K.Ramachandra Iyer alias 'Kunju Sir' a School Teacher in the erstwhile 'BOARD HIGH SCHOOL - KUTTALAM' in the Old Thanjavur District. The school was started during 'British era' and stands even today with almost no changes in the Main Building. 'KUNJU SIR' was a renowned Teacher well known to every body in all the near by villages who was a kind hearted, soft spoken, a celebrated Teacher for his knowledge and teaching skills. He was an expert in Science & English teaching. On those days it was not a 'Free for all' Education and one has to pay monthly tuition fee. Even though the fee was between 'Annas' & Rupee 1 to 2 depending upon the classes / standard. (It was at that time called 1st form for 6th, 2nd form for 7th & 3rd form for 8th and so on) He was a well known philanthropist who would donate half of his salary (his total salary being between Rs.40 to Rs.50) for paying the tuition fee of Poor Students. Many of those days students were benefited and remember him and told on many occasions because of Kunju Sir that they stand high today and well established their lives. Mr.KR will sarcastically remark that he gets in retired life more salary by way of teacher's pension around Rs.70/- by siting at Home than when he served hard in his teaching profession which earned him only Rs.40 to Rs.50 as salary. It is sad to mention that such a great teacher survived in his last leg of life only through the pittance amount of pension provided by the Govt. That also he use to tell that "Dharmam Thalaikakkum". I gave it to poor students on those days and now the Govt.pays me the teacher's pension which nobody imagined that teachers retired in British era will get pension. He never expected anybody's hand for not even a penny. He managed his life from what ever he got through pension. Many of the students belong to the village Madirimangalam who were benefited from KR Sir never turned back to him just to en-quire about his well being whenever they visited their native with the exception of very few. He passed away during October 1979.
Former student of my beloved 'Kunju sir' - Kalyanaraman, MumbAI
