K. K. Srinivasan
Encyclopedia
Kushalnagar Krishnaswamy Srinivasan (20 March 1925 - 10 July 2009) known as K. K. Srinivasan was an India
n radar officer
who founded a pre-school for deaf children.
KKS – fondly called ‘Cakes’ by his close friends—had three colourful college years (1942–45), enrolled in the Physics (Honors) graduate programme of The Presidency College, Chennai.
Not merely diligent in academic studies, he excelled in athletics too. Primarily a long-distance runner, he was for a couple of years the College’s mile-running champion.
With a keen interest in boxing, he represented the College in the Madras University’s inter-collegiate competition and participated in the championship boxing tournament.
An all-round sportsman named one year as the College’s Athlete of the Year, he also excelled in the University Officers Training Core (U.O.T.C.). He rose to be named an Under-Officer, the highest rank open to student cadets.
Tireless striving towards the higher goals he set himself (in his chosen fields of sports and cadet activities) was evident even in those adolescent years. Seen in hindsight, it was a pointer to his determined dedication in later life to the enduring cause of public service he embraced.
(formerly known as Madras). He graduated from high school two years early with honors. However, when he was just 19, tragedy struck when his father died due to an ulcer
that was diagnosed too late to be operated on. He then worked in private industry, marketing Japanese industrial products. After a serious train accident in 1950, he switched tracks and joined the Indian Air Force as a commissioned officer in the engineering services in 1951. Soon afterwards, he married Rathna Janardhana Iyengar (daughter of Indiramma Iyengar
and H. R. Janardhana Iyengar
) in a grand marriage ceremony in Mysore on March 22, 1954. He served in three wars, the Indo-Chinese war
in 1961, the Indo-Pakistan
war of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistan-Bangladesh war
of 1971. He rose to the rank of Wing Commander
. He had two sons, Raja, born 1970 and Vivek, born 1974.
in Mysore. He then realised that there was an immediate need for a school that was not expensive and adds to the demand for hearing impaired education schools that prepare deaf and hard of hearing children, and started a pre-school for the hearing impaired children which he aptly named Helen Keller Pre-school for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, after the famous deafblind author, activist and lecturer Helen Keller
. The school was started in Mysore at the first floor of Srinivasan’s house in the International Year of the Handicapped in 1980. In the 1990s, he successfully applied for City government (Mysore Urban Development Authority) grants
and Rotary Club assistance to get land and build a school and dorm for deaf children and their parents. By the 2000s, as age caught up with him, he semi-retired from school administration. He guided and often came to school during school fests, visits by important dignitaries and gave speeches urging the parents to keep focused and dedicated during the course of training their wards. He gave several examples whom he had successfully trained to inspire and give confidence to the parents.
The then Rotary West Institute for the Mother and the Deaf Child has been renamed as ‘Wing Commander K. K. Srinivasan Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing'.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n radar officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
who founded a pre-school for deaf children.
Education
Madras Presidency College, MadrasKKS – fondly called ‘Cakes’ by his close friends—had three colourful college years (1942–45), enrolled in the Physics (Honors) graduate programme of The Presidency College, Chennai.
Not merely diligent in academic studies, he excelled in athletics too. Primarily a long-distance runner, he was for a couple of years the College’s mile-running champion.
With a keen interest in boxing, he represented the College in the Madras University’s inter-collegiate competition and participated in the championship boxing tournament.
An all-round sportsman named one year as the College’s Athlete of the Year, he also excelled in the University Officers Training Core (U.O.T.C.). He rose to be named an Under-Officer, the highest rank open to student cadets.
Tireless striving towards the higher goals he set himself (in his chosen fields of sports and cadet activities) was evident even in those adolescent years. Seen in hindsight, it was a pointer to his determined dedication in later life to the enduring cause of public service he embraced.
