Sunday, January 26, 2014

Loss of a Great Mother, Great Soul, Mrs Jayalakshmi Narayanaswami, Mother of Sri N Srinivasan, VC & MD, The India Cements Ltd

26.1.2014
V Balasubramanian

Mrs Jayalakshmi Narayanaswami no more,  India has  lost a Great Mother and  an eminent Social worker
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 If India is celebrated for its rich tradition and culture, it is equally known for the virtues of our  mother hood.
Mother is so dear to our hearts and She is a great source of inspiration and support in our lives. The most felt loss in our life is when our  Mother leaves the World to touch the Lotus Feet of Almighty.

India has produced a number of Great Mothers. Among them is Mrs. Jayalakshmi Narayanaswami, wife of late Sri T. S Narayanaswami, a well-known pioneer industrialist of Tamil Nadu and founder of The India Cements Ltd. 


When she expired during the early hours on January 23rd, 2014, it came a big invaluable loss to her family as well as to thousands of families and  the society at large.

Mrs Narayanaswami ( 91 years)  leaves behind  her two sons,          Mr N Srinivasan and Mr N Ramachandran, two daughters, Mrs Sudha Rajan and Mrs Uma Shivkumar, daughter in laws, Mrs Chitra Srinivasan, Mrs Surekha Ramachandran, Son In Laws, Mr Rajan and G Shiv Kumar besides  grand children and great Grand children.
 Her two proud  sons are well known industrialists. Mr N Srinivasan is Vice-Chairman & MD, The India Cements Ltd and President, BCCI and TNCA. Mr N Ramachandran is President, World Squash Federation.
It really touched my hearts and all those present on the occasion to  witness  the Two Sons  doing the last rites at their  Home and later at Besant Nagar Crematorium in Chennai on 24.1.2014 giving a tearful homage to their mother. I had no words to Console our MD, his brother and family members. 

 With tears rolling down my cheeks,I joined all those present on the occasion silently   praying for the Great Soul to rest in peace and seek  her  Blessings to   Guide all of us in all walks of life.  
Mrs Jayalakshmi Narayanaswami was an eminent social worker and actively supported numerous social welfare and philanthropic activities without being much in the limelight.
 She was Chairperson, Seva Samajam Children’s Home at Pallipattu, Taramani in Chennai and Guild of Service-Central.

Mrs Naranayaswami was drawn into social and public welfare causes through the efforts and persuasion of Mrs. Murugappa Chettiar,who was the chairperson of Children’s home and other welfare organisations. 

The Home began its “tryst with Destiny” in 1950. It owes a great deal to its founder, Mrs Mary Clubwala Jhadav. It has grown hugely in stature and reputation as an organisation devoted to the rehabilitation, education and upliftment of hundreds of destitute children, who have no place to go.
Mrs Narayanaswami was associated with the Seva Samajam  for over 35 years. She joined the home as secretary working her way up steadily to become its Chairperson.

She was a big guiding force behind many welfare activities involving the care and development of mentally retarded, physically handicapped and destitute children undertaken by Guild of Service-Central and the Seva Samajam Children’s Home.

She also  was the President of the Tamil Nadu branch of National Council of Women in India, which runs an Old Age home in Greenways Road, Chennai.


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