Dressed in his trademark T-shirt and spotless white trousers, sports shoes and cap; even the small locks of hair dropping down on his neck.
Former P T Master Panneerselvam passed away on June 18, felled by yet another heart attack.
The next day, we like many others made our way to his home in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, beyond Perambur and Peravallur to pay our respects and say a prayer. And we felt good - for his family had respected his wish - 'dress me up in my favorite when I make my last journey.
The funeral service was held at a CSI church in Perambur and he was interred at the Kilpauk cemetery.
"Dad used to tell me - when I die dress me in my favourite clothes...", Panneerselvam's son Sam Aton told me outside the drawing room where people streamed him to see the body, join in the prayers and console his wife.
In many ways he was a colourful character who left a mark on many, many students at St. Anthony's. And for the boys and girls who loved sport, he was indeed a mentor with a signature style of work.
We were in Std.VI when Panneerselvan joined school after graduating from the YMCA College. His nativeness was all over him ( he hailed from the Tirunelveli area). But he spoke the English he knew and did not shy even when many of us tittered at his accent.
"Take-a-book and read man!"
"Lizsen to the music!"
Some of his colorful orders we would hear at Assembly, prayer, sport or on the campus. Panneerselvam was was the kind of guru who wanted to be involved everywhere.
But sports was his passion and his vocation and for the small community of sportsmen and women carefully nurtured by Miss Neaves, that icon of school sports in our city, he was a mentor.
St Anthony's did have impressive sporting talent. In athletics, volleyball, cricket, throw ball. And Pannerselvam helped to mould, train and lead our athletes.
Looking back, we can only smile at the condition - one PT master handling over 100 athletes, an annual Sports Day and class after class of PT sessions.
And we now know that he worked real hard for a not-too-handsome pay packet.
It was that drive that drove him to work at the Brittos Academy in the south suburbs. He used to drive across the city and back for this and it certainly took a toll. His son told us that he has suffered two attacks and yet he strained himself.
"I have been reborn," he told a bunch of us when he was in our midst in January this year at the Alumni Meet at school. ( the photo featured here was taken then). He looked trim, chirpy and was in his trademark attire.
That was the man.
( Contact Sam Anton - Panneerselvam's son - 98841 61105.
I think Mr. Panneerselvam was hired when I was in my eighth grade (Ms. Neaves' class). That was in 1969 (could be off by a year or more). My memories of him is the intense way he use to referee the volleyball matches. He was probably more intense than some of the players themselves. He did draw the respect and fear from the students in spite of the overshadowing presence of the de-facto athletic director of the school sports programs...and you guys know who I am referring to. Mr. Pannerselvam was much like your older brother to us guys. Would be curious to hear memories recounted by our alumni girls. A young Pannerselvam must have felt jolly good working at St. Anthony's surrounded by all the lady teachers and of course the good looking hostellers. His attire certainly stood out. Looking back we did have a fine bunch of human beings as our teachers. Shame to realize that we are losing them all slowly Ms. Williams, Ms. Devotta and now Mr. Panneerselvam. We are lucky to have gone a great school that we are now somehow able to reconnect and be proud of. I guess even though we are out of the school a long time ago, no can take the school and its memories out of us. My sincere and heartfelt thanks to the family of Mr. Panneerselvam for sharing him and the wonderful memories with generations of students from St. Anthony's.
ReplyDeleteMr.Paneerselvam is also a good singer.He sang the Baila Chinna Maamiye un chinna magal engae............in 1975 for a dance performance that I had co acted with a real Maami Ms.Latha Madahavan my class mate in Std V.Piano accompaniment by Mr.Peppi David a genius,unsung hero in his time.
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