A SALUTE
- T.T.RANGARAJAN, FROZEN THOUGHTS, 2003

Learning about the life's journey of a living legend, and that too when it is narrated in his own voice is like reading an encylopaedia wrapper to wrapper. One such living encyclopaedia is the star of this edition of "A Salute", Dr.S.Krishnaswamy.

History is full of people who have left their mark in a field of specialisation so deep and strong, that they have become an icon in that very field. In that sense, Krishnaswamy is an icon in the making of documentary films and TV serials. Krishnaswamy, for over four decades has been making films to crystallise the findings of his extensive and exhaustive research on India, Indians and Indian heritage, and communicating the same to the world to awaken the world to India, and also to awaken Indians to India. The theme of his films is educating 'the other' - about India to the world; about South India to North Indians and about North India to South Indians: about rural India to the urban world and about the urban world to rural India; about inter-religious harmony and brotherhood to everyone in the world. With the motto, " We film to build bridges of brotherhood. We shoot to destroy walls of prejudice," Krishnaswamy, has used the power of media not merely to entertain but to actually enlighten the world.... Should I rather say, he has succeeded in 'enlightening in entertaining ways'. His exceptional work enabled him to receive four National awards from the Presidents of India, the 'Honor Summus Award' from the Watumull Foundation, Honolulu for 'film making with a sense of social commitment, combining technical skill with creative finesse', the 'Seva Ratna Award' for being 'a monumental example of Indian cultural heritage' and 'For the Sake of Honour Award' for his contribution to 'Communication for the elevation of the human spirit'.

Speaking about his success, Krishnaswamy said, "In a world that carries the misconception that in the film industry one cannot succeed without providing cheap entertainment, I have my own yardstick for success and I have been very peaceful with my success. Though a company by definition should have a profit motive, we have defined success in much broader terms than in terms of P&L Accounts and Balance Sheet. To me it is not enough that I have earned profits on my investments, for, to me success also depends on 'How many people I have reached out to and what message I have communicated'."

His messages have not only reached the common man but also the elite. In fact, to prepare Bill Clinton, the former President of the United States, for his visit to India one of the films he was shown was Krishnaswamy's 'India 5555'- 5000 years of civilisation strength, 500 years of composite culture, 50 years of democratic growth and 5 years of vibrant economic policies. Add to the former President of the United States, the following, as Krishnaswamy's target audience.

The former Prime Minister, I.K.Gujral once said, "After seeing Krishnaswamy's short film titled "I", I feel prouder to be an Indian. We need ambassadors like Krishnaswamy who can tell the world what India is, and what a rich heritage we have. When men like Krishnaswamy remind us of our heritage, remind us of our history and put us in that context, they do a great deal of service".

After seeing Krishnaswamy's film 'Indus Valley to Indira Gandhi', Nobel Laureate Elia Kazan wrote to Krishnaswamy, "Your film awakened me to India. I was acquainted with many of the cold facts you touch on. But your film gave them the heat of life".

The Sankaracharya of Kanchi once said, "..... we do not normally see films at all. However, in the case of Krishnaswamy's films, we have made an exception. Today, valiantly and boldly, he is making films based on our Dharma, our arts, our culture, our literature, with innovation and imagination winning admiration all over the world".

The former Minister for Information and Broadcasting, V.N.Gadhil called Krishnaswamy a 'Model citizen of our Constitution', and Dr.K.Venkatasubramanian of Union Planning Commission said, "Krishnaswamy is an Open University".

What is the story behind the ascent of this Model citizen.... this Open University - the remarkable Dr.S.Krishnaswamy?

On July 29th, 1938, Krishnaswamy was born in the city of Chennai in an affluent household that had 7 seven cars and a house so big that it later became a school. Krishnaswamy's father, Subrahmanyam was a pioneer in South Indian cinema and also a devoted freedom fighter. His highly religious mother, Meenakshi was a talented singer, composer and veena player.

