Recently Ms.Meera Nagarajan, Editor of Kalayanamalai Magazine, was interviewed by 'Nam Thozhi' a Tamil magazine. We have reproduced the excerpts of her interview for the web readers.
"I was seven years old, when I went with my grandmother to one of the live concerts of Karnatic music exponent M.S. Subbulakshmi.. She enthralled every one of the audience with her golden voice and all of them had appreciated her singing. My grandmother was all in praise of the concert, without hesitation I said, ‘one day I will also become a big and famous personality like MS’. My grandmother immediately said , ‘for that you must have the music talent in your genetic DNA’. I countered her and said ‘the hereditary gene should have some starting point and let me be the starting point for my following generation’. This is my character and I will not merely accept if someone says it is not possible. I think only that trait of mine brought me to this level.
(Her words came in quick succession with even flow. Those words showed her efforts to achieve whatever she desires. She is the CEO and Managing Director of Kalyanamalai, the famous matrimonial company.)
I hail from a normal middle class family and my father was an ordinary clerk in Indian Railways. My mother was smart enough to manage the family effortlessly within his salary. I was the eldest daughter of the family with three younger brothers.
We were fortunate that my patti (mother's mother) stayed with us. My grandfather died suddenly, when he was young and left my grandmother with a female child. My grandmother, who did not even complete her school final never want to be at the mercy of any one. She took efforts to pass Tamil Pandit examination and served as a Tamil teacher. She inspired me with her story telling, writing and talking capabilities and sowed the first seed for my growth and made me a multifaceted personality. She supported our family like a fulcrum of a wheel with her experience and her monetary contributions. She knew the art of saving small amounts and helped us to have new cloths.
Though we were not wealthy but we enjoyed prosperity at home. Even in the absence of any opportunity or facility my grandmother took care of me and kept me like a queen. I still remember, when I was studying in the college, everyday, she will even arrange flowers for my hairdo that matches the colour of my dress. She used to tell us interesting stories, while feeding us curd rice at home. Her stories used to fill our heart and mind while the curd rice filled our stomach. She encouraged me to join in singing and dance classes.
