Model Citizen: 99-year-old takes tech to youth

Walking briskly with a laptop is nothing out of the ordinary these days. But not for a near Centenarian who goes around his tasks undauntedly. One can hardly see the gizmo tucked away in a handy jute bag as he pulls it out to explain about his latest venture. Parthasarathy Iyengar of Triplicane is board member of a few education institutions. 

He has big plans for the younger generation. “I want to create awareness about nanotechnology among students. Right from the primary section to the undergraduate level, I would like to frame a curriculum for schools and colleges in this subject.” 

But why nanotechnology?  “Nanotechnology is an emerging field that will revolutionise our lives, say in a span of 10 years. With this technology, new products are created that help us in the daily run. I want the younger generation to know about how this technology touches their lives,” he explains. 

“Nanotechnology has revolutionised the way fabrics are made, jewellery is shaped and the products we use in everyday life. In the Western world this field is given a lot of importance. Only, we have kept our youngsters in the dark. The subject is popular only at the post-graduate level. That is why I have taken up this crusade,” he points out. 

He says it will take more than a year to formulate a curriculum and get the approval of the CBSE. Before that, training teachers and holding workshops in the subject are some of the tasks he has set for himself. 

At 99, he is deft at handling any gizmo. Be it an iPhone or an iPad or a laptop. “I need to be in touch with technology if I have to reach out to the younger generation.  I keep my ear to the ground to keep myself abreast of any development in any field.” 

Parthasarathy, one of the founder-members of Ranganathan Centre for Information Studies, often travels to attend seminars and workshops in various cities. He is a member of the Saraswathi Bhandaram Committee  and a trustee of Sri Ramaswamy Temple at Ayodhya.    

Born in August 1917, this veteran, hails from a family of freedom fighters. His father Mandayam Srinivasachariar ran a Tamil weekly - India and a Tamil daily - Vijaya from 1906 to 1910. The editor of these two was the great poet subramanya Mahakavi Bharathi.