'Public Service' Padmanabhan

My neighbour in Coonoor G V Raman refers to him as 'Public Service' Padmanabhan. Because of his reputation to reach out to those who need help in dealing with government departments, banks, municipal authorities. As a retired judicial dept. official, who has worked in various courts, from the munsif to district courts , my chittappa Mr Padmanabhan is fairly well-versed with rules and procedures in the functioning of offices at panchayat,taluk and district levels.

He has a way of getting things done, partly because of his resourcefulness particularly on his home ground Pollachi, and mainly because of his familiarity with the ways of the bureaucratic system at work in public dealing offices - nationalised banks,the municipality, treasury and courts. Most of us having to deal with folks in these offices have no clue to rules, procedures,and the paperwork involved in getting something as basic as a bank account transferred, or obtaining death and heirship certificates. This is the plight of Siva who has lost his father Raja in
Coimbatore.

Knowing how ignorant Siva is in such matters my chittappa has vounteered to help him. For someone in his mid-70s Mr Padmanabhan is hyper active. When Siva approached him with his predicament chittappa went to Coimbatore, from his Venkatesa Colony home in Pollachi, to take him to the relevant offices and help him with filling official forms and drafting various applications.

I must mention here how much I looked up to chittppa for help and guidance when I lost my father in Pollachi over six years back. I wasn't there when father died; and couldn't even make it to Pollachi until a few days after cremation. Not only did Mr
Padmanabhan organise everything for us, he got all the post-death paperwork done for us. He still helps my mother, who is with us in Mysore, with her bank transaction relating to her family pension account held in Pollachi.