Arulagam expresses its condolences on the passing of Mr. Kannan (Former Secretary, Palani Hills Conservation Council).

Dear friends,

I received a phone call from Mr. MacMohan early this morning (4-11-2025). I could not believe it when he told me that Kannan sir, the former secretary of the Palani Hills Conservation Council (PHCC), had passed away. The reason was that I met him at his residence in Pattiveeranpatti the day before morning from 9.45 am to 11.45 am and talked for about two hours.

When I went to see him, a book called ‘The Book of Indian Butterflies’- by Isaac Kehimkar was on his table. After asking each other about our well-being, our conversation turned to the environment…the rising sea level, the impact of the groynes, butterflies, beekeeping, trips to Thailand and Sri Lanka, grandchildren, changes in rainfall, the impact of his father’s use of herbicides due to lack of manpower, and the younger generations seeking foreign education. The conversation continued with the trip to Sri Lanka at the invitation of Thiruvalar Sris Kantharaja, visits to Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu, and being a member of the Bee federation operating from Sweden.

He shared that when he was young, he would go to his aunt’s house in Chennai. And his aunt said that the Marina sea was about half a kilometer away then and that now it was just a short walk away.  I thought about it and agreed.

When we talked about food, he said that he had decided not to cook for just himself every single day, so the cook would come once in two days to make meals, and that he would only boil rice from time to time, and that he is 67, saying that he could only eat a small portions these days.

When we talked about his trip to Sri Lanka, he said that the Sri Lankan Porasu tree is three times larger in circumference than the Porasu tree growing in our village. I shared that I have the opportunity to go to Sri Lanka at the end of this month on the invitation of the International Pollution Elimination Network, and I asked him if he could also join me. He said that he would talk to Thiruvalar Sri in a day or two and let me know. I thought that he would get bored since my mother was also with me during our conservation, so I stopped and said that I have to go to participate in the sapling planting work being done in Rameswaram, and said goodbye.

While leaving, he stuffed three oranges into my bag, saying that they were pesticide-free fruits grown on his farm. As I was sitting on the window seat on the bus, the midday sun was scorching. And I was parched. When I tasted the oranges he brought from his bag, my teeth ached a little. It was refreshing. I immediately wiped my hands and took out my phone and sent him a text message saying, “The fruits are delicious and it was nice to chat with you.” I never thought that this would be the last message I would send him.

Mr. Kannan (67) studied pharmacology. But he was an expert in plants. He was knowledgeable about various things like plants that butterflies seek for nectar, plants that butterflies feed on. He was also deeply knowledgeable about growing saplings from an economic perspective.

When I was planting trees at Idinthakarai, he would come as an inspector to supervise it and point out mistakes. I learned a lot from him.

I would like to share an incident that he recalled to me. In 2007, various organisations had submitted project reports for planting saplings along the coast. Arulagam had also submitted one. He was the special invitee at the meeting held to select the organisations. At that meeting, he had raised the question that how Arulagam, which is an organisation based in Coimbatore, could plant trees at Idinthakarai in Tirunelveli and later told me that he changed his views after seeing Arulagam’s field work.

He had stayed near Saibaba Colony in Coimbatore for two and a half years for his daughter’s studies. He was a coffee drinker. I have talked to him many times while sipping his favourite double strong coffee. He often used to say the phrase ‘Mountain starts from Ocean’. He had also addressed a national service program organised by Arulagam for the students of Nirmala Women’s College on the same topic. Only memories remain now.

Arulagam expresses its condolences on his death. May his family, who are suffering from his separation, recover from this shock. May he rest in the lap of nature.

Today, in his memory, we paid tribute to him on behalf of Arulagam by planting 200 saplings and native trees on Rameswaram Island.

Yes, ‘Mountain starts from Ocean’.

With love

Arulagam Organisation