Books

The book is divided into 7 chapters and ends with a short epilogue of the legacies after his lifetime. Format: This coffee table book strives to offer the reader ample visual relief through photographs, taken from his personal archives and also employs water colour sketches by both Barbara Sreenivasan (his wife) and artist K. Balashanmugam, who has been greatly supported by the Kasthuri Sreenivasan Trust and the Culture Centre. Content: All chapter titles have been taken from the titles of the books authored by Kasthuri Sreenivasan, or from the content of the books.

The writing proceeds in chronological order and takes the reader through the different phases in his life that influenced him and how in turn, he transformed the world around him.

Each chapter opens with a short overview of what follows in the ensuing pages and each chapter is divided into two or three sections, each detailing one aspect of the visionary’s life.

The content is interspersed with brief quotes from his various books, as these thoughts greatly influenced all the spheres that he worked in.

At the end of every chapter, a 2-page excerpt, taken from various works, complement water colour sketches by his wife, Barbara Sreenivasan. Visual elements: Each chapter carries water colour sketches pertaining to his early years and various elements that impacted him throughout his life.

Photographs have been incorporated, to highlight all the milestone events and these complement the main story. The photo-captions carry nuggets on his life and are not just statistical data.

Chapter 1 Of Coconut Trees and Cloudless Days This chapter title is taken from Kasthuri Sreenivasan’s partial autobiography, Climbing the Coconut Tree. The chapter details his earliest memories, the home he grew up in and also talks about the social hierarchy, elements of social conditioning and his boyhood years. Chapter 2 Canto Beautiful The title is from his work of translation on the Sundara Kandam from Kamba Ramayanam.

It begins with Kasthuri Sreenivasan setting off on his graduation voyage and his subsequent passage to England. It also details the courtship between Barbara and Sreenivasan, the onset of World War II and their subsequent marriage.

The chapter ends on their trip back home to India. Chapter 3 A long way from the flying shuttle The title of this chapter is taken from his book on the history of India’s textile industry.

This details his brief stint with the family mill, Kasthuri Mills and the subsequent set up of South India Textile Research Association (SITRA), as part of the chain of textile research associations in the country.

The chapter highlights the core team that was formed at SITRA and the setting up of various departments. Chapter 4 Pan India This chapter is devoted exclusively to Sreenivasan’s pioneering work in SITRA and at the NTC. The writing highlights several initiatives taken by the team to institute processes for scientific work norms in textile mills, the non-partisan approach of the institution in its work ethics and how SITRA was able to effectively bring about large scale transformation in human relations, production quality, creation of new fibres and innovations in processing technology.

The chapter details SITRA’s contribution to the mill, handloom, knitting and power loom sectors. It also recognises the individual efforts of the team members to help the institution gain worldwide recognition. Chapter 5 Anatomy of Progress and Wealth This title is taken from his pioneering literary work, bearing the same titles, Anatomy of Progress and Anatomy of Wealth. This chapter delves into the professional and personal facets of Kasthuri Sreenivasan and is largely a collection of reminiscences by his colleagues and family.

The chapter details his integrity, his high standards of ethics and his generosity of spirit, whilst also highlighting the contributions of his wife, Barbara Sreenivasan. Chapter 6 Handful of Earth This title is taken from his novel of the same name and takes the reader through the multiple literary worlds he straddled. The chapter includes brief quotes from his various pieces of work.

The building of the Kasthuri Sreenivasan Culture Centre and the dedication of this landmark to the pursuit and perpetuation of fine arts and literature form an integral part of the narrative. Sreenivasan also introduced two prizes: the Thirumathi Rangammal Prize for the first best novel in Tamil, in memory of his mother and the Barbara Sreenivasan Prize for the best artwork, instituted by the trust in his wife’s memory are also detailed. Chapter 7 I am a Stranger Here This chapter is devoted to his struggle with cancer and the inception of the Coimbatore Cancer Foundation.

The Foundation celebrated its silver jubilee in 2016 and is one of the most active NGOs working for cancer cure and care in India. Light from Heaven This is a short summing up of the many influences and legacies that he left behind and how they have been preserving the culture he set.

The book ends on the note of how he continues to touch lives in near and far corners of the world.

Each chapter carries a short excerpt of Sreenivasan’s work: Chapter 1: Excerpt from his novel, Devadasi (a fictional account of a devadasi and her tirades in life) Chapter 2: Excerpt from his unpublished manuscript, Angrezi of the Nilgiris (a dystopian novel, set in the Nilgiris, in the post-nuclear period of the world) Chapter 3: Excerpt from his unpublished manuscript, History of the Kamalapur Textile Industry (a satirical portrayal of the Indian textile industry of the 1940s and ‘50s. Chapter 4: Excerpt from A History of Kamalapur, Volume 1 (a piece of speculative fiction, wondering of a scenario if clothes had not been invented) Chapter 5: Excerpt from Productivity and Social Environment (an exhaustive account of the social implications on economic growth in the Indian perspective. This volume is still read in industrial sociology circles.) Chapter 6: Excerpts from all his works of translation: Canto Beautiful, Thirukkural and Anklet (Silappadhikaram, translated into a play). Chapter 7: Excerpts from his book of verse, I am a Stranger Here (Poetry from his only collection of poems)