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Interview with Mrs.Lakshmi Mohan: businesswoman and social worker

(I interviewed Mrs. Lakshmi Mohan, in February 2006, originally for a magazine, which have ceased publication since then and this interview was never published. The story doesn't touch the aspects of her career and focuses on her personal life and viewpoints.)

Cine actor Krishna's mother, is how Mrs. Lakshmi Mohan is better known today. During the yesteryears, she was better known to be the daughter of the cine actress, (late) Lalitha, of Lalitha-Padmini-Ragini (The Travancore sisters) fame. Lalita-Padmini-Ragini has had the opportunity to dance even in front of many famous leaders, including Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and have performed abroad too. Nine people from their family are in the film industry, including the popular actresses in the South - Shobana and Sukumari.

Her mother and advocate father never encouraged her or her three sisters to come on the screen.And Mrs. Lakshmi holds an identity of her own.

School & College Days

“My mother was very strict. When I moved to stay at St.Teresa’s, Kochi for higher education, I had only three or four saris, one pair of sandals, Cuticura powder. She did not even allow us to stand for more time in front of the mirror. Amma always insisted on putting oil on hair and to stay away from applying shampoo. We weren’t taken to festival grounds at temple. We were taken only to see ‘good cinemas’. My parents would go and watch the film and if it's good, then take us,” reminisces Mrs. Lakshmi.

Inspite of the sophisticated life, she could have been put to, the three sisters lived at Ramakrishna ashram for a year to learn their customs. "Those days I used to feel angry at my parents, but later on we understood the importance of having lived there." During this phase of life, Lakshmi lived with ordinary people, sleeping on the floor, cutting vegetables, washing clothes and so on. No when she looks, she knows it has brought only advantages and there is not even a single disadvantage to point out.

On Anchoring, modeling and acting

Mrs. Lakshmi Mohan is against the trend of parents pushing their young children to anchoring and modeling. She certainly is not the only woman who thinks so. Considering her thoughts on matters like this, knowing well she belongs to a family, from where have emerged 9 actors and actresses, surprises us!

She has understood the industry well. Many a parent often approaches her to do recommendation to one or the other director, to put their child in front of the camera. “There is another bad phase of the film industry. It is not such a good one, especially for girls. They should know to protect themselves,” explains Mrs. Lakshmi Mohan. She feels ‘pity’ to those parents and young minds, who aspire to be in the film to make fame and money. “I wouldn’t want to name anyone particularly, but there are many in this field who are ready to do anything for money.” She reminisces about a child who was taught to walk in high-heeled shoes, lipsticks, and walk like a model, even before the girl started attending school. The girl’s mother taught her to do so. Today, the girl follows the path she was taught during her childhood and is a model. “Putting high-heeled shoes causes several health problems including heel joint pains, back pain, whole body pain and so on. Still the children go for showing off with high-heeled shoes.”

Mrs. Lakshmi says the trend of the day is to make kid’s face come in a television programme or a movie. The entire effort a parent take in grooming a child is for this sole purpose. “The TV anchors, including kids uses a particular slang while anchoring. It is so much artificial. The voice of the child star also sounds like a grown-up person.” According to her, parents have an eye on both money and fame.

Change in family values

One of the drawbacks of the present day scenario is that there is no interaction between parents and children. ‘Dining table’ is the best place to make your kids open up and share your thoughts with them. Nowadays, the same members of the family take food at different timings, at their own convenience. Parents are willing to spent money to buy anything their child asks for. They are however, are not given proper attention a child really needs in their growing-up years. The child is not aware of what is happening in the household. Say for instance, how much money the father brings home and how the mother manages and spends it.

Mr.Mohan and Mrs.Lakshmi never encouraged their two sons to take up acting. However, Krishna started showing interest in theatre while in high school. In spite of never getting even a single word of encouragement from his parents, he made it to the screens. “I have been to shooting locations with my parents and sisters. But, I and my husband never accompanied Krishna for shoots.” As a mother, how does she feel when her young son is to act intimate scenes with girls? She responds, “Acting and real life is different. We have never felt anything. It's a part of profession.”

She runs a matchmaking service, manages their restaurant "Tandoor" in Kochi behind the scenes, is one of the trustees of a CBSE school and is involved in several activities including music and dance. She also loves cooking and is the one to try out new dishes, provided she is in the ‘right mood’ to cook. She hurries out putting a stop to the long conversation she shared with me, as ingredients are waiting her at her kitchen to try out a new recipe.

