VM Chandran-A True Friend by Syed Akhbar Ali

Mr VM Chandran,Tuan Haji Baharuddin Dato Mokhsen and Mr Woo Choon Chow

Well it is certainty not easy to write something like this.Our human psyche is more tuned to accept the passing of elders who have advanced in age.But when our peers leave us there has to be more deliberateness in accepting it.

I want to say that Mr VM Chandran was a nice man.He was a good person.In the local parlance he always had a "niat yang baik" or good intentions.

Having known him almost 22 years and having spent hours at a stretch with him discussing everything from business,family,politics,government,country,
society,economics,the Americans,Indians,Japanese and everything else under the sun I came to understand him well.

In the adage 'reading maketh a full man" seeks a good example that would be Mr Chandran. He was well read therefore knowledgeable.Conversations were easy and enlightening because there was always a reference to facts and information that had been properly written somewhere.Aristotle who was a student of Plato became a teacher to Alexander the Great.Alexander and Aristotle discussed that they could not implement Athenian democracy in all societies.Each society had to find its own level.

The intense reading habit also helped at work where Mr Chandran carefully read every single document and contract that came before him.'We must read'he would say.'We must know the details'.Do not let others tell you what is in the document.Hence Mr Chandran could navigate through a diverse portfolio of businesses.

His vast reading habit even made him well versed about health care issues which did benefit many people who had need of advise on health care.Mr Chandran even wrote a series of useful articles about private health care which I carried in my blog.The articles elicited much discussion and comment and perhaps effected some reaction upon the private medical health sector.

By nature he was kind unto many people,especially those who needed help.He really went out of his way to help people.Passing is finality.It is a reminder to cherish the time that we have.Mr Chandran would have agreed.And laughed about it too.

A Tribute To Mr. V.M.Chandran-The Man With A Golden Heart

 Madam Yasotha Selvarajah and her soulmate Mr.V.M.Chandran 

My friend, Mr. V.M. Chandran, was not born on a bed of roses, but he turned his life into a beautiful rose. The fragrance from this rose pervaded and touched many lives during his lifetime. He is a simple man who is shy of power, position, title, and fame but a great man in his own way.

Chandran's life journey began in darkness. When he was barely two years old and not aware of the world around him, his father passed away, leaving him and his three-year-old sister Malar in the hands of his mother. Life was challenging, and there was a time the family stayed in a room on the first floor of a shop lot in Seremban. His mom, a woman of strong willpower, brought up the family single-handedly.

Chandran found his mother to be a tremendous source of inspiration as he pursued success in life. Through unwavering perseverance and determination, he successfully completed his tertiary education at King George V (KGV) in Seremban and went on to become a qualified Chartered Accountant and Lawyer.

From an early age, Chandran's household name among family and friends was "Gandhi." He was truly a "Gandhian" in spirit. With open arms, he will lend a hand to encourage someone and even counsel them in their time of need. He never made a fuss about meeting and helping anyone.

He was a man with extensive knowledge and wisdom in several fields. Walter Lippman, the American writer, once spoke of men who plant trees that other men will sit under. My friend was such a man.

Chandran married his beautiful sweetheart, Yasotha Selvarajah, and the couple is blessed with five handsome boys: Vishven, Srishti, Rahulan, Govind, and Jairaj. Together, with love, care, and attention, the couple educated their children to become leaders in their respective fields.

Chandran holds education close to his heart. He believes that education is essential, but he emphasises that virtues are equally important in shaping a person. According to his philosophy, knowledge gained from education should be used to benefit mankind, not to exploit it.

Despite his busy schedule, he always found the time to call or visit his friends and former teachers from KGV in Seremban. And since I had moved to Seremban from KL, we will meet occasionally for lunch and then proceed for tea. I cherished this get-together and always looked forward to our next meeting. 

In fact, we were supposed to catch up on Jan 22, which sadly didn't materialise with the passing of Chandran on the 20th of Jan.

 

Over the many years I knew this wonderful man, he always prioritised his family and made it clear that they mattered most. He would keep me informed about his son's academic progress while they were in the UK with his wife and later when they started their careers.

And without fail, every year on Jan 25th, my friend murmurs to me, "Enbaraj, today is Yasotha's birthday. Chandran's love for Yasotha is immeasurable." Truly, they were born to be soulmates.

The last 18 months of his life were undoubtedly the most challenging time. He was undergoing treatment at the hospital, but this didn't stop him from living life to the fullest. He continued to do what he loved: visiting family, friends, and teachers from KGV, and making his yearly pilgrimage to Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati.

His greatest joy was spending time with his beloved grandson, Jayce Chandran, Srishti's son. Whenever I speak to him on the phone, I can hear the sound of Jay playing in the background.

When I visited Chandran at his home recently, I saw him playing with his grandson. His eyes were filled with joy, and it reminded me of the saying that eyes are the windows to the soul. It felt like I saw a sense of freedom in my friend's eyes, which reminded me of a beautiful poem shared by his soulmate, Yasotha Selvarajah, in her WhatsApp status. The poem goes, "There is freedom waiting for you, On the breezes of the sky, And you ask, 'What if I fall?' Oh, but darling, what if you fly!".

When I saw my friend for the last time, resting in peace, my heart quivered for a second as if a part of me had left me. I was trembling for a moment. Then, after regaining my composure, I thanked the Great Lord for giving us this man with the golden heart and asked Him to take good care of him.

The beautiful rose may have departed, but its fragrance will endure in our memories forever.

 

"I will truly miss you, my beloved friend and brother."

 

 

Thank You.

 

 

Edited by my niece Sasmiita Segar.