Messages from Classmates

Messages from the IITM 1969 Yahoo group mails

Just received news from Chandilya's sister - Chandilya passed away this morning! 

M. Raghunandan

That is too bad . We had missed him at Kumarkom. 

Mangesh

One more bad news, this starting the New Year. Our deepest condolences to the bereaved family. 
M.Hariharan

We just got the sad news of Chandilya passing away. He died in hospital. All know that he has been seriously ill for more than 2 years now, but we expected him to pull thro. But not to be.  Really sad news again for our batch. Chandilya’s health had been having lots of ups and downs in recent months. I saw him last 6 months back and again met Nalini 3 months back. It appears that a stroke that he had in Oct over and above his brain tumor completely sapped him. In between he had a fall and had a hip surgery. Ever since he retired in mid 2011, his health had nosedived with one problem or the other. Personally, he was a great guy and a very close friend. We were together for further 2 years for our M.Tech course in Management. As long as I was in Mumbai till 2000, he was the contact person for all Chennai-based guys till then and hosted several Batch get-togethers at his place. Such a pleasant and lovable guy he was. We will all miss him. 
Sashi Rao

It is a big blow just after the news of Vikram. As Rambo said, the New Year is beginning on a very sad note. Nandini and I are saddened by this demise. Please convey to Chandilya's family that we are with them. 
CSKrishnan

Very Very sad indeed. 
V.Srinivasan

Very very sad indeed, looks as if a curse is on all of our batch. Don’t know how to react. May his soul rest in peace. One more good soul not with us. 
V.Anantaraman

So sad to hear of Chandilya's passing on.  I saw him last at the IIT Club last December.  He then promised to visit us when he was going to visit his children who live near northern NJ/NY. That is not to be.  A fine fellow. 
Mutharasan

Shocked and saddened by Chandilya's passing. The last I saw him was a mini get-together in Chennai in January 2008. Please convey my deepest sympathy to his family, and may they be comforted during this sad period. 
Ved Vedamanikam

Sad news again. Kindly convey our deepest condolences to his family. On another note, the writing has always been on the wall. Every one of us must pass on to a different part of existence. Let us enjoy our remaining time in this current mode. 

Peter Masilamani

It is really shocking to hear that Subramanian Chandilya (and Vikram Prabhu) has passed away and that too in quick succession which is very sad. Chandilya was very close to me and have been in touch though not recently. I pray to almighty to give mental strength to respective families to go thru this agonizing period May their souls rest in peace. 

M. Balakrishnan 

It is heartbreaking to lose two great souls from our 1969 graduating batch within three weeks of our reunion in December 2013. May their souls rest in peace and May God give strength to their dear ones to bear the great loss. 

Harwant Singh Chhabra

My contacts with Chandilya, after 1969, resumed with the launching of our E-mail group, and found out he lived within a Km of my house in Tiruvanmiyur. He regularly dropped me and Tharu after our Chennai gatherings and we chatted a lot. (our group had a party once in his house )  He had helped me in my last company by arranging plant visits of over 30 trainees every year, to Audco valves in Porur, Chennai, where he was number one. (Group of L & T).Previously he was in the L&T plant in Kancheepuram, which was ridden with long standing labor problems, which he successfully handled. Prior to retirement, he was elevated in L & T to Vice –President and shifted to the Mount Road branch. We have attended the weddings in his family. 
May his soul rest in peace. 

Philip Swamy

Very sad news to start the New Year. I knew he was undergoing treatment for brain cancer. I spoke to him last February when I was in Hyderabad. Hope he did not suffer too much. Chandilya and I were classmates long before we joined IIT. We met for the first time when we were in the 5th class at Vidya Mandir near Luz in Chennai. May his Soul rest in Peace. I will call Nalini later. 

L.V.Ramanathan

Shocking to say the least. Almost a decade ago, we tried to hatch plans for a loose tie-up between BHEL and Audco, where we were working respectively. The project never took off. When I heard that he was not well, I was planning to visit him. Somehow it was getting postponed and now, What a turn of events! 

V. Gopalakrishnan 

I had known Chandilya for a longer period. He even visited us in Bangalore soon after his wedding. I used to meet him on and off when we were in Chennai and he was working in Audco. It is really saddening to lose two good friends in such a short span of time. It is so sad. 

