Page 13 - 2012--11.10.2018-Combined_9-Copy

successive years but also to be on top in the Island winning the All Island Merit Flag
and the coveted Sir Andrew Caldecott challenge bowl for chip-a-job.

It was during that time we sent our first ever contingent to the World Jamboree (
three out of seven from Ceylon ) to Idaho in the USA followed by to other regional
jamborees later.

The highlight of our time was when the joint JHC - St.John’s scouts participated in
the Jamboree to mark the Golden Jubilee of Scouting in Ceylon held in early 1962 in
the racecourse grounds in Colombo incidentally the Jamboree to mark the centenary
of scouting in Ceylon was held in Dambulla in April 2012. I recall with pleasure how
scouter Muttucumaran could instantly change a negative situation into a positive and That was Muttar who
pleasant one. could instantly transform
a negative into a
positive one
It was the grand campfire rehearsal night when all our scouts with scouter J.N.Ponniah
went for the event while Muttar and I stayed in camp tp prepare dinner for all.

We were steaming PITTU and all of a sudden the whole stuff slipped and fell into the
boiling vessel. Both of us were nonplussed as to what to do for dinner.

In a flash decision Muttar put in more flour and sugar and stirred it to make it as a fine
porridge. Muttar told the scouts that for all their efforts in the rehearsal there was a
special menu for dinner. All of them happily enjoyed the sweeet instant porridge. That JHC Old Boys NSW
was Muttar who could instantly transform a negative into a positive one.

It was to his credit that he successfully organised the Bhartha Natya Arangetram of
his eldest child Annapoorani ( Shantha ) in the Jaffna Veerasingam hall in the early
seventies and also founded the Meenadchi Nadna Palli, now located to Eastham in
London which proudly preserves and imbibes this trditional dance form of great value
to scores of children for the last quarter of a century.

The proud father Muttar should be the happiest soul to hear that the Nadana Palli by
the he planted has now blossomed so strongly and beautifully to the extent of it being V. Sivasupramaniam
graced and admired personally by no less a person than Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth Teacher
the second and also to gain global popularity and recognition at the grand opening of JHC 1953 - 1972
the London Olympics of 2012.

Kalaiyarasi 2012 11