Abiramapuram resident Vijaya Venkataramanan, 89 years, passed away on February 12.
Born on June11, 1937, in Badagara ( now called Vadakara), Kerala, Vijaya developed an early affinity for fine arts. After her schooling in Badagara and her study time at the Maharaja’s College in Ernakulam, she married M. R. Venkataramanan, son of the renowned Carnatic maestro Palghat Rama bhagavathar.
In time, the family made their home in Chennai, where Venkataramanan began his chartered accountancy practice as a partner in the famed firm RGN Price & Co. Here, Vijaya embraced motherhood, raising her three children—Sriram, Roja, and Meena.
Though her own dreams of a degree remained unfinished, her passion for the arts did not fade. She sought out two of the era’s great Bharatanatyam gurus – K. J. Sarasa and Vyjayanthimala Bali -to introduce Roja and Meena to classical dance.
She was a founding member of the Monday Charity Club, a charity group ideated and started by Savithri Vaithi and later served as a trustee of Vishranthi, an old age home, an initiative of the Monday Charity Club.
For over four decades, Vijaya was deeply involved in this project. One initiative of the Club was the popular Oondrukol project, supporting the underprivileged with their monthly provisions. She was vice-president of Vishranthi for many years, till she retired.
She leaves behind her three children – M. V. Sriram, entrepreneur and an administrator in the sport of rowing, Roja Kannan, a senior Bharatanatyam exponent and teacher and Dr. Meena Subramanyam, oncologist.
Contacts – M V Sriram, 15/7, Sriram Colony, Abhiramapuram, Chennai – 600018.
Sriram M V – 9840089429 / Roja Kannan – 9884098453
