Letter to the Editor: Father’s Day

Every year, the third Sunday of June is celebrated as ‘Father’s Day.’ Fathers are silent but have a strong influence on their children in many ways. Fathers are an integral part of a family, as they not only fulfil the needs of their children but also bring them up in the best possible ways. A father’s perseverance, bondage, sacrifice, and patience mould a family in fine shape, leaving behind an excellent imprint for generations to follow. My father, who passed away in the early ‘70s, had many fine qualities, with punctuality being his strong métier. He served with the famous British company Buckingham and Carnatic Mills in Chennai for close to three decades. Fondly known as Kudai Ayiru (Iyer with an umbrella), he would set out for work with a long umbrella hooked onto his right wrist at 6 a.m. sharp, forcing neighbours to set their clocks. When he passed away, as a mark of respect for his length of service and punctuality, the mill was closed the following day. There is a nice saying: “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, and unrecognized, yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.”

Ranganathan Sivakumar,

siva19kumar@gmail.com.