Scouting 100 years - Scouter 100 Years

Centegenarion N. V. Ramaswamy, LT (S)

 

He always sleeps with a scout scarf on his pillow and a copy of Scouting for Boys in his bed.

‘Tamil Nadu Baden Powel’ as revered all along, N.V. Ramaswamy (101 years old) was born on 21^st March 1909 to C. Vythiyalingam Pulukkutthiyaar and Thirumathi Chellakkannu parents in Nalanpuththoor village, Kaattumannaar Koil Tahshil, Cuddalloor District, Tamil Nadu.

Studied up-to school final in Chidambaram Pachaiyappan School, N.V. Ramaswamy completed Secondary Teacher Training and rendered academic service as a Teacher until he retired in the year 1969 on superannuation.

During Secondary Grade Teacher Training, he got trained as ‘Rover’ and awarded with the Rover Scout badge; undergone Cub Master’s Training and as a renowned Scouter, reached new heights. At the same time, he rendered service as a scaffolding in building scouting infrastructure in Cuddalloor district. 

Right from a trained scouter, he scaled the ‘everest’ by being appointed as Member of the World Scouters’ Training Committee.

Fitting himself to the honour of ‘TN BP’, N.V. Ramaswamy as a leader trainer conducted a number of Scout Masters’ Training courses, thus paving way for hundreds of trained Scout Masters. The state association shouldered him with the responsibilities of Assistant State Commissioner and State Vice President etc.

Former Indian President Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy, awarded this right person with the ‘Silver Star’ award for his meritorious services rendered to the scout movement in the country at large to be followed by the highest award of Indian scouting, ‘Silver Elephant’   by R. Venkataraaman, also former President of Indian Republic.

It would be quite interesting to note that N.V.R. is also a successful insurance (Life Insurance Corporation of India) agent.  As a Notable social worker, NVR went round village after village cycling, approached the parents of the tiny tots to enlist them.

As put it in the beginning of the story, each and every useful youth of the society, should make it obligatory to follow, the below good habits of N.V. Ramaswamy. His multi-pronged strategy, showered him laurels one after another.

A friend in need, a good counselor, a man with a ‘mind’ and enjoys the life by helping the needy.

Centegenarian N.V. Raamasaamy, L.T. (S), has multifarious habitual background which keeps him fit are:

• leaving the bed before dawn
• exercise
• chill water bath setting aside seasonal changes
• taking vegetable stuffed-tasty food in time
• drinking warm water after every meal
• dressing with ironed clothes
• finishing the given work within time with all sincerity
• tea-totalitarianism
• dairy writing habit day-in and day-out
• newspaper reading
• keeping the material in their places after use
• plan the expenditure in accordance to the income
• loving one and all
• straightforwardness

Only the above-said habits kept our N.V. Ramaswamy alive and active among hundreds and thousands of scouts and guides generally in the State of Tamil Nadu and of Cuddalore district in particular.

It is a befitting honour to name the Aivadhukudi Scouts and Guides Training Centre in Cuddalore district  of Tamilnadu after this Silver Elephant awardee as N.V.R Park.

At present, Mr. N.V.R, 101 years old is living with his eldest son, Mr. Ilango in Chennai, Tamilnadu.

We are honoured to have someone who is as old as our scout movement with us.

By

G. Bhuvan Babu, ALT/S

Dr. Annie Besant

 Dr. Annie Besant in Indian Scout Uniform (C. 1931)

This article was published in 'The South India Boy Scout' Magazine (Nov & Dec 1932).

"Our readers will be glad to hear that the Chief Scout of the world has been pleased to award the Silver Wold to Dr. Annie Besant, our Honorary Scout Commissioner for All India. It is a fitting recognition for the great work done by her for the youth of the land. On our own behalf and on behalf of our readers, we offer to her our respectful and hearty congratulations. - Editor".

A New Year Resolution : 1933 (The South India Boy Scout)

To start with, here is a New Year Resolution given by our founder in the year 1933 to 'The Scout'  magazine and published in 'The South India Boy Scout' magazine in Feb - 1933.

A New Year Resolution

If a chap wants to get to the top of a house, he may try to jump there, or he may try to climb up the wall, or he may sit down and say to himself that it is hopeless. In any casem he won't get there. But if he gets a ladder and goes up it, step by step, he will succeed, even if it's a long way up and takes a lot of puffing and blowing to get there.

Well it's the same in your career in life. Look up and see where you want to get to. Don't imagine that you will jump there all at once, or that you can climb there without having to any proper preparation for it. But put up your ladder - that is, prepare yourself in your school and Scout training, step by step, to go up - and you'll get there in the end.

- LORD BADEN POWELL, The Chief Scout.

Happy New Year - 2011

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It gives me immense pleaseure to meet you all through this blog.
In this new year, I have resolved to share all the collections and rare documents I have preserved for the past 40 years related to scouting. Your suggestions and comments are welcome. Also you can share your scouting experience and rare documents here.
Happy New Year!
G. Mahadevan, LT(S)