Network Past Issues

Dear Esteemed Reader,

It is seldom that one has a sense of disbelief and doubt while reporting a factual event. But that is precisely the feeling one gets while writing that Dr Kurien is no longer with us, even after three months of his sad demise.  It was universally felt at IRMA that the first and foremost thing IRMA can, and must do, to remember the legend is to bring out a special issue of Network dedicated to Dr Kurien. Indeed, this idea emanated from several quarters within IRMA at about the same time. The next question was, “what should this special issue contain?” Once again, the Network team felt that it should not just focus on the multitude of achievements by the great man, or for that matter, his yeoman service towards rural poverty alleviation.  Rather, this issue should be about IRMA’s memories of Dr Kurien.  This in turn leads to the question, who or what, is IRMA? To venture an answer: IRMA’s alumni and current participants, faculty past and present, staff members, and several well wishers of IRMA in the outside world. We felt that collating memories, views and anecdotes, from each of these would add another dimension to understanding Dr Kurien.  In other words, ambitious though it may seem, one would get a chance to know Dr Kurien more as a human being transcending the vast sea of his legendary achievements.  At the very outset, we realized that any effort in this direction would remain incomplete without hearing from Mrs Molly Kurien. The interview with Mrs Kurien was indeed an eye opener.  It not only revealed fascinating insights about Dr Kurien the person but through Mrs Kurien’s humility and frankness we could fathom the crucial role she played in Dr Kurien’s feats which border on the unbelievable.  Once again my hands tremble with disbelief when I recollect that within two months of the interview Mrs Kurien too left us to join her husband in his heavenly abode.

While compiling this special issue we realized that it is limiting to think that Dr Kurien touched the lives of only those who interacted with him in some capacity or the other. Current IRMA participants who had never seen Dr Kurien in person were desirous of writing about him based on the tremendous influence he had in their decision to shape their careers and lives in a particular way. Also the history and significance of two monuments in the proximity of which the immortal presence of Dr Kurien can be strongly felt – the Carillon Chimes and the Amul Museum – are covered in this issue.

As mentioned in the editorial of the previous issue of Network, we would be introducing changes which would make this lovely periodical even more reader friendly. For a start, we have brought out this special issue dedicated to Dr Kurien in colour. Also, articles are interspersed with photographs and blurbs. However, to know that we are in the right direction, your feedback is crucial for us. So please spare some time to email us your views, comments and suggestions to further improve Network.

Last, but by no means the least, do not confine articles on Dr Kurien to just special issues. Rather, let us make every issue of Network special by having articles in memory of Dr Kurien.

Yours Truly

Anand Venkatesh