Pen power helps friendship grow

I am posting this story online today for some reason – the reason, I’ll reveal later this month. This month also marks the 15^th year of my pen friendship with my Shimla-based friend I’ve never met. Watch out for the second entry in third or fourth week of January.
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"There is nothing worse than not having a friend, a helping hand, especially when you go through the tough days of teens unknowing whether you are a child or an adult," I often murmured.

Friends, was always close to the last word in my dictionary during my school days. It is not that I did not like having friends. Somehow, I was not lucky enough to find a good friend in any one of my classmates, family friends or neighbors. Everyone had a selfish motive. I searched in vain for several years wherever my eyes and hands could reach.

My journey through letters helped me find what I could term as "friends". They were friends but not the kind of I dreamt of. They weren't someone who would stand by me, suggest me whenever I needed one. But true, they were better than friends I had met.

And in January 1995, when I was in mid-teens, I wrote to Jyotirmoy Dutta, a boy of my same age from one of my favorite destination – Shimla, a hill station in North India. I should mention here, I started writing to him mistaking his name for a girl’s! It was after 2 or 3 letters I realized I was writing to a boy. We both shared information about our place of residence, common interest and occasionally discuss studies. Again, it was just like any other pen friendship. I couldn't hear his voice or discuss anything the moment I wanted to. He lived several miles away. I was in the Southern tip of India and he was living close to the Northern tip of India. But, the gradual growth of our friendship gave both my friend and me satisfaction.

Beginning with one-page writing, the length of letters started going high till it became eight to ten pages of full-scale papers. We would write to each other at least once in a month and occasionally the frequency would even go to two letters a week, when the contents of each letter were short. We stopped giving each other time to receive the other person's letter. If there were anything to convey we would write and let the other know. We supported each other whether we were going through the rough times or we were through the best phase of our lives.

My mom once asked me, "What is there so much to write?"

I didn't have an answer. I know he was just one friend to whom I could write anything, without feeling the "distance factor."

He would mention his confusion in choosing the next step in his daily life. Career was one such. At several stages, he put forward a question of education or career and I offered my suggestions. He remained true to his words of remaining as a good friend, supporting me when I was in a dilemma.

We extended our helping hands to each other often. We both knew even if our friends who lived with us, who knew us face-to-face since childhood leaves us, we both would remain good friends. And by then, this realization bit on me – he was exactly the kind of friend I was searching for since I was a kid.

We continued as good buddies for ten long years. I don't mean to say this friend has disappeared from the scene. With me getting married in 2004, he has become a family friend. We no more write letters as time doesn't permit and I have my dearest friend, my loving husband besides me; but we keep in touch with this friend whom I have never met personally but only via emails and phone calls.

Both my friend, and I even today believe we remained true to each other during adolescent years and helped each other sail through the rough times with the help of a pen and paper! And to my friends and acquaintances, who always doubted if pen friendship would last – I would say, this is the best friendship I’ve had in my life – with no selfish motive – as a true friend!

97th Indian Science Congress 2010 at University of Kerala, Kariyavattom Campus, Thiruvanathapuram

The 97th Indian Science Congress (ISC) 2010 was held at University of Kerala, Kariyavattom Campus, Thiruvananthapuram from January 3-7, 2010. About 2,00,000 people are said to have visited the expo during the five days.

According to Sify, 2,000 scientific and technical papers were presented during ISC 2010. 7,000 delegates, including 2,000 students from across India participated in the five-day event.

Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam inaugurated the Childrens Science Congress. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inagurated the ISC 2010. Highlights of his speech can be found at Sify's website.

Note 1: I spent a couple of days at ISC 2010, as my father's product "Rat Vanisher" was displayed during ISC Expo 2010. The photos in this post were taken on February 4th, 2010 at "Kerala Gramam" and Indian Science Congress Exhibition.

Note 2: All photographs shot by Resmi Jaimon. IF you would like to use any of these pictures in your website/blog, contact me for my permission

Images: Kerala Gramam

Images: Indian Science Congress Exp 2010

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO)

Indian Space Research Organisation displays model of Chandrayaan-1

Pictures from Indian Space Research Organisation stall

Ministry of Earth Sciences