MCC celebrates memories of 'King of Hearts' Gemini Ganesan

CHENNAI: Did you know that actor Gemini Ganesan, during his college years in Madras Christian College, used to roller skate in the corridors outside classrooms and jump from the first floor upon sighting the principal? This daredevilry enabled him to perform, stunts without body doubles later in his acting career.

Interesting trivia like this about the late actor – including his diary writing habit, passion for sports amongst others set the tone for the Shri Gemini Ganesan Endowment Lecture (Interdisciplinary Lecture Series) organised by the Department of Chemistry, Madras Christian College on Tuesday.

The instrumental version of Gemini Ganesan hit Varayo Vennilave played in the background as a short film about the actor’s life was played to the students. Many were happy to know that the versatile actor was an alumnus of the MCC’s chemistry department and was also a lecturer for some time. The actor’s family - Narayani Ganesh, daughter of actor Gemini Ganesan, granddaughter Dr Priya Selvaraj and others enjoyed the show.

Following this, Mangala Sunder Krishnan Professor Emeritus, Department of Chemistry, IIT Madras, delivered the endowment lecture on Science Communication: Monographs, Research Publications, Patents and Ethics.

In his presentation, laced with humour, he spoke on how science is a coordinated activity today and the importance of communication and various modes. “Information is not knowledge. Scientific ideas communicated does not make everyone knowledgeable immediately, you must germinate with the ideas, live with it, experiment and experience it. Only then will it become knowledge,” he explained.

“In any education system, provide the young learner enough free subjects to choose and learn from outside of his/her faculty. India or any other country should have a minimal component of art to any science student and vice versa for any art student, without that we won’t appreciate the development around us. Society is not just living on science, it is a community,” he added.

Narayani Ganesh, daughter of actor Gemini Ganesan, recalled how her father would say that the happiest years of his life were at MCC. “On countless occasion he has chatted about his teachers, sporting activities, time in St Thomas Hall where he resided. My father would say it is important to respect traditional knowledge systems as well. A blend of old and new will help attain sustainable living,” she said.


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