Sir, The recent death of well-known Kannada writer Dr. K. Prabhushankar took my memory back to my High School days. A new High School was started in 1949-50 at the initiative of the famous Sahukar S. Channaiah and his associates, naming it as Vidyavardhaka High School. In their enthusiasm to open the School immediately, they started it initially in a Choultry, known as Yalakkappachar-Thimmiachar Choultry on Irwin Road, to help the students of the surrounding areas who could not get admission in bigger High Schools. It was then, perhaps, Dr. Prabhushankar, who himself was a PG student in Kannada at Maharaja’s College, was asked to take Kannada classes in the new School. I was the first student of that school and in later years my contacts with him grew. I cherish the time spent with him, particularly during our morning walks in Manasagangothri when we were living close-by in Jayalakshmipuram. How can I forget him in the midst of elderly Scholar Group exercising, chit chatting and listening to humorous episodes under the Heritage Pupil Tree in Gangothri campus where now a Buddha statue is installed. A rare person is missing from our midst. RIP.
- K. Vijayakumar, V.V.Mohalla, 18.4.2018
