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10. My story- Part-1 Dr. Titus Mathew Page
from FOCUS October 2022
Dr. Titus Mathews, Professor Emeritus University of Calgary, Canada
[Dr. Titus Mathew may be very familiar to the readers of the FOCUS Journal. He was one of the founding editors and only given up the responsibility after ten years being an editor. He lived and worked in India, Africa, England, the United States and Canada. His contributions to the Mar Thoma Diaspora communities and the academic life in these countries are enormous and hence it is worth publishing it for the benefit of our readers. The following is the first part of an autobiographical sketch written by Dr. Titus Mathew and supplemented by his wife, Mrs. Sara Joseph. We are hoping to publish it in several parts over the next two years. We are very grateful for the help and support of the family for helping us with this. For the Editorial Board.]
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Early years
Everyone has a story to tell, but most people are reluctant or have opportunities to reveal it. Here is my story under the grace of God.
I was born on 17th March, 1936, at my mother’s house at Ayroor, a village by the river Pamba, in the princely state of Travancore, which is part of Kerala now. My father was Mr. Titus K. Mathew of Thoompumkattu family of Kozhencherry and my mother was Mrs. Mariamma Titus of Cherukara (Thekkekootu) family of Ayiroor. My wife, Mrs. Sara Joseph, is from the Chittazhathu family of Edanadu. We have two sons, Titus (Jr), Joseph and a daughter, Ma ria. We have six grandchildren and they are Joshua, Seeley, Sanjana, Sophia, Luke, and Noah.
I spent my childhood in my mother’s house. My father had gone to Africa to find a job and could not come to take my mother and me due to the Second World War. Unlike villages in the rest of India, villages in Travancore, people lived in acreages of different sizes, and had all kinds of trees, and vegetation all around their houses. Ayroor was a picturesque place with hills, valleys, streams, paddy fields, country roads and bullock carts. There was intense cultivation of different crops including coconuts, rice, cashew, tapioca, pepper, sugar cane and vegetables of different types.
As the first grandchild of the family, I enjoyed many privileges as everyone’s favorite - not only in our family, but of the neighbors and extended families as well. My grandfather belonged to the large Cherukara family, and therefore, there were a lot of uncles and aunts and cousins. I was fortunate to get to know my great grandmother in Kuriannur, a nearby village, where I went to school; I used to go to her house for lunch. It was a great privilege to be the first great-grandchild of that family as well. All in all, I was fortunate to have a childhood very well looked after, loved, and cared for which made me feel special. But my mother made sure that I wouldn’t get spoiled. One incident I recall is that I climbed a tree in the rainy season to pick some fruits. An old lady passed by told me that it was dangerous to climb a tree when it is wet, and that you may fall. I told her to mind her own business. On the way she went and told my mother about the incident. When I got home my mother gave me two good spankings with a stick. She was angry with me - not for climbing the tree, but for being impolite to an older person.
My father’s house was in Kozhencherry, Thoompumpattu. Originally, his family came from Malayatoor. My father’s older brother was living in the house as my father was away. I used to go there during holidays with my mother. One consequence of living in my mother’s house was that I knew her side of the family much better than my father’s family.
During the monsoon season, the river would overflow such that all the villages next to it would be flooded. Watching the floodwaters rise was a favorite past time of mine. When the paddy fields were flooded, it would create an illusion of a beautiful lake. My friends and I would make floating platforms by tying together banana trunks and go rowing in the flooded fields. It was hard work, but it was also so much fun. Sailing paper boats in small streams was another fun time. I used to play a number of games with my friends, vattukali, kolukali, ola punthukali and so on, which I enjoyed thoroughly. Sometimes I
My mother was a trained teacher and she taught me the first two years of school, and then I joined a government school nearby. I went to Kuriannor Mar Thoma School about 2 miles away for my middle school and high school. Walking two miles every morning and evening with friends was not difficult. I had very good teachers and many friends. But what I enjoyed most was learning to play basketball. I was very proud to be chosen as a member of the school team.
After the war ended in 1945 my father came home from East Africa. I had no recollection of being with him because he had gone when I was only one year old. With all the love and attention, I received in my mother’s house, especially from my grandfather, I did not miss my father. That is the great advantage of growing up in a joint family. But when he came, it did not take much time to bond with him. He took me to all his brother’s houses and got me familiar with them all. He took me to Kottayam and Trivandrum where he worked before, he went to Africa. They were my first journeys in a bus! How exciting it was to turn a switch and see the electric bulb on and off! Trivandrum was more exciting with very many interesting things and places to go. I even saw the Maharajah go to worship in the temple, half-naked in an open convertible car, and all the people standing by the road saluting him. Those were fascinating trips for me.
At the end of his vacation, he went back to Africa taking my mother with him as well. In order to continue my education without interruption, I was left in Ayroor and continued to stay with my grandparents. My life continued to be very happy there. In fact, I was sent to a boarding school for high school education, but I returned all packed, the next week, as I missed my grandparents and home very much.
The importance of a happy and secure childhood is not possible to be overstated. The psychological foundations for one’s life are laid when he or she is very young. My life with my grandparents in Ayroor was such a foundation that I feel grateful to them and others who gave me that.
College days
Where I went to college was my father’s decision, not mine. Union Christian College was a remarkable institution started in 1920, by three different Syrian Christian Churches in Travancore, and was headed by very dedicated brilliant people at that time. By the time I joined the College in 1951, it was considered as one of the best colleges in Kerala. Appachen’s condition was that I could study any subject I wanted to so long as I studied well. I took the 1st Group – mathematics, physics and chemistry as my main subjects. I was admitted to Tagore Hostel (the residence for junior students), and the Warden was T.B. Thomas Sir, whose wife was my mother’s cousin. What I liked most about U.C. College was the opportunity to participate in team games. I was able to learn to play field hockey and cricket, but my favorite game was basketball that I used to play in school. They had a good college team and I was able to play with them. In fact, I learned so well, they included me in the team in the second year.
