Dr.Chettiar's Correspondence

letter to Mr. Humayun Kabir

Dr. ALAGAPPA CHETTIAR EDUCATIONAL TRUST

Dr.RM.Alagappa Chettiar

'Krishna Vilas'
Vepry
Madras - 7

        23rd February, '56

Dear Prof. Kabir,

I am most grateful to you for your kind enquiries and kindest sentiments expressed by you regarding my health. I have now been practically three months in bed, and am slowly coming back to something like normal. As I write this letter, I am very much struck and reminded by the beautiful expression that you had used in one of your earlier letters regard- ing the gap between the progress of medical Science and the progress of diseases. My case was diagoni- sed first as T.B. of the bone and later as cancer, got operated for obtaining blocks for pathological examination, and I have been given deep X-ray treat- ment for well over one month, for one part of the body or the other. I am just beginning to have some regulated movement and have been permitted by my doctors even to come to Delhi by train on the 14th March for attending one or two important meetings in the C.S.I.R. in which, as you know, I am most deeply interested.

As I think of the nature of my illness I should like to repeat what our noble Rajaji wrote to me a month ago: "Do not be dejected by what doctors say in their wisdom. There is an all-pervading power that wills its own will, and no marvel can beat the marvels of that will". It was Abraham Lincoln who said: "Without His will I cannot succeed, and with His will 1 cannot fail". And there I stand with all faith and a prayerful hope that the future has still something in store for me, and more, my educational institutions at Karaikudi.

After dilating at such length about my personal affair, I wish to convey to you my feelings on the news that I read in yesterday's papers regarding your resignation and your likely entry into Politics. Permit. me to say, Mr. Kabir, that with your scholarship and with your broad outlook and abiding consideration for others, the new arena that you have chosen to enter will give you ample opportunities to serve the country, particularly in the field of education where you have such great talents I wish you, on the eve of your new career all my prayerful good wishes for your great and eminent success.

As I have written a little earlier, I have arranged to leave on the 1th March from Madras for Delhi, and shall be in Delhi till the 22nd. If you happen to be at Delhi during that period, nothing will give me greater pleasure than to call on you and convey my good wishes in person, and also thank you most heartily for what help you have been rendering to my educational institutions when you have adorned the Chair as Secretary of the Ministry of Education. I am sure you will kindly introduce me to your colleague, Sri Saiyidain, whom I have the privilege of just knowing.

I have been reading " Science, Democracy and Islam" with profit. Your essay on "The Welfare State" impressed me much.

With best wishes and kind regards, Yours Sincerely, Sd.. RM. Alagappa Chettiar.

Yours sincerely,

Sd...RM.Alagappa _ Chettiar
Prof. Humayun Kabir
Ministry of Education
Government of India, New Delhi.

 

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Dr.RM.Alagappa Chettiar

'Krishna Vilas'
Vepry
Madras - 7

        15th Aprll '56

Dear Mr. Humayun Kabir,

I was very happy to receive your most kind letter of 3rd April enquiring about my health and wishing me rapid recovery. I am still in bed, and it looks as though I will have to remain in bed for a couple of months or so. The fracture in the leg may take so much time to heal up and enable me to pick up some movement even within the house. It is God's will and has to be borne meekly.

I am still awaiting news regarding the announcement of the statutory board of the Commission, with reference to the proposed Central University at Karaikudi. I shall be grateful for any information that you could possibly give. Even in my sick-bed, all my thoughts and dreams are towards the one great happening - constitution of my colleges at Karaikudi into a University. I shall certainly be most grate- ful for any help that you can render in this matter.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

Sd...RM.Alagappa _ Chettiar
Shri Humayun Kabir, M.P
3 Clive Road,
New Delhi.