Sr. John, a Noble Soul
Sister John Britto Durai Chetty — that was how she wanted to be called — passed away at St. Martha’s Home for the Aged in Bengaluru, on Jan. 26. She was crossing four-score and ten years in age and lived a full life in the service of the Convent and more so in the field of music. She was the one who could play with ease and dexterity, Karnatak music on piano — her favourite instrument.
My association with this gracious lady dated back to more than three decades as she was the President of Mysore Music Association (mainly catering to Western Music) of which I was a Committee Member along with Sheela Irani, Alok Gupta. M. Lakshminarayana, M.G. Narasimha, Samson and Mrs. Raman of Raman Boards. In close association with British Council and American Consulate at Madras, she could get and arrange western music concerts at the then Southern Star auditorium and Jaganmohan Palace. She had even roped in Dr. Raja Ramanna, Atomic Scientist, to give a concert in piano.
Vivid are my memories of my visits to Good Shepherd Convent School here in Mysuru, where I was a Structural Consultant for strengthening the walls and roof of their three-storeyed hostel building housing among other students, two or three aged nuns from Ireland. My work there took me to the Convent frequently and I found her teaching Western music on piano to several students from aristocratic families of Mysuru. After the classes she would offer me a few biscuits and a cup of fruit juice and ask me which song in Karnatak music she should play on the piano for me.
And when I mentioned ‘Vatapi Gana Patim’ and ‘Raghu Vamsha Sudha,’ she would immediately let her diligent fingers on the keyboard and the songs would automatically start ringing in my ears. Then, once or twice, she would take me inside the Chapel and give me a Rosary to pray for the Almighty.
I had visited her two or three times in the St. Martha’s Home at Bengaluru and she was always asking about Mysuru and the Music Association, which was her soul.
—M.L. Krishnaswami NOTE: Sr. John’s funeral took place at Bengaluru this afternoon.—Ed
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / January 28th, 2016