H.Ramanathan
First Group Leader (Scouts)
The group is noted for its balanced yearly programme of work, study, play, adventure and service. Thiru S.R. V.S. M/s. K.
A lot of responsibility is now cast upon the shoulders of t was in the year 1938, I passes out of Pachiyappa’s college as an Honours Graduate and was seeking for a suitable job. I was also involving myself in social activities. Thiru M.A.Nagarajan and Thiru T.S. Mani were active Scouters and they approached me with a request to head a scout group which they proposed to start, I was at first hesist
ant to take up the responsibility of leading a scout unit. My friends would not leave me and they persuaded me to get into scout uniform and attend the inaugural function which was held at the hallowed grounds of Vasantha Mandapam Chitrakulam west ward street, Mylapore, The start itself was very heady. Venkatraman, Headquarters commr. Hindustan scout Assocation and a leading light of the servants of India society invested me. From then on, I began to involve myself in Scouting in all earnestness. Close to our Headquarters at Mosque Street, Mylapore, Shivaji Scout Group was functioning very effectively under the astute leadership of Thiru Maitreya Dasan and his talented sister Smt. Shanthalakshmi Though late in the field the Prathap Scout Group was coming up quite rapidly and was soon on equal level with the Hindustan Scout Association. The high ups in Scouting with international repute were paying regular visits to the Prathap Scout Group and were impressed with the progress of the group Dame Laslie Whateley, Director, the World Bureau of girl Guides met the members of the group on 22-11-52 and complimented them on their fine record of work Later on, thanks to the move by the then Cub master Thiru T.S. Mani and Thiru R. Natesan, a Guide wing was added. The Guide Wings within a short time rose to commendable heights. Guiders Lilly Josephine, M. Rosali, Akila Natesan and S.V. Leela strove their best and paved the way for its pre-emience. The stalwarts with legendary fame, Thiru. Rathnasabapathy, Provincial Secretary wrote in the visitor’s Book. “The Prathap Scout Group is one of the best groups in the Presidency”. Thiru T.V. Neelakantam, the National Camp Chief has “The Prathap plan well and work it also well, the boys are under the splendid leadership and they are having real glimpses of Scouting. Sri K.A. Nachiappa Gounder, Provincial Commissioner observed “I am fully confident that merged All India Body, The Bharat Scouts & Guides. Wish all success to the group which produced four Hind Scouts out of the ten that can be claimed by the Madras States. Pandit Sri Ram Bajpal National Organising Commissioner was very close to the group and his laudatory references enthused the Scouters to hectic activity. They group had for its sectional officers Scouters with firm commitment in Scouting and with far reaching vision had foresight. A.S. Kasturi Rangan, T. Nagabhushanam, R.V. Raghavan, V.S. Srinivasan, T.K. Devadas, P. Panchanathan, D. Vedagiri, T.V. Krishnaswamy, R. Nagaswamy, R. Sankaran, A.V. Jeyachandran Ravi, A.V. Santhanam, A.V. Ranga Rajan, were its former Scouters who did their best to step up the efficiency of the group. The Officer’s Council was noted for its frank expression of views and every one had a say in decisions arrived at. The Patrol system was observed intensively. The Patrol Leaders earned encomiums all around for the superb way in which they conducted themselves. Among the ideal Patrol leaders mention may be made of K.S. Venkataraman R. Gopalakrishnan, M. Rama Rao, K. Rajagopalan, T. Nagabhushanam, R. Rajagopalan, V. Krishnaswami, A.V. Krishnamoorthy and T. Rama Gupta. The Group had the benefit of expert advice for senior advocated Thiru T.S. Vaidyanatha Iyer and S.V. Venkatasubramanian who were President of the Group Committee. The Group figured very prominently in the First All India Jamboree at Race Course Grounds, Secundrabad from 29th December 1953 to 2nd January 1954. The Group leader (S) had the privilege of serving as the Depty Leader of the Auxilary Camp of Jamboree. Since then the Group has been deputing its Scouts and Rovers to take part in all the Jamborees until now In the XI Jamboree that was recently held in Bhopal from 3rd to 9th Jan 1990 our scouts including Thiru G. Palaniappan Thiru R. Raju and Thiru M. Venkatagiri took part. The group is noted for its balanced yearly programme of work, study, play, adventure and service. A lot of responsibility is now cast upon the shoulders of Thiru. Rajagopalan its present scout Master who works with meticulous care and precision and has sustained the group with amazing consistency. With the grace of the Lord the Group with its accumulated tradition is continuing its onward wail without break making the element of scouting real in the lives of hundreds of boys and girls who have come under its loving care