Speaking about his parents, Krishnaswamy said, "My Dad at every stage of his life represented a broader vision of culture. He always believed that all of us as individuals carry the responsibility to renounce the accumulated dirt of our society. He gave up his legal practice in order to be a film maker, he was also committed to the cause of the freedom struggle and worked all his life to uplift Women and Dalits. My Dad made a lot of money but also lost it all. Two of the films he made were banned, for, one represented the freedom struggle of India and the other was about the presence of Japanese spies in India, and that caused huge financial upheaval in the family. The greatest asset my Dad gave me was instilling the ability to live life without compromising values. Though he lost everything he never lost himself.. never lost his character and values. My mother was a brave woman; she stood and suffered the ups and downs of life. While my admiration is always for my father, my sympathies always go to my mother".

Krishnaswamy studied till the 5th standard at 'Besant Theosophical School' in Chennai. Then, magnetized by the small town set-up and bullock carts of Nagapattinam, his mother's ancestral town, and greatly inspired by his maternal great grandmother, Krishnaswamy chose to stay with her at Nagapatinam for the next 6 years. There, he studied at National High School.

Speaking about the influence of his great grandmother, he said, “She was a great source of inspiration. She belonged to the generation of Tamil and Sanskrit scholars and had immense knowledge of epics and literature. She had the habit of reading for an hour every morning but due to failing eyesight, she entrusted to me the responsibility of reading aloud to her, and in turn, she would interpret, explain and teach the story behind those stories. That is how I learnt about our culture, heritage and traditions. Truly epitomizing the teaching of Upanishads, she encouraged me to clarify my doubts, ask questions and sometimes even defy her. I once told her, “I doubt whether I believe in God”, and she simply replied, “Okay! Think for yourself”. She encouraged me to think independently”.

After completing his schooling, Krishnaswamy relocated himself back to Chennai. He did his Intermediate from Vivekananda College and graduated in Physics from the Presidency College. Speaking about his college days, he said, “I actually wanted to study philosophy but then I realized I could study philosophy even later in life without the help of a college, but not Physics. I believed that I would not be respected in society if I did not have even a basic science background. During my college days, I used to read any book I could lay my hands on, except those related to academics. I began to develop strong leftist links and began to lean towards Marxism. Even today I am a voracious reader, except that now my reading has become selective".

Commenting about an important turn around that happened in his life at that point of time (early 50s), Krishnaswamy said, “Though an ardent reader of Bertrand Russell and Aurobindo, I was an agnostic. Seeing the activities that surrounded one of the talks of Swami Chinmayananda, I went to listen to him with a ‘what the hell' attitude. I got hooked. He created a recovery of faith in God. I am personally happy that I came from a background of agnosticism for it developed my questioning abilities, and as a result, today, I value my faith. Else I would have offered myself as a slave to blind faith and that way I would have been intellectually less equipped. Though I never became a part of Chinmaya Mission, I always stayed in touch with Swami Chinmayananda and I remain his ardent devotee. In fact, several years later during one of his discourses in Canada, he asked me to screen one of my films for his audience and he also addressed the gathering about the film ……. to me that is more coveted an award than anything else that I have earned in my lifetime". He further added, "Once when I asked Swami Chinmayananda if I could make a film on him, he said, 'I am just a passing person. Instead, make it on the Bhagawad Gita.... that is an eternal phenomenon".

After his Graduation, Krishnaswamy underwent training in Electronics and Audio Engineering. He then developed a desire to go abroad for further studies. With financial assistance from his brothers and on the advice of a family friend, he went to the United States in 1959 to study at RCA Institute, New York. A rude shock awaited Krishnaswamy as he found that the standards of education at the RCA Institute were far below the education he had already received in India. Moreover, he was slowly getting convinced that he did not want to be a technician in electronics but wanted to use technology for creative objectives.