My real problem was that I neglected paying enough attention to my studies. I failed in the term examination in physics, rather miserably. Mr. TB Thomas, who was the warden was also Lecturer in Physics. He agreed to help me and tutored me a few times. Eventually TBT, as we used to call him, became my true mentor. Thereafter, I never failed in any examination and did quite well in physics.
I continued in the Tagore hostel in the second year, and was selected as an ideal student, and a mentor to the junior students. I was regular in attending evening prayers and church services and was considered a good influence to others. I was also the mess secretary to make sure the contractor provided satisfactory meals. At the end of the year, I passed with a first class, but I considered that my real achievement was being included in the College basketball team. I became sufficiently proficient in the game so as to be able to join the team in Madras Christian College. I was grateful to all my mentors and teachers, very eminent people, who helped me grow in my thinking, attitude, and my future.
On my father’s instruction, I went to Madras Christian College in Thambaram in 1953 to study for a BSc degree in physics. MCC was considered to be the best college in South India. In 1953, when I joined, there were several Europeans on the teaching staff, and they were well liked and respected. There were students from all over India and other countries like Ceylon and Malaysia. This ensured that everyone improved their ability to communicate in English, the only common language. I made friends with a broad spectrum of students.
The transition to MCC from UC College went without any problems. My challenge was two-fold: do well in studies and play basketball well enough to get into the college team. I thought I managed both. I became a member of the basketball team, in-fact in the second year, I became the best player in the team, and a contender for a place in the Madras University team but missed it. That was a huge disappointment for me. The only way to rectify this was to return to the college for another two years as a graduate student. But this required that I do very well in the BSc. examination so that I would be easily admitted. Dr. I. M. Mathai in the Chemistry Department, one of my mentors, encouraged me to make the necessary effort. I stayed in college during the Christmas holidays to study for the final examinations and spent over eighteen hours a
day studying my subjects, physics, chemistry and mathematics. I could answer every question asked in the University examination for the previous ten years and write them down twice as fast as I could write before. Finally, I got first class and was admitted to the physics honors master’s program. It is interesting, physics was the only subject I failed in the first term examination when I was in U.C College, and T. B. Thomas Sir who was in physics, helped me and tutored me to understand it well, and I found it fascinating thereafter.
I do not know whether it is my marks in physics or my basketball skills that helped me get one of three positions for the master’s program. Dr. Thangaraj, who was the Head of the Physics Department, was also the president of basketball club! As the senior-most member, I was made the captain, whose job included not only leading the team as a player but also managing and coaching them as well.
I got along very well with the team. Four of us were selected to play for the Madras University team in the interuniversity tournament. We won the All-India Championship in Lucknow, defeating the Punjab University team. Thus, I went beyond my ardent desire to be a University Team member.
Basketball was more important to me than I had originally thought in shaping my personality. It taught me how to be a team player. As a caption and coach, it taught me the importance of giving opportunity to all members of my team to show their worth and improve. The people skills I learned from basketball court became very important in my later career. Also, I made some very good life- long friends.
All around, being a student at Madras Christian College was an unforgettable, life-changing experience. I literally grew up from a shy, diffident youngster to an accomplished and confident person. So MCC. remains close to my heart even today. In the last term, I was offered a Lecturer’s position in UC College.
Meanwhile, my father had made arrangement to send me to England to do further studies. But there was not enough time to complete the admission process to be able to go in the same academic year, so I accepted the Lecturer’s job in Union Christian College for a year. But little did I know that it would turn out to be a wonderful thing in more than one way!
Going back to UC College
When I joined the college Mr. T. B. Thomas Sir, my mentor and hostel warden was the principal, and many of my previous senior teachers were still continuing there. Also a few of my other friends also joined there as lecturers. Other than teaching, I was made a junior warden of a hostel along with Mr. PK John and also entrusted with the affairs of the college basketball team. This was an enjoyable assignment! I could teach a group of youngsters what I had learned. I played with them as well. I was carefree and the year was a respite from the serious study before. Years later, in different parts of the world, I come across former students who told me that I taught them how to play basketball. It is interesting to note a quiet, gentle student named Ommen Koruth used to come and watch the games. He later became the wellloved and eminent Suffragan Bishop of the Mar Thoma Church, Late Most Rev. Dr. Zacharias Mar Theophilus.
All in all, my last year in India before I went abroad was a wonderful one. I had very good friends and colleagues and I could enjoy other activities such as singing in the choir. My salary was only Rs.125 a month, not enough to meet all my expenses, but I did not worry as my father continued to subsidize me. I was carefree and the year was a respite from serious study. UC College has remained in my conscience ever since. I had visited the college several times afterwards to see old friends, teachers and to thank people like my mentor Mr. TB Thomas Sir.
I have to note that I met my future wife, a shy, demure, young student in UC College in that year. I came to hear her beautiful singing voice in the College Choir. She did not know my interest and I had very little direct contact with her. Very few of my close friends only knew about it, yet I am still surprised how many people thought I had a special interest in her. But before I left for England for further studies, I told my grandfather about her and asked him to inquire whether she would be a suitable bride for me. He was more than happy to do that, and made all the inquiries, approved my choice, and did everything in his capacity to make sure that my dream come true.
