed, clothed, given work, taught skills, and learned to become happy independent members of society. And the numbers grew from 8 to 3,000 in just 30 years.
And so, the Madras Seva Sadan, and all the many other institutions under it, grew from strength to strength under Lady Andal’s firm and careful guidance. She didn’t just lead her people; she took a personal interest in each one. Dressed in beautiful silk sarees, her presence was loved by all. She would weave flowers into the hair of little girls, feed them personally with rice balls, take them for evening drives to the beach.. she was one of the first ladies to drive her own car in those old-fashioned times! Ans when the holidays came, and some children had no home to go to, she took them to her own beautiful house where they spent memorable times together.
In fact, she was truly a Mother to many, taking care of them until they were old enough to marry, finding good husbands for the girls, and organising the weddings for which she would herself buy the sarees and jewels!
Lady Andal worked tirelessly to organise the many activities and functions of the Madras Seva Sadan. Breaking all barriers of caste, creed, religion and social stigma, the Madras Seva Sadan took in people from any and every background. In fact once a Harijan girl joined the school, but the upper caste children did not want to eat with her. Lady Andal did not scold or lecture, but she taught the children a lesson they would never forget. She invited all the children to eat with her. At the meal, she seated the Harijan child on the right with the other children all around them, and then she began to eat. Once the others saw this, they realized how small their thinking was. And the problem never came up again!
This was how Lady Andal, like a bright star, lit the way for others dispelling the darkness of ignorance and prejudice. And yet for all her greatness she was a humble lady. She was honoured with very prestigious awards the King George’s Medal, the Kaisar-i-Hind Medal and the Padmabhushan all for her outstanding work in social welfare. But these honours did not change her. Nor did any of her work come in the way of her being a good and devoted wife. She stood by her husband in all his important postings. She welcomed equally into her home the most illustrious of persons (Royalty, National Leaders and famous personalities) - also the humblest. No one was denied welcome in her home. She always had time to celebrate birthdays and festivals with the family and filled their lives with joyful moments, beautiful gifts and funfilled occasions.
In 1960, Sir. M. Venkatasubba Rao passed away, and it was as if the light had gone out of Lady Andal’s life. Deeply grieved, she bore her loss with courage, and carried on her duties, still with a smile and a kind word for all. In 1969, she joined her husband at the lotus feet of the Almighty.
MR. N. V. RAO
Founder Correspondent
16.05.1925 – 07.09.1992
The late Correspondent, Mr. N. V. Rao, was born on 16th May 1925, in a well known family of the Vaishya Community in Madras. After the early loss of his own parents, he was brought up his paternal aunt, who was herself childless.
In the Home of Lady Andal and Sir M. Venkatasubba Rao, he had the benefits of their wonderful tutelage and guidance, living, travelling and learning from them, the ways of the elite Indian People involved in the field of Law, Social Welfare and Education. The Emerging Heroes of the Freedom movement were frequent visitors to his home as well as The Madras Seva Sadan, Mother institution of Sir M. Venkatasubba Rao School. It is not surprising that he, with the help of his wife Mrs. Seetha Rao, later founded the Sir M. Venkatasubba Rao School in memory of the Venkatasubba Raos.
After his schooling in the Good Sheperd convent Madras, Mr. Rao went on to graduate with honours from the Madras Loyola College with a B. A. degree. He then went to England, where he obtained a degree in teaching.
Later he joined the Madras Law College and obtained his B. L. Degree. He practiced as lawyer and served in the Public Prosecutor’s Office in the High Court of Madras.
Mr. N. V. Rao was a great lover of Arts, Music and particularly Sports. He Played Cricket for The Loyola College Madras, as well as Tennis and other sports, in all of which he attained a degree of proficiency. On getting older, he became a keen Golfer, winning several trophies in that sport. His love for sports is even now evident in the training that he had insisted on imparting to the students of the school, inspite of the limited play field.
He like his forebearers, was involved in several welfare and sports organisations and clubs like the Madras Seva Sadan, Rotary Club, Lions Club, the Freemasons and the Madras Cricket Club. He devoted most of his time to the Madras Seva Sadan as:
Hon. General Secretary of The Madras Seva Sadan – Chetpet and Tambaram.
President of the Madras Seva Sadan – multi purpose Social organisation
President – Madras Seva Sadan Higher Secondary School Committee – Chetpet, and Madras Seva Sadan Higher Secondary School Committee – Tambaram.
Vice – President – Madras Seva Sadan, Chetpet
He along with Mrs. N. Seetha Rao started the Sir M. Venkatasubba Rao School in June 1971, to commemorate the memory of the founder of the Madras Seva Sadan the late Justice, Sir M. Venkatasubbha Rao. From the day the decision was taken to open the school, till his death, Mr. Rao was totally involved with Sir. M. Venkatasubba Rao School. He built it up from its humble beginning with a handful of students, and semipucca class rooms, to the Present prestigious and popular status it enjoys, in its pucca multi storied buildings.
For a short period of time he even tried his hand at teaching and enjoyed the same, but his administrative duties and indifferent health on and off, did not allow him to continue as a teacher for long. These few lines hardly justify a commitment for a period of 21 years to the school. But Mr. Rao’s spirit will live on in the school he loved and nurtured and in all the pupils who have benefitted from its establishment and existence for the past decades.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Madras Seva Sadan was founded in 1928 by Sir & Lady M. Venkatasubba Rao with their personal initial contribution of Rs. 10, 000/ and futher contributions as the need arose. Sir M. Venkatasubbha Rao was the Founder – President and Lady M. Venkatasubba Rao was the founder Honorary General Secretary and Treasurer. It was founded as a home for grown up girls and young women who were poor and destitute, such as deserted wives, helpless widows and orphans, with a view to impart to them such education and training as would make them fit, in course of time, to look after themselves and be self reliant.
To commemorate the name of the Founder President Sir, M. Venkatasubba Rao, a School, for Boys was started in June 1971, with just 4 classes.
The School coaches students for the Matriculation and Higher Secondary Examinations conducted by the Education Department, Tamilnadu.
The Students has its own buildings well-furnished with modern furnitures and classrooms fitted with fans.
The library is well stocked with books for reference and general reading on all subjects. The school also has four well equipped laboratories with adequate facilities for imparting scientific learning and for experimentation in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Computer Science.
There are facilities for in – door and out – door games and sports. The School offers specialised coaching programmes in Cricket, Volley Ball, Swimming and Athletics conducted by leading coaches in the respective fields. Great stress is placed on extra – curricular activities.
The School is staffed with highly qualified and experienced teachers.
In addition to imparting scholastic knowledge, the school endeavours to build up a balanced personality and qualities of leadership among its Pupils.
School Prayer
O Lord of Mercy and love.
Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient!
We pray to thee in all humility and reverence,
To help us in pursuit of knowledge
Under the guidance of our teachers;
Grant us the understanding heart,
Enquiring, fertile and balanced mind,
Faith, devotion and wisdom,
To concentrate on our studies fully,
Showing steady progress, day after day,
Make us phsicall fit, mentally alert and spiritually secure
To follow the path of righteousness, leading on to Glory;
Free us from all perils and pestilence
Above all shape our conduct and character aright
To become worthy and eminent citizens.
Prayer after class
O God / the souce of all knowledge / grant that we amy remember
what we have learnt/. We offer you / our study and work / our
failures and sucesses. Forgive us our shortcomings / and give us
the courage / to follow always / the path of truth.