Need more funds to restore old books in MLS: S Muthiah
CHENNAI:
Over 30 patrons of the Madras Literary society, non-members and few
member-volunteers of the 200-year-old institution gathered at the quaint and
majestic premises of the MLS library on Saturday morning, for the
grant-contribution of PM Belliappa (IAS, retd), followed by a talk by historian
S Muthiah.
As
we walk in more than 80,000 books stacked in the library, some which are almost
a century old and some which have been waiting for human touch for decades,
welcome us. Mohan Raman, honorary general secretary, MLS, said, “This library
houses some of the oldest and rarest books which need to be restored. There
have been a couple of projects initiated to catalogue some 55,000 books,
restore rare ones and also to increase the membership. We don’t need publicity,
but need commitment of individuals to understand the value of these books,
which are part of a legacy now.”
Stepping
forward for other patrons and book lovers to follow suit, Belliappa contributed
two grants of `25,000 each to the MLS programme for the restoration of rare
books in its collection. The first grant was from his family trust set up
honouring his father PK Monappa, who joined the Madras State Police as a
subordinate officer and went on to head the police services of Madras,
Hyderabad, and Mysore states. “My father left behind a lot of values for me to
take and carry on. This is a special way for me to commemorate him,” he said as
he handed over the cheques to historian Muthiah.
The
second grant by Belliappa was on behalf of the Association of British Scholars
(ABS). “The pan-India organisation brings together Indians who had the
opportunity to study in the UK and have made a contribution to India after
their return. The second grant is from this very organisation which I headed
after my retirement,” said Belliappa whose role in nurturing Indo-British ties
was recognised with the award of an honorary MBE.
Acknowledging Belliappa’s contribution to the library before his talk, Muthiah
said, “It’s great to see him giving this for the welfare of the library. At a
time where Kindles and e-books are taking over, it is necessary to understand
the comfort and pleasure of holding and reading a book while sipping coffee as
you
do it!”
Talking
about three British military officers of the East India Company — Francis
Buchanan Hamilton, Colin Mackenzie and William Lambton, Muthiah began, “All the
three have one common feature…the three men started projects of national
importance at Madras.”
Taking
about the three great surveys and several of their achievements in opening up
and discovering the wealth of India, Muthiah explained, “Mackenzie’s land
surveys, Buchanan’s findings of what the land offered, and Lambton’s Great
Trigonometrical Survey which extended to the Himalayas, led to the creation of
the Survey of India, the Archaeological Survey of India, the Zoological Survey
of India and the Botanical Survey of India. These are men who have contributed
to what India is now and need to be remembered.”
Regards
Pralhad
Jadhav
Senior
Manager @ Library
Khaitan & Co
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