"BOOKS Have Been AN INTEGRAL Part Of MY LIFE"

From the social impact-driven, spiritual ideology of Ramakrishna Mission, since his schooldays, to becoming a legend in the Indian technology education landscape, Professor S. Sadagopan, an educator and thought leader, has embarked on an insightful journey. In a conversation with Sudeshna Das, consulting editor at EFY, he candidly shares the story of his life

- Sudeshna Das

Hailing from Mylapore, a neighbourhood exuding old-world charm in the heart of Chennai, India, Professor S. Sadagopan was born in 1951 into an educated, middle-class family. Despite losing his father at a young age, he spent his formative years amidst the quaint surroundings of Mylapore. His resilient mother, now aged 96, single-handedly raised him, instilling a strong foundation for his future endeavours.

“I lost my father when I was seventeen. Just on the day of the death, he said that he was dying as a happy father as he had instilled a better value system in me. He used to say that, for us, God is like a traffic cop and God is not confused. So obviously, there are only green and red and no amber in his signal. This lesson made me very intuition-driven. Before making any decision, intuitively, I see if it’s green or red. I do not question it; I consider it the Lord’s wish. My mother raised me almost singlehandedly. It was quite tough, but she has done it extremely well. She is a big, big motivator and an influencer on my life.”

Traveling down the early years

“Mylapore used to be called a place for intellectuals. It was a nice neighbourhood with an old sandstone church and a beautiful sea beach. The church traces its origin back to St. Thomas!” Prof. Sadagopan describes. He started his schooling in a 100-year-old institute, named P S High School, in the same locality. Later, he was associated with the Ramakrishna Mission School in Chennai.