DAVID DORAIRAJ L.E.E.06/06/1929 TO 13/05/2009
/E/TIRED ASST WORKS MANAGER
ELECTRICAL/FLASH BUTT WELDING
ENGINEERING WORKSHOP
ARAKONAM, SOUTHERN RAILWAY
An era ended at 07.55 hours on Wednesday 13th May 2009 at the Southern Railway Head Quarters Hospital Perambur, Chennai 23. Mr David Dorai Raj great grandson of the grand old man Jacob of Nanchankulam village, Tirunelveli Dist and retired Asst Works Manager/Electrical/Engineering Workshop/Arakkonam, Southern Railway passed away on that date after two days of illness
He started his early life in his native village Nanchankulam, Tirunelveli district. His father was Mr. S David, (1894-1929)who was the grand son Jacob(1810-1890) the grand old man who founded the village, and son of Mr. Samuel(1840-1905). At the time of Mr. David (1910) India was under the British rule and the British Empire in the East included Ceylon, Malaya, Java, Sumatra, Burma, Siam, Thailand, Cambodia etc. Hence no need of a passport and visa to go over to these countries. As most of the early converts to Christianity were teachers in the missionary schools, Mr. David also was trained as a teacher.
He after marrying Bagyam (1905-1965) one of his cousins, gave birth to Mary (1917-) (later Mary Swami doss) Isaac (1920-1998), Rajendiram (1923-2005) and finally Dorai raj (1929-2009). Though the family had enough wealth, the growing population of the joint family made resources scarce. Therefore, every one set off to earn some. Mr David decided to try his luck by going beyond the seas. He set off to Malaya and landed in the Pulau Penang province where a large number of Tamil estate laborers lived.
He started his career as a teacher in the Pinang Free School. However, after some years he died due to sudden illness in Malaya. At the time of his death (1932), Mr. Dorai raj was three years old and had not seen his father since his birth.
His sister Mary along with her brothers, moved to Manamadurai and settled there as a teacher. The first brother, Isaac, became a teacher so also Rajendiram. Meanwhile Mary wedded Mr. Swami Doss. Mr Dorai raj wanted to study engineering and Mr. swami doss, due to his influence, got him a seat for Licentiate in Electrical Engineering (in those days -1950- there were no diploma or degree but offered Licentiate in all subjects for instance L T Licentiate in Teaching These terminology is still used in the theological colleges) in the PSG Polytechnic, Coimbatore.
After his three years study he returned to marry his cousin Savariammal(whose mother was the sister of Mr. David) in 1950. He got a job with the Tamil Nadu electricity Board office at the Mettur Dam (Stanley Reservoir at Mettur near Salem). There he worked as Electricity Metre specialist and his spouse worked as a teacher in the local school.
The lure of free privilege pass to travel in the trains was inevitable for him. Therefore, he along with his friends joined the Southern Railway as a chargeman. He had worked in the open line from trichy division. Thereafter he was transferred to Pune in Maharashtra(those days Pune was under the Southern Railway ).He was transferred to Hubli for some years. Thereafter, he was transferred to Vijayawada. He was posted in Pakala near Chithoor. There he was the Secretary of the Catholic Association(CA).
He came to Golden Rock Central Workshop as chargeman. There he along with his family lived in the North D, South D, and F type of quarters. His children Rosary, Philo, Gnanaraj, Luisa and Bagyaseeli studied in the St Joseph’s Girl High School, and St Agnes Higher elementary school, Ponmalaipatti both managed by the sisters of seven dolor (servite of Mary)
From Trichy he was moved to Mysore Ashokapuram shops. While his eleder daughters stayed at the hostel, the three younger ones joined him at Mysore and studied at the Board High School 100 Feet Road, Mysore. Later he was transferred to Guntakal where he worked as Foreman in the open line. He left the family at Ponmalaipatti, Trichy.
He was transferred to Villupuram in 1970 as Electrical Foreman. He stayed in the north colony railway quarters. In 1974 he was transferred as Electrical Foreman Nagercoil-Kanyakumari New BG line construction and was posted at Palayamkottai till 1976. He did yeomen service as an open line supervisor at the construction stations all along the new route. He was transferred as Deputy Shop Superintendent to the electrical workshop, Perambur in 1976. He worked as shop superintendent in the deluxe shop. In 1981 he was elevated to gazetted status – Asst Electrical Engineer – and was posted at Thiruvananthapuram Division. Later he was moved to Madurai division. Finally, he was posted as Asst Works Manager/Electrical/Engineering Workshop/Arakkonam in 1984. He finally retired on 30th June 1987 on attaining the age of 58.
From his retirement, he was living with his spouse at his native village Nanchankulam, Tirunelveli District. While his spouse passed away on 6th January 2000 he managed to live all alone in his village occasionally visiting his children at Chennai. He was so attached to the village and his spouse that he after six months of the death of his spouse, made a stone cross inscribed his name and planted next to his spouse’s grave. He never wanted any one to be buried next to his spouse. His last desire was fulfilled on 14th May 2009 when he was laid to rest along side of his spouse.
