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REMEMBERING S.PARTHASARATHY
C V NARASIMHAN IPS (Retd), Former- Director – C B I

My recollections of association with S Parthasarathy go back to year 1954 when I had just been posted as Superintendent of Police, Ramanathapuram at Madurai, and I made my first official-courtesy call on Parthasarathy who was then the Commissioner of Police, Chennai. I belong to the first batch of IPS officers directly recruited through a competitive examination immediately after Independence in 1947, and allotted to Madras province as It was then called when I started service after training in Mount Abu, I could sense a kind of divide between the senior IP Officers in the state and the new batch of post-independence I P S officers who started arriving on the scene The IP officers had all been recruited and trained with a different orientation under the British Raj and were noticeably conscious of their officer status vis-à-vis the common people as well as the subordinate services They appeared some what doubtful as to how the new IPS officers would fit into the new set up and move forward They generally kept themselves at a distance and watched the new IPS officers move along warily It was in this context that Parthasarathy who was one of their genre came out of the 'Imperial shell’ and walked the extra steps to meet the young IPS officers and infuse confidence in them by the warmth and sincerity his interaction with them. This impacted me at my very first meeting with him, and all my batch mates had the same experience in their turn. We all felt more comfortable in expressing our views and conversed with him than with other senior officers at that time

Parthasarathy held a Master's Degree in Law - a rare distinction in those days and was precise and perfect in his assessment of the legal issues arising from any situation .His officers could therefore handle with confidence with the back-up of his legally sound and comprehensive advice .

The depth of his knowledge and the sweep and clarity of his expression helped him remain at ease and command listening in any gathering of stalwarts and seniors in administration, Including the ICS that was the ultimate in the ruling bureaucracy. Junior officers like me who happened to be present on a few such occasions felt our own confidence boosted up by his example
His ready wit and sense of humor impressed all who had conversed with him even for a brief while. It was usual to find his office room filled with more than one visitor at the same time, each having come for a different purpose to transact with Parthasarathy but invariably drawn into a long session of all round conversation on several matters of the day, Interspersed with peals of laughter following

Parthasarathy witty comments at regular intervals! Parthasarathy had his own charming way of getting accepted by the people as well as his subordinates!
His glorious stint as Commissioner of Police, Chennai city from 1953-56 marked a him out as a ' Karma yogi'
Around 1956 he was drafted to the Center to serve as Director in the Railway Board, in charge of Vigilance and Security in the rank of Inspector-General of Police. He contributed substantially to the enactment of the Railway Protection Force Act in 1957 which gave a firm footing to the R P F which has now developed as a well uniformed and competent professional force of the Indian Railways

After retirement in 1961 his brilliant academic background naturally led him to the field of education and linked him with the prestigious Vivekananda College in Mylapore, Chennai. He functioned as its Secretary for some years and sagaciously guided its affairs
He had a genuine regard and liking for the police system for its linkages with Law, and was keen that the Officer-cadre should lead the system well to ensure delivery of service to public satisfaction I recall an occasion when, soon after his retirement from service, he walked into a meeting of the IPS Association at Chennai and when It was mildly hinted by someone that retired officers were not members of the Association Parthasarathy Immediately said with a smile that he had come merely to socialize with the officers and not preside over the meeting, and sat down comfortably ! That was Parthasarathy full of warmth and fellow feeing.

In his life time he exemplified many noble qualities including a natural desire to reach out to youngsters coming up in life, and encourage them The Saturday Evening Club is a manifestation of this quality in him

For all those who had known, Parthasarathy and moved closely with him, and equally for all those who had merely observed him at work from a distance, he was a not merely a policeman but a police gentleman all the way

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