SALUTES TO PEOPLE’S HEROES
SALUTES TO PEOPLE’S HEROES
The passing away of Mr. A Xavier of Dindigul and Mr. Paulraj of Madurai went unnoticed in the progressive circles of the Catholic Church of Tamil Nadu. As a friend and well wisher of the two people’s heroes, I stand to write a few lines in memory of them.
Paulraj was an old acquaintance to me. When I joined the St Joseph’s College, Trichy a Jesuit institution after my P U C in St Xavier’s College, Palaymkottai, Tirunelveli, Paulraj was one year senior to me both in the college and in the Sacred Heart Hostel. I should always remember Paulraj, as he was the inspiration for me to involve in AICUF. He encouraged me to join AICUF and take part in the activities. Another reason for us to come together was Rev Fr V Diaz, S J the Band Master of the St Joseph’s College Band , Trichy. While Paulraj played baritone I played trombone.
With his encouragement I joined AICUF and participated with full spirit. During the November 1976 some time after promulgation of emergency in the country, a seminar was organized on the foreign collaboration. As part of the seminar a poster exhibition was held in the Clive Hostel across the Teppa kulam, and a hall meeting in the community hall above the college canteen. I was asked to present a paper on the foreign collaboration in tooth pastes. I finally concluded in the paper that all such companies must be nationalized. That was my first appearance on the stage as a speaker. I owe a lot to Paulraj still I am confident in speaking in so many regional, national and international seminars and workshops. I vividly remember that he advised me on “cold feet”, do think that all the audience before you as less informed and then you would never feel nervous. It is true till date.
After my shifting to Loyola College Chennai in 1977, I lost direct contact with him. However, my destiny with AICUF continued and the National Secretariat of AICUF was just outside the campus of the college. With a little reluctance I entered the AICUF house. Rev A Xavier S J was there to invite me with such love and concern as the House Director. Thereafter, till 1983 when I was forced to break the official bond with AICUF house it continued as source of inspiration. The AICUF remains the first and last source of inspiration.
In 1978, once again Paul raj, Henry, Johnny were heroes in the AICUF as they were the pioneers to enter the Rural Education for Action and Development (REAL) Vedasendur near Dindigul. The name remains as the source of inspiration for so many generations of AICUFERs and non AICUFERs for involving with rural development. A word of Rev Fr Claude D Souza S J must be said at this juncture. He was instrumental in “brainwashing” the urban born urban English educated students to dabble with rural development. In fact he ushered in an era of rural development when the urban youth were dejected with national affairs and were attracted to naxalbari movement for armed struggle. He paved the way for silent revolution in the minds of the youth both within and outside the church. Thus, he saved a number of dejected and disgruntled youth from falling in to the clutches of extremist politics.
Paulraj after spending most of the years in REAL, left to Madurai to take part in politics. His contribution as a national executive member of the now defunct Indian People’s Front (IPF) is exemplary. After a decade or so he was not satisfied with the way the things went on within IPF. He retired thereafter to be local activist and visited many NGOs as adviser.
The untimely death of Paulraj is a perpetual vacuum among NGOs in rural areas. His name and fame has spread all over the country. Nevertheless, he was firm on the principle “think globally act locally”. At this juncture, I on behalf of thousands of ex-aciufers and NGO activists share the grief with his spouse Hephzibah and the children and re-dedicate ourselves for the cause of social change. Thank you Paulraj for every thing you gave us! Thank you Lord for giving such a wonderful person called Paulraj in our midst. We are proud to be his friends and contemporaries. .
The life and times of Rev A Xavier S J had touched many youngsters who took shelter under the huge banyan tree called AICUF. The warmth and convincing talk of Xavier is always remembered by generations of AICUFERs. The first thing that attracts the fresher in AICUF house is the house director who takes care of the boarding and lodging and the library.
Having got enlightenment, he left the Society of Jesus and married Lucy another kind hearted person. There were lots of controversies and criticisms on their marriage. However, a few of us believed that they have done the right thing in the interest of the church. The early church was indeed a lay church. They named his first son after Rev Fr Guerivere S J who was the think tank for AICUF for many years when he worked at the Indian social institute Bangalore and later New Delhi. The statistical man of AICUF was such a source of inspiration to generations of AICUFERs.
At this juncture, I on behalf of thousands of ex-AICUFERs and NGO activists share the grief with his spouse Lucy and the sons and daughters. We take this opportunity to re-dedicate ourselves for the cause of social transformation. Thank you Xavier for every thing you gave us! Thank you Lord for giving such a wonderful person called Xavier in our midst. We are proud to be his friends and contemporaries.