So he approached Columbia University to do his Master's in ‘Film and TV Media'. After crossing all the levels of bureaucracy a foreign student had to pass through, he met a Professor and explained as to why he wanted to pursue a Master's degree. The Professor told an eager Krishnaswamy, “I would love to have a student like you but I have a technical problem – since you have come on a visa to study at RCA Institute, I cannot register you as a student in Columbia University, which means, even if I allow you to study here you cannot get a degree”. Krishnaswamy clarified to the Professor, “I am more concerned about the education I will get than the papers that will certify my education”, and joined school. His next challenge was to get his immigration clearance which the officer denied, stating, “You cannot come to the US to become an Engineer and end up becoming a Doctor”. Over a period of two months, with constant communication and persuasion, Krishnaswamy cleared all channels only to realise that the RBI had cancelled his Foreign Exchange Permit for he was doing a different course. As a result his family was not able to send him money and his visa regulations also did not permit him to work.

There are some people who can turn any scar into a star and convert every end into a bend. Krishnaswamy is one among them. He called on Ivan Smith, Deputy Secretary General – United Nations, whom he had met in Chennai several months ago, and explained his predicament. Ivan Smith suggested that the only solution for Krishnaswamy would be to work with the United Nations, as UN as an International Forum was not covered by all these regulations. Krishnaswamy was inducted into the 'Film Department' of the UN and it was during this time in 1960 that the 15th session of the UN was held. Krishnaswamy not only experienced Presidents and Prime Ministers of various countries but also happened to meet a lot of junior delegates and even spend evenings with them ….. one of them being R Venkataraman, who later became the President of India. With reverberating laughter, Krishnaswamy added, “Every problem you face results in an opportunity. If the RBI had not cancelled my FE permit I would not have experienced Eisenhower, Nehru, RV..... I would not have worked for the United Nations".

After his short stint with the UN, Krishnaswamy worked as Associate Producer with the TV channel of New York State Education to produce a TV serial sponsored by the UN, titled ‘World Neighbours'. This project apart from giving him the needed media exposure also necessitated him to study about various countries, their culture and civilization, and also enabled him to work with various Consulates. Krishnaswamy did exceedingly well in his Master's program as well. This motivated his Professor to apply for an exemption and Krishnaswamy was awarded a Master's Degree. Years later, he also did his Doctorate from Columbia University .

On coming back to India, instead of building a career in the US, which is the norm, Krishnaswamy said, “Though there were many job offers from the State Education Department, two important factors were instrumental in my return to India. One, I believed that the villages of India needed me …… I thought I could be of use to my country. Two, Professor Erik Barnouw, who was then the Head of the Department of Film and Communications in Columbia University, invited me to collaborate with him on a research project on Indian Cinema. We co-authored the highly acclaimed book, ‘Indian Film'.

In 1963, the Government of India offered Krishnaswamy the position of ‘Director of the Films Division'. Krishnaswamy wasn't prepared to take a Government job, for he believed that it would limit the scope of his expressions. His heart was set on making a film on the 5000 years of Indian civilization. Moreover, living in the US had developed in Krishnaswamy business acumen, the enterprise to build an independent institution and the ability to build an organization systematically. It was around the same time that his friend, Desikan informed Krishnaswamy that Parry & Co. was looking for someone to produce an advertisement film for their fertilizer division. With the stage set for him, with a meager capital of Rs.14 – his company, Krishnaswamy Associates was founded in 1964. Twenty years later, ‘Documentary films and Indian Awakening' – a book published by the Publications Division of the Government of India, quoted an international survey to state that. “Krishnaswamy Associates had become Asia's largest non-governmental, non-fiction film organisation". Now, Krishnaswamy Associates is majestically marching towards celebrating its 40th anniversary.

