"Beta (son) you must aim for higher education" - an advice that Ramdhari Ragunath Singh took seriosuly

By Marimuthu Subramoney
(aka Subry Govender)

By Marimuthu Subramoney

"Beta (son) you must aim for higher education as this is the only way one improves in life."
This the advice that an indentured grand-father gave his grand-son, Ramdhari Ragunath Singh, on a regular basis when they used to work together on their 50-acre sugar farm at Redcliffe, near Verulam, on the North Coast.
Mr Singh, a former school principal and teacher who worked as an educator for 38 years, will celebrate his 91st
on October 25.
Born at Redcliffe on October 25 1920, Mr Singh, popularly known as R R, told me about his family's connections with India, his rise from a humble farm boy to a school principal, and his involvement in sporting and social activities in an interview at his home.
His grand-father, Mr Madho Singh, was a Sikh. He came from the village of Cholapur, near the temple town of Benares in North India, in 1890 and worked as an indentured labourer at the Waterloo Sugar Estate, near Verulam.
While working as an indentured labourer, his grandfather made some cash by lending money to his fellow indentured labourers.
"When he completed his indenture he used some of the money he had saved to buy a 50-acre farm in Redcliffe for two-and-half-crowns(25 cents) an acre," said Mr Singh who is still lively and sprightly at 91.
His grand-father married a local Indian girl and they had two sons and three daughters.
Mr Singh was the off-spring of one of the sons, Ragunath. His father and mother, Jugwanthee, had four other children - two boys and two sisters.
Only his sister, Mrs Nihaldai Goodie(86), who still lives at Redcliffe with her family, is alive today.
"My grandfather and my uncles and aunties used to work very hard on the farm. They planted sugar cane, vegetables and fruits. I remember when I was a young boy I also joined my grandfather reaping the sugar cane and transporting it to the local sugar mill in Verulam," said Mr Singh.
"It was during these times that my grandfather used to urge me not to give up on my education. He used to say: 'Beta, you must aim for higher education'.
"I will never forget his words of advice."

As a young boy he used to walk from Redcliffe to attend the Verulam Indian Primary School at Missionlands in Verulam. He completed standard six at the school and thereafter travelled to Durban to attend high school at Sastri College.
"I only completed standard nine and went back to work on the farm with my brothers and sisters. One day while working on the field, the principal of the Verulam school, Mr S R Maharaj, came to see us and asked me what I was doing.
"I told him that I had completed standard nine and at that I was assisting my grandfather in the sugar cane farm. He said he had a vacancy in his school and he wanted me to join him as a teacher.
"I started work at my former school as a teacher for five pounds (R10 at that time) a month. But while working here, Mr Maharaj not only helped me with my work as a teacher, but also encouraged me to continue with my higher education. I enrolled to study for my BA degree even though I did not complete my matriculation," he said.
In 1952 he was transferred to the newly-established Verulam High School where he worked under L G Joshua for a year.
"Then in 1953 one of the most famous principals, Simon David, was appointed to take over the leadership of Verulam High. I worked under Mr David from 1953 to 1959. This period was one of my best as a teacher. Mr David was a very dedicated and committed principal who wanted to his educators to teach and his pupils to learn. He took no nonsense and called both teachers and pupils to order when they transgressed.
"I remember once he called me into his office and said 'Mr Singh I want to offer you the position to teach History'. I said I wouldn't like the other teacher who also wanted the position to think I was taking his job.
"Mr David looked at me and said: 'Mr Singh you either accept the position voluntarily or I will make an order that you become the history teacher'. I had no option but follow the order.
"One of the pupils in my history class was Paul David, the son of Simon David. I remember Paul as a very bright boy who asked a lot of questions. Paul went onto to become a lawyer and become involved in the public life of our people."
From Verulam High, Mr Singh was transferred to the Madhosingh Primary School in Redcliffe as an acting principal in 1960. The school was built by his grandfather. Thereafter, he served as principal in several schools in Avoca and Isisinembe on the North Coast before returning to Madhosingh in 1976. He retired in 1979 after being in the profession for 38 years.
"My success in life as a teacher is entirely due to the encouragement that my indentured grandfather gave me in my early life. He was an inspiration not only for the family but also for the community as he built a school for the children of Redcliffe.
"He also did a lot of community and religious work. He made a big contribution towards the construction of the Shree Gopalal Temple in Temple Valley in Verulam."

Some of the other leaders who had influenced his life were A D Lazarus, Dharma Nair, Vasi Nair, S K Naidoo and Simon David.
Mr Singh also excelled in the sporting fields. During his days at Sastri College he played soccer and cricket. He remembers that he played football with a former pioneer of Verulam, N C Moodley, and Kista Naidoo, who at one time played for the South African Indian team.
He took a keen interest in community and social work. He served the Verulam Crematorium Trust as First Secretary; the Fellowship of Retired Teachers as First Secretary; the Verulam Diwali Charity; Verulam Football Association and the Verulam Cricket Association.
"We as people of Indian origin have come a long way since our forefathers came from India in 1860," he said.
"This is only due to the fact that our forefathers emphasised education and took measures to build temples, other religious institutions and promoted their cultures. This is what will keep us going for another 150 years.
"Without a decent education and being involved in our cultural and spiritual advancement we will be lost.
"But I am not too happy about what is happening currently. There is just too much violent crime and we live like prisoners in our own homes. This was not the situation 20 years ago. We all lived like one big family and everyone took care of one another. Today we don't even worry about our neighbours. It's a very sad development.
"Families are also disintegrating. We don't enjoy the extended family system anymore.
"But despite all the problems we have to continue to promote our cultures, languages, and religions," he said.
Although now in his twilight years, Mr Singh keeps fit by getting up every morning at 4:30am, then doing his Yoga and other exercises, having his breakfast, walking several kilometres, and returning home to read religious books.
"I have had a full life and have nothing to complain about. I stay with my son and daughter-in-law and they look after me very well. I am blessed. I am a proud descendant of my grandfather who came here from India to work as an indentured labourer."
Mr Singh, whose wife died some years ago, has two sons and one daughter, who has migrated to Australia with her family. His eldest son also passed away a few years ago.