Background
He was the second of two children to Krishnaswami Iyengar and Mythiliamma. His older sister was born in 1920, and him in 1925; both were born in ChennaiChennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
(formerly known as Madras). He graduated from high school two years early with honors. However, when he was just 19, tragedy struck when his father died due to an ulcer
Peptic ulcer
A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is the most common ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. It is defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0.5 cm...
that was diagnosed too late to be operated on. He then worked in private industry, marketing Japanese industrial products. After a serious train accident in 1950, he switched tracks and joined the Indian Air Force as a commissioned officer in the engineering services in 1951. Soon afterwards, he married Rathna Janardhana Iyengar (daughter of Indiramma Iyengar
Indiramma Iyengar
Indiramma Janardhana Iyengar , also known as Manni, was philanthropist and community organizer in Mysore, India.- Biography :Indiramma Janardhana Iyengar, or H. R...
and H. R. Janardhana Iyengar
H. R. Janardhana Iyengar
Sri Haradanahalli Ramaswamy Janardhana Iyengar was an eminent engineer in Mysore, India. He made valuable contributions to the engineering profession during the 1940s and 1950s through his innovative methods and original designs....
) in a grand marriage ceremony in Mysore on March 22, 1954. He served in three wars, the Indo-Chinese war
Sino-Indian War
The Sino-Indian War , also known as the Sino-Indian Border Conflict , was a war between China and India that occurred in 1962. A disputed Himalayan border was the main pretext for war, but other issues played a role. There had been a series of violent border incidents after the 1959 Tibetan...
in 1961, the Indo-Pakistan
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. This conflict became known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947...
war of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistan-Bangladesh war
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to be Operation Chengiz Khan, Pakistan's December 3, 1971 pre-emptive strike on 11 Indian airbases...
of 1971. He rose to the rank of Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
. He had two sons, Raja, born 1970 and Vivek, born 1974.
Air Force
He entered the Indian Air Force on 06 Oct 52, as a commissioned officer in the Technical Branch as an Aeronautical Engineer, and retired on 30 Oct 1975 with the rank of Wing Commander. He was rapidly promoted to the position of Instructor at the Air Force Technical College. There, he molded Trainee Officer Engineers with civil career experience Engineers into defense staff following appropriate discipline and regulation. He was then promoted to Commanding Officer of Signals units for two successive terms. In his second term, he officiated as Commanding Officer of a Ground Training School with more than 1000 trainees. Before retiring he was on the Directing Staff of Management Faculty for Technical Officers Management Course.Deaf Education
When Raja was found to be deaf, he decided to take premature retirement from the Air Force and learn more about deaf education so as to give maximum support and growth opportunities for Raja. Initially, Raja was enrolled at the Bala Vidyalaya school in Madras (now Chennai), but then decided to move to Mysore to get services from the All India Institute of Speech and HearingAll India Institute of Speech and Hearing
The All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, commonly known as AIISH , is located in Manasagangotri , Mysore, India. It is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare...
in Mysore. He then realised that there was an immediate need for a school that was not expensive and adds to the demand for hearing impaired education schools that prepare deaf and hard of hearing children, and started a pre-school for the hearing impaired children which he aptly named Helen Keller Pre-school for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, after the famous deafblind author, activist and lecturer Helen Keller
Helen Keller
Helen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree....
. The school was started in Mysore at the first floor of Srinivasan’s house in the International Year of the Handicapped in 1980. In the 1990s, he successfully applied for City government (Mysore Urban Development Authority) grants
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
and Rotary Club assistance to get land and build a school and dorm for deaf children and their parents. By the 2000s, as age caught up with him, he semi-retired from school administration. He guided and often came to school during school fests, visits by important dignitaries and gave speeches urging the parents to keep focused and dedicated during the course of training their wards. He gave several examples whom he had successfully trained to inspire and give confidence to the parents.
The then Rotary West Institute for the Mother and the Deaf Child has been renamed as ‘Wing Commander K. K. Srinivasan Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing'.