We call that person who has lost his father, an orphan; and a widower that man who has lost his wife. But that man who has known the immense unhappiness of losing a friend, by what name do we call him? Here every language is silent and holds its peace. 

“I am always saddened by the death of a good person. It is from this sadness that a feeling of gratitude emerges. I feel honored to have known them and blessed that their passing serves as a reminder to me that my time on this beautiful earth is limited and that I should seize the opportunity I have to forgive, share, explore, and love. I can think of no greater way to honor the deceased than to live this way.” 

― Steve Maraboli.  

R.Mohan

Chandilya was one of the first classmates I met in India after I left India. I was in Chennai to attend my cousin's wedding in 1977, and who did I find among the wedding guests, but Chandilya. It was wonderful to meet him again, as we did spend a good time together during IIT days. Later, I found out that my cousin's wife and Chandilya's wife, Nalini were good friends, and Chandilya often figured in the talks I had with my cousin and his wife. Of course, we also met in two reunions. Chandilya was a very warm and pleasant person and a joy to be with.  

Chandilya's illness had reached such a point that we can think of his passing away as an end to the suffering he experienced the past few years. But the loss for all us friends is immense. Mohan is right; there is no word that describes that loss. 

I hope that Chandilya's families find peace through wonderful and sustaining memories of them. 

A sobering reminder for us also is to make sure that we take care to tie up any loose ends in our affairs, as much as possible, including financial matters, location and ownership documents of assets, a will and most importantly bring closure to any tiffs one may have with friends or relatives, including wife and children. 
Kalyanasundaram.

Sorry to hear about this.  Please pass my condolences to his family. 
Rajaram Bhat

It has been a very bad week (with the loss of Chandilya). 
V Gopinathan

Sad to hear that Chandilya passed away. To think that his sufferings came to an end is some consolation. May his soul rest in peace! 
D.John

Sorry to hear the further sad news so soon after Vikram. 
Ramappa

Chandilya's demise - what terrible news. He has suffered a lot in the last few years after retirement. May his soul rest in peace. The cheerful face was last seen by me in Ideal Resorts when we had a reunion. A few months back he did tell me over the telephone, that Doctors have disallowed his travel to US- he was craving to meet his grandchild there. He felt helpless and shared his sorrow. For me it is a personal loss as he was close to me professionally, being from same metallurgy branch. 
A. Subramanian

It is shocking to hear the demise of ever smiling Chandilya. This has jolted me. My prayers for Moksha. V.Ranganathan

I decided to go to the crematorium. Philip had phoned me in the morning, but it may have been too late to make it to the house before they left for the crematorium. It was after 11.15 when they reached -- van with the body, and a few cars with around 15 to 20 close relatives and only two ladies -- I didn't know any of them personally and just stayed on in the background until the rituals were over and the body was placed in the cremation chamber by around noon. I don't suppose my presence mattered at all, especially since I am an atheist/agnostic as far as personal belief goes, but that doesn't prevent me from respecting the faith of others in these matters regarding social and family conventions. 

I also felt I owed something to Chandilya, as I never took the extra effort to visit him even once after he had the major setback although I live in Adyar which is not too far away. But no point in feeling guilty or having regrets when it is too late!

I cannot claim to have known Chandilya very well -- been to his house only twice, but he frequently made it a point to drop me back home on several occasions after our Club69 gatherings during the past few years. I wasn't in town for his son's wedding in 2006, but managed to make it to his daughter Sharanya's wedding two years later. 

Chandilya’s end is another reminder that for all of us the days are numbered, though not in our control. 
Thomas Tharu

Sad news. 
Shankar Swamy

Sorry to hear about Chandilya. May his soul rest in peace. Anand Kumar Bussa

It is with great sorrow that I learned about CHANDILYA passing away. Since leaving IIT, I have had the pleasure of meeting him at a few reunions. He was such a pleasant and caring individual.  We caught up on our respective career paths during our meetings. Each time I met him, our friendship grew. He will be dearly missed. May god bless his soul.

I trust god will give his family the strength to deal with such a great loss. Our prayers are with him and his family. While we have lost him from this world, I am confident that our memories of him and with him will always be with us for a long time to come.

Joshy