AFVOA Newletter August 2020

Section 6 – eConnect Reviews CV 2 No. 02 / 2020 Page 197 of 237 provided adequate seed money to start Yale College, which eventually became Yale University, a member of the prestigious Ivy League today. Yale passed away in 1721, not as a merchant of corruption but as a well known philanthropist. Thus ended the story that witnessed downright malfeasance turning into philanthropic munificence! East India Company’s time in general and Yale’s time in particular, corrupt practices reigned supreme in Madras. This undesirable legacy seems to have gone on unchecked over the years and remains almost at the same level, duly adjusted for inflation. Yale’s propriety benami practices took deep roots into the psyche of the privileged people in charge of governance and we still see them in their manifold variants. The remarkable likeness that the promiscuous life style of Yale has with some of the present day rulers brought an involuntary smile on the faces of politically aware audience. When Elihu Yale was dismissed from the post of Governor, his good friend and the husband of Catherine Nicks was arrested under charges of corruption, but he avoided arrest by producing a medical certificate of serious illness from a complicit Surgeon. This was the first instance of its kind in recorded history. If you see resemblance to recent events in India, both at the Central and State levels, it is purely incidental. Be it the corrupt practices, benami accounting, licentious life style or criminals avoiding arrest, it is a classic case of history repeating itself many times over! So much of history of Madras in so little a time! Shri V Sriram and his indefatigable thirst for spreading awareness about our own Chennai could alone have achieved it. The members of AFVOA are very fortunate to have attended this most informative session. The Q&A session covered much more of Chennai’s rich heritage, than just the eventful lives of Mr Yale and Mrs Nicks. The Managing Committee had taken a serious note of an action item – that of Shri V Sriram graciously offering to lead us in a Heritage Walk inside Fort St George. Like so many among the audience, I just can’t wait! May his tribe increase! In line with our Armed Forces traditions, let us raise a toast in his honour for the matchless service he is rendering for the thoroughbred Chennaiites and wish him many more happy landings. The attendance today was close to 60. There is room for more, much more. The author can not come to terms with so many of the veteran members missing out such precious interactions. Let us hope our T R P improves over time. JAI HIND