[Blog] Glowing tribute to Associate Professor Ramesh P. Pudaruth

“ The Why’s of the Wise” 

Introduction 

There are unforgettable moments in life when words seem impossibly insufficient and inadequate, and yet necessary, indispensable – a time when our hearts overflow with memories of a great and eminent personality who impacted our lives in spectacular, lifechanging ways. Through this tribute I invite everyone to embark on a journey of remembrance, reminiscences and heartfelt admiration, exploring not merely the art of crafting a profoundly personal eulogy but also the transformative power of honouring someone who left indelible imprints on the sands of time and a lasting impact on the world around them. 

Background Information 

Ramesh. P Pudaruth was born at Pudaruth Lane, La Caverne, Vacoas on 30 October 1938. He was the eighth child of the family counting ten siblings. Personal attributes that define Ramesh often include integrity, compassion, humour and resilience. He had a fond and loving inclination to mix up with everyone, especially nieces, nephews, and all close relatives, later his own lovely children (Priya and Ashvin), to orient them towards a goal that would earn them respect, honour, dignity and love. He played scrabble and lexicon with young ones with a view to enhancing their English language vocabulary, language skills and proficiency and, in the long run, their overall language base. He simultaneously infused in the young minds the spirit of competition, and thus to be the best version of themselves. He had a strong liking for Urdu. His favourites were Dilip Kumar, Mohammad Rafi. He also encouraged the youngsters to listen to English songs by Tom Jones, Elvis Presley and others. 

Playing cards – rummy, bridge – was another facet of his deliberate aim to promote fun, encourage participation, provoking hearty laughter and exuberant joy. He deliberately intended to kindle the interest of the children in English language and Linguistics, which dwelt the fascinating passion of his life! He verily had a flair and innate love for English language, Literature and Linguistics. Equally among adults, he was a favourite as no time could be wasted, idling or indulging in futile hobbies and pursuits. He was a seasoned planner, organiser, participant, motivator, inspirer and influencer by putting up amusing and fascinating games, activities and by creating fun time. 

Academic Profile 

Ramesh Pudaruth attended La Caverne Church of England Aided School, presently Madho Gopaul Govt. School. After getting through his PSLC examination with brilliant results, he joined Trinity College where he achieved his Cambridge School Certificate with outstanding results. Consequently, he was most deservingly admitted to Royal College, Port Louis for his Higher School Certificate. After having acquired his HSC qualification, he travelled to Bangor, Wales, UK in 1969 on board the steamer, Labourdonnais. At the university, he got through his BA (Hons) English with First Class, First Division (1.1).  In 1962, he was back to Mauritius to spend his vacations. It has to be duly and justly highlighted here that such an achievement was quite a rare occurrence in those far-off days. The Advance daily newspaper published an article on the front page, foregrounding the dazzling success of Ramesh at tertiary level. 

Subsequently, he travelled to UK to read for an MA in Linguistics and ELT at the prestigious University of Leeds. He had a particular interest in Linguistics, more importantly English Phonology and Phonetics. Besides, his Master’s degree dissertation was focused on English Phonetics. I had the privilege and golden opportunity to access the masterpiece when I was in the English Department of the Mauritius Institute of Education. 

Family Life 

Ramesh was happpily married to Geeta in August 1970, and they had two lovely children, Priya and Ashvin, who are both married and settled in life. The couple shared a peaceful life where protection, care, respect and love were mutual and reciprocated. After a short spell of illness, he had travelled to Chennai, India, where he breathed his last on 12 April 2018. His departure has left in its trail a huge vacuum.  

Professional Career 

After successfully completing the Master’s degree, Ramesh taught English for two years in England. Afterwards, he worked for seven years at the Royal College, Port Louis. In 1974, he was recruited as Lecturer by the MIE. 

He served the English Department and climbed the hierarchical academic ladder to attain the status of Associate Professor. In 1988, he was the Coordinator of English when the English Department was reviewing, updating and revamping the Password Book II, a manual for Form II (Grade 8) students. He acceded to this status after the departure of Brian Bamber, KELT Officer, British Council, who was attached to the English Department at that time. The latter used to present the programme, ‘Follow Me’ on the national television. I later learned from Ramesh that Brian was a junior to him at the University of Leeds. Ramesh was soon after appointed as Head of School of Humanities and Social Studies. Prior to that, he was the Head of the English Department, which post he had held for quite a long time. 

Ramesh was a trusted and active member of the SMC (Senior Management Commitee) at the MIE; the SMC met quite regularly to devise plans and thrash out  knotty issues along the way for the uplift of the whole institution. It also worked out strategies to implement the pertinent, relevant plans and help implement them to boost the level and quality of teacher education, and performance level of academics and non-academics at the MIE. He retired from active service in October 1998. However, after the lapse of a few years, Ramesh Pudaruth was recruited anew by the MIE, along with Ramesh Ramdoyal, ex-Director, MIE, on a contractual basis to dispense courses to cohorts of students in the English Department. While he was working at the MIE (1974-1998), he was Member and also Secretary of the MIEASA (Mauritius Institute of Education Academic Staff Association) at some point of time. While in office, he had endeavoured to promote the best interests of the academics and help obviate hurdles and setbacks on the way. 

Ramesh Pudaruth as Mentor and Supporter 

There was a close association and humane bond between Ramesh Pudaruth and me, dating back to the time I had joined the English Department in May 1988. I had the great privilege and perfect opportunity to share his office at the very outset alongside Dev Virahsawmy and Brian Bamber. We were four in the room, surviving in a rather cramped space. As a very meticulous academic with cutting-edge intelligence which showed up and was ever manifest in his dealings and actions, Ramesh was an individual always labouring for the best, the ideal. Mediocre, low-standard work, performance and involvement were decried and censured by him. 

