[TimoDass]

Dear Sri Venkataramani Ji and Sri Kunjuppu Ji,

Well said.

I do not agree with some posters here who have said that our community is disadvantaged. Nothing can be farther from the truth.

I remember in the 1950s and the 1960s, we were as stymied as today in getting admission to decent colleges. My own brother who stood second in all of Madras State at that time in the Intermediate was not even called for an interview on his application to the Madras Medical College. He was gladly recruited by the Christian Medical College at Vellore and is today a pre eminent medical professional in his field.

I was not as bright as him, but nevertheless managed to be a professional student, in USA till a ripe old age of 32, when I got my first job. I do not know a single person in my extended family who is a failure in education and life.

But at the same time, I have very poor distant relatives. And, when I visited my village deity temple in the Tanjore district, it was heart wrenching to see the 'paramparai' priest there, barely eeking out a subsistence living. He had a daughter who was of marriageable age, but had a slight mental disability. Since then, I am somewhat helping materially, but unfortunately, with the set up of our society in terms of marriage, the girl (now a woman) still is unmarried and is under the care of the old priest.

I think that the poor TBs amongst us, though not many, still are struggling. No amount of political jingoism is going to help them.

We need to find an effective way to help them. Because no one else gives a hoot.

Regards,
KRS