| S VENKATESHWARAN |
Mr. Durai Narasimhan, a respected resident of Nanganallur and retired Headmaster of Government Nehru Boys Higher Secondary School, Nanganallur, does not believe in resting on his laurels. He lived a productive life as a Tamil teacher and headmaster and after retirement, continues to serve Mother Tamil.
Mr. Durai Narasimhan was born on December 5, 1945, as per records, though his birth certificate mentions April 7, 1944. He hails from Sirunagar village, Cheyyur town, Chengalpattu district. His father, Mr. K.R. Duraisamy Naidu, and his mother, Mrs. D. Kuppammal, played a key role in his upbringing.
He completed his early schooling at the panchayat primary school in Sirunagar and continued his education from 6th to 8th grade at panchayat union middle school in Kayapakkam.
He pursued higher education from 9th to 11th grade at Marwar Government Higher Secondary School, Acharapakkam, where he secured first rank in his final exams with a score of 348/500.
Later, he completed Tamil Vidwan at Madras University, followed by a B.A. and B.Ed. from Mysore University, an M.A. from Pachaiyappa’s College, Chennai, and an M.Ed. from Himachal Pradesh University.
Mr. Narasimhan began his teaching career on June 21, 1963, as a primary school teacher at a panchayat union primary school. From 1964 to 1968, he worked as a high school secondary teacher, then as a higher secondary school teacher until 1978. He served as a Tamil teacher from 1968 to 1978 and later as a postgraduate Tamil teacher from 1978 to 1992. In 1992, he became a Headmaster in Thozhudhur and eventually retired as Headmaster of Government Nehru Boys Higher Secondary School, Nanganallur.
Apart from his teaching career, Mr. Narasimhan was actively involved in the Scout Movement and later served as Commissioner for Saidapet and Ponneri districts. He was also a member of the Tamil Nadu Bharat Scout and Guides state executive committee. He led 69 students from Nehru School to the state jamboree in Delhi, where they had the opportunity to visit Rashtrapati Bhavan and attend a tea party hosted by then-President V.V. Giri, a memory he fondly recalls.
During his tenure, he worked tirelessly to improve school infrastructure, including building a compound wall for Nehru school. He also guided and supported many students in Nanganallur, helping them achieve academic success.
Mr. Narasimhan, along with Dr. G. Periyannan, co-founded the Thirukkural Peravai in Nanganallur. He currently serves as its president, promoting Tamil literature and education.
For his dedication to education and Tamil literature, he has been honoured with several awards, including: ‘Sevai Chemmal’ from Thirukkural Peravai, ‘Kalviyiyal Oli’ from Thirukkural Literary Forum, ‘Uyar Kalvi Puravalar’ from Chennai Board of Physical Education.
Even after retirement, Mr. Durai Narasimhan remains deeply connected to Tamil education and continues his service to society. His contributions to the academic and cultural growth of Nanganallur are truly commendable.
