<B>A friend from India</B>

The director of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture (IGCIC) has a long experience in cultural promotion. He is a committed man who believes in Gandhi’s principles of peace and tolerance.`

“Culture is everywhere. But, according to me, somebody is really cultivated when he has pure and clear thoughts, when he shares peace and happiness with others.” Following Mahatma Gandhi, whose birth was widely celebrated yesterday (see also p.12), Natarajan Rajappa, the director of the IGCIC in Phoenix since 2004, has a sound understanding of human values. He speaks calmly, with the impeccable politeness of an ambassador and the kindness of someone who is much in the habit of listening to and helping others.

He had just graduated in Mathematics at Madurai Kamaraj University when the opportunity that would change his life came along. It was in 1971 and young Natarajan said yes to a job offer from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), ministry of External Affairs. “It was not really the field I had originally envisaged. But I already had much interest in the cultural world.” By promotion and through hard work, Natarajan Rajappa gradually climbed the steps of one of India’s most significant institutions. He became in 1996 the regional director of the ICCR, Chennai, for Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. And in August 2004, he was posted to Mauritius as director of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture (IGCIC) with the rank of first secretary with the Indian High Commission.

Natarajan Rajappa speaks of his homeland with pride but he seems to have tuned himself to Mauritius with great ease too. “In India, there is truly unity in diversity : though we have multilingual, multicultural setups, we are united as Indians, just like in a garland a variety of colorful flowers are connected by a single thread. Different-colored flowers add beauty to the garland.” And the ties between Mauritius and India are so strong. “We have to strengthen them further, in every domain (…). I was surprised when I discovered the country was so close to India. I could hardly feel uprooted here.” Rabindranath Tagore, India’s national poet, who worshipped nature, “would have most probably been inspired by the pristine beauty of Mauritius”.

Natarajan Rajappa is a true Indian when he evokes the soothing sight of birds making their nests and sources of water flowing to the sea as the soul to God. A fervent reader of Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography and of religious books, he has retained from his student years the discipline of a scientific mind. “During my studies, I asked the lecturer ‘What’s the use of mathematics for a common man’s life?’ He replied. ‘Life is full of problems. And mathematics is about solving problems. It equips you to face life.’ He opened my eyes.”

And Natarajan Rajappa’s ability to solve problems has been priceless during his 33 years in the ICCR. He successfully implemented the welfare of foreign students and government of India scholars. Former Mauritian students, like Dr Sunnassee or Tirumale Chetty, have become his friends. Having played a key role in Chennai and Pondicherry in the cultural exchange programmes (CEP), Natarajan Rajappa recalls great encounters, as with famous Indian carnatic dancer, Raghunath Manet.

Before coming to Mauritius, he supervised ICCR events in Hungary, Slovakia, Sweden and Thailand... These exchanges have visibly been very enriching. But he is an open person who likes music in every form, enjoying African rhythms as much as Northern Indian kathak. Not surprising: “All are based on combinations and commutations, they are just as human as …mathematics!”