REMEMBERING FATHER

RAGHU RAMADAS

14 JUNE 1929 17 JULY 2013

Raghu Ramadas received his doctorate from Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru under
the guidance of Prof. D. K. Banerjee in 1964. He was also awarded the Guha Research
Gold Medal instituted by IISc for the best Ph.D. Thesis of the year.

He served as Lecturer/Assistant Professor/Professor of Organic Chemistry at the Indian

Institute of Technology, Madras from 1965 to 1989. During his 24 years tenure at IIT
Madras, he guided 18 scholars for their Ph.D. Most of them are now actively serving various
organizations in India and abroad.

He was an excellent teacher for Organic Chemistry for B.Tech and M.Sc. students of IIT
Madras. Additionally he also took up the responsibility as warden of the Central Supplies
Unit of IIT Madras and served in this capacity for 3 years.

During his tenure at IIT Madras, he visited a number of countries in Europe and also
attended numerous seminars and conferences there. He also had the opportunity to visit the
USA and Japan.

He retired from service at IIT Madras in June 1989. Following his retirement in 1989, he
served as research consultant for a couple of chemical industries in Madras.

In 1990, he was invited to the University of Mauritius by the Government of Mauritius to set
up the Chemistry Laboratory and also guide scholars for Ph.D. and M.Sc. degrees. He
successfully guided one student for her Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry at the University
of Mauritius.

After returning from Mauritius in 1994, he continued to work for a few more years as
consultant and visiting Professor at various institutes and organizations in Madras

He shifted residence from Madras to Thane, Maharashtra in the year 2000. His health
started failing from the year 2009 and on July 17th 2013, following prolonged illness he
breathed his last at his residence in Thane.

He is survived by his wife, only son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren.

He was a very jolly and likeable person and was ready to help anyone when the occasion
demanded. He was very sincere in his work and was a great teacher, albeit very strict. I owe
my knowledge of Chemistry to him.

He was not a sportsman but loved watching cricket with family and friends and also liked
watching movies and shopping.

He was an ardent devotee of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi and till his last
day he used to write his name on note-books borrowed from me.

He was very fond of his grand-children.

Today, on his 88th Birth Anniversary, we all remember him very fondly and pray to the
almighty that his soul rests in eternal peace.

Thank You father for all that you gave me and to your well-wishers!