He started his early life in his native village Nanchankulam, Tirunelveli district. His father was Mr. S David, (1894-1929)who was the grand son Jacob(1810-1890) the grand old man who founded the village, and son of Mr. Samuel(1840-1905). At the time of Mr. David (1910) India was under the British rule and the British Empire in the East included Ceylon, Malaya, Java, Sumatra, Burma, Siam, Thailand, Cambodia etc. Hence no need of a passport and visa to go over to these countries. As most of the early converts to Christianity were teachers in the missionary schools, Mr. David also was trained as a teacher.
He after marrying Bagyam (1905-1965) one of his cousins, gave birth to Mary (1917-) (later Mary Swami doss) Isaac (1920-1998), Rajendiram (1923-2005) and finally Dorai raj (1929-2009). Though the family had enough wealth, the growing population of the joint family made resources scarce. Therefore, every one set off to earn some. Mr David decided to try his luck by going beyond the seas. He set off to Malaya and landed in the Pulau Penang province where a large number of Tamil estate laborers lived.
He started his career as a teacher in the Pinang Free School. However, after some years he died due to sudden illness in Malaya. At the time of his death (1932), Mr. Dorai raj was three years old and had not seen his father since his birth.
His sister Mary along with her brothers, moved to Manamadurai and settled there as a teacher. The first brother, Isaac, became a teacher so also Rajendiram. Meanwhile Mary wedded Mr. Swami Doss. Mr Dorai raj wanted to study engineering and Mr. swami doss, due to his influence, got him a seat for Licentiate in Electrical Engineering (in those days -1950- there were no diploma or degree but offered Licentiate in all subjects for instance L T Licentiate in Teaching These terminology is still used in the theological colleges) in the PSG Polytechnic, Coimbatore.
After his three years study he returned to marry his cousin Savariammal(whose mother was the sister of Mr. David) in 1950. He got a job with the Tamil Nadu electricity Board office at the Mettur Dam (Stanley Reservoir at Mettur near Salem). There he worked as Electricity Metre specialist and his spouse worked as a teacher in the local school.
The lure of free privilege pass to travel in the trains was inevitable for him. Therefore, he along with his friends joined the Southern Railway as a chargeman. He had worked in the open line from trichy division. Thereafter he was transferred to Pune in Maharashtra(those days Pune was under the Southern Railway ).He was transferred to Hubli for some years. Thereafter, he was transferred to Vijayawada. He was posted in Pakala near Chithoor. There he was the Secretary of the Catholic Association(CA).
He came to Golden Rock Central Workshop as chargeman. There he along with his family lived in the North D, South D, and F type of quarters. His children Rosary, Philo, Gnanaraj, Luisa and Bagyaseeli studied in the St Joseph’s Girl High School, and St Agnes Higher elementary school, Ponmalaipatti both managed by the sisters of seven dolor (servite of Mary)
From Trichy he was moved to Mysore Ashokapuram shops. While his eleder daughters stayed at the hostel, the three younger ones joined him at Mysore and studied at the Board High School 100 Feet Road, Mysore. Later he was transferred to Guntakal where he worked as Foreman in the open line. He left the family at Ponmalaipatti, Trichy.
He was transferred to Villupuram in 1970 as Electrical Foreman. He stayed in the north colony railway quarters. In 1974 he was transferred as Electrical Foreman Nagercoil-Kanyakumari New BG line construction and was posted at Palayamkottai till 1976. He did yeomen service as an open line supervisor at the construction stations all along the new route. He was transferred as Deputy Shop Superintendent to the electrical workshop, Perambur in 1976. He worked as shop superintendent in the deluxe shop. In 1981 he was elevated to gazetted status – Asst Electrical Engineer – and was posted at Thiruvananthapuram Division. Later he was moved to Madurai division. Finally, he was posted as Asst Works Manager/Electrical/Engineering Workshop/Arakkonam in 1984. He finally retired on 30th June 1987 on attaining the age of 58.
From his retirement, he was living with his spouse at his native village Nanchankulam, Tirunelveli District. While his spouse passed away on 6th January 2000 he managed to live all alone in his village occasionally visiting his children at Chennai. He was so attached to the village and his spouse that he after six months of the death of his spouse, made a stone cross inscribed his name and planted next to his spouse’s grave. He never wanted any one to be buried next to his spouse. His last desire was fulfilled on 14th May 2009 when he was laid to rest along side of his spouse.
Some of his co-workers were Mr Seshadri, Mr Sebastian, Mr Nizar Ahmed. Mr Raja ram, Mr Chidambaranathan, who also were elevated to gazetted status in the Electrical Branch of Southern Railway. Some of his bosses were Mr Ranganathan, retired CPO/IR, Mr M J AlexanderCEE/Shops, Mr Gopalakrishnan,CEE/Shops
He is survived by his son, daughter-in-law, daughters, sons-in-law, grand children and great grand children. His second daughter Phiomina Mary Rani (1952) passed away in 1997. His third and last daughters passed away even before attaining age one(1955&1965).
Rosary, Gnanapragasam, David Rosario
Jawahar, Mary Fathima, Gnanapragasam, Magdalene Catharine
Xavier Gnanaraj, Grace, Mukila Gnana Grace
Jawahar, Mary Fathima, Gnanapragasam, Magdalene Catharine
Xavier Gnanaraj, Grace, Mukila Gnana Grace
