Long back in the sixties, my brother in law was working in the IIT, Madras and he was also the warden of a hostel.
 
I had to give the entrance examination for the AFMC.
I had not visited Madras till then.
I chose Madras as a center so that I could visit my brother in law and also see Madras.
 
My father's friend had established an industry as an entrepreneur in Madras.
My father had declined to join him.
Even I had not accepted his proposal to join him.
I wanted to visit their family.
 
After nearly forty years I still have some fond memories of Chennai, then called Madras.
 
I remember the green surroundings of Guindy, near where the IIT was situated and I liked seeing the deer roaming in the park.
 
I remember St.Thomas Mount where I had given the screening test for AFMC successfully.
 
I remember the very tasty food made by the cook in the IIT hostel where I stayed with my brother in law.  I enjoyed the south Indian dishes of idly, vada, dosa and pongal with sambar and rasam. These had a much better taste than elsewhere in India.
 
An unforgettable experience was the programme by the extremely intelligent and humorous IITians, held in the evening, in an open-air theatre.
 
In this programme they had a humorous piece, where they demonstrated the 'madrasi' style of eating rice with the hands and making all the appropriate characteristic and typical gestures, expressions, noises, and exclamations with blurps and ‘aiyoh’s.
 
I remember having seen Dr.Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, the Ex-President of India, strolling in the lawn of his house.
I was in great awe of him and had read many of his books on Philosophy, religion and culture and had been inspired by his learned speeches over the All India Radio-Akashvani.
 
The climate appeared a bit hot but the fresh breeze along the vast expanse of the beach - The Marina, was refreshing.
 
I remember the house of my father's friend, a quick walk through the China bazaar and the Chor bazaar.
 
On another visit much later, a few years ago, I noticed how Chennai has become modernized with many new companies, especially software companies setting up base there.
 
I also remember my participation as a delegate in an Indo-Maldives joint meeting, the rounds of golf played in the nice TNGF-Cosmo golf course, Nandanam and the dinner at the Madras Gymkhana club and at a glamorous and posh Hotel.
 
Rakesh K. Jain