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Vol. XXXIII No. 20, February 1-15, 2024
Our Readers Write
More on Corporation Stadium
Your article on the Corporation Stadium (MM, Vol. XXXIII No. 15, November 16th, 2023) has taken me back to my college days in 1955-56 when the Madras College Students Association had hosted Bulganin and Khrushchev , and almost a year later Zhou en Lai with Indi-Chini bhai-bhai. The President of the Students Union, P.E. Daniel’s English was impeccable. He later became my colleague in the Madras Christian College.
The Stadium was packed to more than full capacity. The crowd climbed and got into the Stadium. If I remember right, The Hindu described it as a massive sea of humanity surging forward. I lost my sandals when people pushed me down, but I went back and retrieved them after the meeting!
The next day, the newspapers criticised that women students putting up a show in the Stadium were jostled. So the Corporation erected iron railings around so that people could not climb during Zhou’s visit.
I had the privilege of going to the same Stadiumthree or four years ago when a leading school invited me to preside over a sports event. This gave me an opportunity to see the place after so many years.
I am also familiar with this area because I was in the Leather Export Promotion Council which was once located in Periamet, the world’s largest leather market then. Whenever I was bored in the office, I used to walk upto this Stadium to see some tamasha. No Chepauk for me!
Dr. G. Sundaram, IAS (R)
drgsundaram@yahoo.com