In 1969, Krishnaswamy got married to Mohana – a University topper and a gold medallist, a Doctorate in Bio Chemistry, who has published 20 post-doctoral research papers in various scientific journals, the winner of the ‘Hari Om Ashram's National Award' for research in Ayurveda, a linguist who is fluent in half-a-dozen languages and a trained Bharatnatyam dancer. Speaking about his family, Krishnaswamy said, “Mohana has been a major influence in my life. To build our marriage and our family, she gave up more than I did. In spite of being a noted scientist with invitations from all over the world, my wife had this very Indian streak in her …… to her, her family and her children were very important and so she sacrificed the future she could have had for the sake of the family. Circumstantial demands made her a part of Krishnaswamy Associates and today, she virtually runs the organization. We have two wonderful daughters, Lata and Gita, and a brilliant son, Subrahmanyam”, and then with booming laughter he adds, "In fact, the most satisfying moments of my life now are the ones I spend with my granddaughters, Kamini and Meenakshi.... if only I had known that being a grandfather was so much fun, I would have become a grandfather straight away".

Krishnaswamy, elaborating further on the influence of Mohana in his life, added, “Most people begin to lose all the ideals they held in their youth with the coming of success. Here I was, doing very well in my business but I also wanted to make a big film on the 5000 years of Indian civilization. It was Mohana who motivated me by saying, ‘Burn your bridges and do it. I don't want you to grow into an old man saying, I wanted to'. Almost everybody was against my getting into this project (of course, their intentions were good) but she stood by me”.

Krishnaswamy borrowed lots of money, gave up even his office for the next 3 years, travelled 60,000 kilometers and produced a documentary epic that involved 120 locations. ‘Indus Valley to Indira Gandhi' became the first ever Indian film to be distributed under a Hollywood banner, as Warner Bros., acquired the international distribution rights. The project not only fulfilled Krishnaswamy's passionate craving but also became a commercial success – it had a successful run in most places in India for over 26 weeks. James Beveridge of UNESCO commented, “The film is nobly conceived and most ably executed. But the miracle is that the producer survived it”. In fact, the film was discussed in the Indian Parliament.

Krishnaswamy added, “Ever since it has become my habit to conceive something that is difficult, fight through the hurdles and hold on to my ideals and objectives till I succeed”.

Throughout his four decades of film making, Krishnaswamy has made headlines in National dailies, has met Prime Ministers, Presidents and Ministers of several countries, has been discussed in the parliament, has produced films and delivered speeches that have been the center of bureaucratic politics, has had personal audience with the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, Sankaracharya and many more religious leaders, and enjoyed personal friendship with legendary writers and film personalities, has held chair positions in many international forums..... in all, he has shown us all how much is possible for one human being who chooses to follow his heart and stick to his values and principles.

When I asked him what the message from his life is, Krishnaswamy said, “It will be arrogant on my part to say that there is a message from my life. God had blessed me with a life where I always did what I wanted to; never have I had to do something under compulsion. Of course I have experientially learnt that when your life is driven by pure and unselfish desires – not for gain but with ethics - then His forces work in your favour. The fundamental thing is to not sacrifice your perennial values but to stick to your fundamentals. Living by your values should become as natural as breathing. I have been working with government officials in the last four decades, yet, I can proudly say that I have never taken a project where kickbacks were involved. I know I have created difficult conditions for me to operate and as a result sometimes it has been a struggle with bureaucracy but I am glad that I never offered my soul as collateral to gain anything from the world. I have lived my life on my terms".

I asked Krishnaswamy, “Having been such an intimate Indian to India, how do you visualize the future of India ?” and he said, “As Krishnaswamy Associates, we have created the basis of authentic data on Indian history and heritage. The magnitude, the colour, the joy and the sorrow of India – I have probably experienced India more than any other Indian. However I am saddened by what I see in Ayodhya, Gujarat and Mumbai. We cannot go back in history and correct the faults of yesteryears. We need a generation who can forget the acidic facts of some parts of our history and turn a new leaf…….. in the hands of such a generation alone is the future of India bright”.

When I asked him if he has any regrets in life, he replied, “Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore used to say, ‘Leave the gaps in your life as they are for the music to come out of its depth'. Whatever didn't happen in my life are those gaps from which the music of my life comes out. So, I have no regrets”.

As I hugged him, a thought flashed in me, “Krishnaswamy the living encyclopaedia ….. Oh, so much more to come ……. So much more will come … we stand in unison and salute you”.

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