Once in the English Department, such a value and principle was driven home to me at the very outset, and I had to be to the expected level to avoid unpleasant remarks and nasty comments. Fortunately, I survived and grew up in this inspiring atmosphere since I am by nature a modest, tireless, conscientious and industrious human ever willing to learn and make headway. I had joined when the department was involved in the work warranted by the production of New Password Book II. 

Unlike the other experienced and knowledgeable and respected academics, I was fully taken up by one aspect of the project, the devising of exercises, tasks, activities and allied assignments. Lecturing task and responsibility for me was minimal for a brief span of time. My first lecture was in September 1988. It was a replacement session with the cohort of Ramesh. I had to conduct the module English Content with a TCP (Teacher’s Certificate Primary) cohort at the MTTC, Beau Bassin. I had to teach a text on Language Register.  By teaching the text, I got a foretaste of Linguistics in my life and career. In 1989, I was offered a few courses at TCP level mainly. It happened that I had to teach a topic with which I was not so conversant then, English Phonetics. So, I imparted my concern and issue to Ramesh who most gladly obliged. He came to my class, taught the whole session; I was in attendance. 

The motivation and boost for seriously studying English Linguistics dawned in me and assumed a calculated dimension. I was simply amazed and kept spellbound during the whole 3-hour session. His knowledge and mastery, competence and performance level in the class were evidenced to the optimal level. My fascination, passion and love for the area of study intensified. Ramesh as Motivator – Concern for CPD (Continuing Professional Development) Having been twice informally interviewed by Ramesh Pudaruth prior to being redeployed and recruited by the MIE, Ramesh had taken stock of my background, family situation and economic status. He was aware that I would not be able to make much headway given my realistic economic constraints and inhibitions. Hence, as soon as I had joined the English Department, he requested Management to offer me, through the British Council, a scholarship to study in UK to upgrade my qualifications. 

This was a common practice at that time for MIE academics. Ramesh Ramdoyal was fully supportive of the project but the Registrar was not agreeable to the plea. Ramesh Pudaruth did not lose hope. He convinced me to travel to India and enrol on an MA  (English) course on an ODL basis. 

In October 1993, I travelled to Bombay but was unsuccessful as registration rules and regulations were not in my favour. I tried other Indian universities but my efforts were damped with failure. After a fortnight, I flew back home, dejected and despondent. I did not, however, give up. As soon as I stepped into my home, I came across a letter from UK. It was the unconditional offer by the University of Central England, Birmingham (now City  University, Birmingham) to read for the PGDip/MA  (English Linguistics)  on an ODL mode. A few years later, I successfully completed the course, and, at the end of the day, I felt fully confident about Linguistics. In fact, I had trodden the path chalked out by my mentor.  

Ramesh, the Supporter and Humanist   

My family and professional lives were quite stable and progressive but by year 1994,  my modest and humble family had to confront an immense problem. My late life partner, a Nursing Officer in the Ministry of Health, was working as a part-time staff at the SSR Research Centre of the University of Mauritius, located in Moka. At some point of time, she began to feel numbness and sciatic pain on the right-hand side of the body. She encountered serious difficulties in crossing the road after alighting from the bus, and was at risk of being hit and swept away by vehicles. So, we had to call on a neurosurgeon who advised, after conducting several tests, to  travel to Durban, South Africa for urgent therapy and impending post-surgical care. My beloved one was suffering from a left fronto-parietal brain tumour. Caught in the throes of an appalling situation, I imparted this piece of news to Ramesh. 

Together we thrashed out the issue in the context of the urgency. He just explained to me to keep calm and we would weather the storm with our firm resolve and faith in the Divine. Instantly, he formulated a written request, addressed to the whole MIE staff (academic and non-academic) to contribute and raise funds to assist me to defray the enormous expenses incurred. The people concerned contributed generously in spite of my flimsy acquaintance with them. This is the initial sign of Ramesh as a compassionate, humanistic and magnanimous soul. After the first surgery performed in November 1994 in Durban, SA, my beloved wife was fit and fine after a span of a week, without any noticeable change in her speech, vision, memory, or physical movement. However, after the lapse of eight months, that is, July 1995, after having undergone a cerebral scan, she was suspected of a recurrence of the same tumour which was benignant earlier. 

Hence, we had to call on the neurosurgeon anew very shortly after for a repeat surgery which proved detrimental to her. The outcome was a right side hemiplegia though the other faculties were unscathed. To foot the impending bill incurred by the new incidence, we had to look for financial resources urgently. I had already applied for a loan from the State Bank but Ramesh earnestly advised me to cancel the request. Instead, he lent me the total amount of money required in cash for the visit with merely a symbolical interest rate just to encourage me to be aware of the monthly repayment. Besides, he had arranged for our free tickets with Air Mauritius by negotiating with his friend who was at the helm of the national airline company. 

In fact, when I had received the result of my PhD qualification in 2005, Ramesh was at the MIE. We were sharing the same office and I handed over to him the  Supervisor’s Thesis Report. He was overwhelmed with joy and warmly congratulated me. He said: “I always trusted you, Ishwar. I am proud of you. Wish you all the very best in your career and life.” That was an ethereal moment for me, and I treasure it for ever. 

Conclusion 

I would like to place on record all that Associate Professor Ramesh P Pudaruth has done for me as mentor, adviser, philanthropist and as an elder brother. He was always present whenever I had to face hard times and needed genuine support. Beyond the premises of the MIE, Ramesh’s commitment to community outreach and his mentorship of student projects have fostered a vibrant intellectual ecosystem at the MIE. 

Ishwar Dhoowooah