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8th May 2016

KUALA LUMPUR: Many a time we read sad news of people getting involved in accidents and we move on unperturbed.

When we know it someone we know the news will hit us with a shock that can paralyse our mind for hours or days.

That’s what happened to me on Thursday night when I heard my good friend Sundran Annamalai was on board of the ill fated helicopter that went missing enroute from Betong to Kuching.

I met Sundaran in 1983, when I joined the government service as an Income Tax officer. He was working for the Treasury then.

For a while I carpooled with him. He is a soft spoken and loyal govt servant. We used to meet up in the only Indian stall at the Jln Duta government offices complex.

He is a man of few words.

Soon I got transferred to the Income Tax department in Johor Baru.

I lost contact with him.

Later I met him upon his return from Japan completing his Doctrate studies. Later I was surprised in his busy schedule Dr Sundaran had completed his law studies.

I met him with his brother Ragavan ( ex Air Force Warrant officer and current Tamil Foundation president) before Dr Sundaran left for World Bank to take up the prestigious post as executive director for the Southeast Asia Group.

I was proud of his achievements. As usual he was cool and had few words to speak about his posting.

My last meeting with Dr Sundaran was when Myskills was called up by the Ministry of Finance to discuss the Capital Expenditure Funding that was approved by the Prime Minister on the recommendation of Ravin Ponniah.

Dr Sundaran gave us a warm welcome and introduced me to his subordinates as a friend whom he knew from the 80’s.

He spoke many good things about Myskills and assured we will get the funding promised by PM soon.

Within 2 weeks we received the funds for our to-be-built campus in Kalumpang.

He is a rare breed of govt servant who is very hard working and loyal.

We just cannot come to terms with his demise.

We can only console ourselves that God has got a bigger plans for him.

May his soul rest in peace.

by S Pasupathi, prominent lawyer and the chairman of MySkills Foundation

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