Thiruvalluvar Award to Anwar Batcha
By SHEFA RAFI
US based writer of inspirational maxims William Arthur Ward rightly categorised teachers thus: The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. True to his words, Dr M G Anwar Batcha, former Tamil teacher at Chokkampudur SBOA Higher Secondary School is a teacher, who inspired scores of his students for his novel initiative in popularising and promoting Saint Thiruvalluvar’s Thirukkural.
Yes, Anwar Batcha is a familiar person in Gandhi Park area as he makes it a point to write a couplet a day alongwith it’s meaning on the black board kept at a cycle shop at Corporation shopping complex. Interestingly, he has been doing this service for the past four decade or so winning the hearts of Kovaiites.
Thanks to Tamil Nadu government for honouring him with ‘Thiruvalluvar award’ at a function organised in Chennai Kalaivanar Arangam recently. Indeed, a recognition to Anwar Batcha’s innovative initiative, which came post retirement. Sharing his happiness to this scribe, Anwar Batcha said he wants to dedicate this award to his teachers Pulavar Rasiannan and Pulavar Arumugam (City Municipal High School at Variety Hall Road), who groomed him to what he is now. All credit goes to the duo for bringing the best out of him.
To his credit, Anwar Batcha received awards like Kural Neri Chelvar, Thirukkural Thoothar, Thirukkural Vendar and Thirukkural Thondar. And he penned a book on Thirukkural with English translation besides a book titled Valluvar Manimozhigal and Valluvaridam Kettathum Kidaithathum. Batcha is quite proficient in Urdu, Hindi, Malayalam and Telugu. Retired, but not tired to actively involve in literary organisations like Thirukkural Aaivu Kazhagam, Ulaga Kalaitamizh Madram, Coimbatore World Thirukkural Centre and organisor of Kovai Islamiya Tamil Sangam. Anwar Batcha did his doctorate on ‘Samuga Nokkil Thirukkuralum, Thirukkuranum’.
