Eminent Personalities

Eminent Personalities

The persons who moulded me are my Grand father, my father and my mother.

The eminent personalities Who have influenced my life during my studies and career are the following:

When I was studying for B.Tech Mr. Chandra Sekaran Nair who was hard working and committed. He secured rank in Engg and IAS joined IAS and retired as Chief  Seretary to Govt of Kerala. I used to have combined study with him.

When I joined TKM, the Principal Prof, Hameed Sir was a puntctual and dedicated leader who enforced high discipline in the college. Among the Faculty Dr. Gopalakrishna Iyer and Dr. F.V.Albin impressed me through their caliber and knowledge. Mr. K.P.Pillai and Ibrahim Kutty helped me a lot to pull on in difficulties. Dr. Gopinatha Pillai who was a Prof of Chemistry at CET and an expert  homeo physician with his psychological discussions and counseling has motivated me to face all difficult situations.  

When I joined IIT, Madras for M.Tech my guide Dr. Prithvi Raj exibited as a role model of a guide. Dr. Feirison of the University of Wiscoson  who came there as a guest faculty on an exchange program had shown wonderful way of teaching difficult subjects. Dr. Krishna Swamy and the German Professors Dr. Sheer and Prof. Krimsey handled classes in a different and pleasing way.

When I joined IIT, Bombay for PhD Mr. U.N.Gaitonde who was also doing his PhD and a very knowledgeable person  showed  model of a best friend helping all in a pleasant way. Dr. Sukatme who was HOD then was a role model to be an HOD giving proper advice and handling wonderful classes. My guide there Dr. Achuthan gave all moral support after suggesting the topic.

When I joined Muscat Technical and Industrial College Mr. Derrick Hewitt HOD there with his pleasing manners and loving nature impressed me. Mr. Rajendra Prasad and Rashid Al Qassim were of great help to me.

When I joined YCET as Principal I was very much impressed by the Chairman Dr. Younus Kunju who through his dedication and leadership qualities came up from a low level. He has proved that with hard work and commitment anything can be achieved. 

When I came to Kuwait Sheikh Yawar Baig through his eminent leadership and management qualities surprised me though I had only 5 days personal association with him. Mr. Abdul Aziz Duwaij a Kuwaitee showed remarkable friendship. Dr. Asha Menon requested me to make a blog to put postings on my life and experiences for the benefit of others and instrumental for this and I am thankful to her for making me open up.

I am still having contact through mail with Sheikh Yawar Baig, Dr. U.N.Gaitonde and Dr,F.V.Albin

Their association has greatly influenced my teaching and life. I am thankful to all of them

Dr. Mohamed Ali Essa 

My Father Essa Ahamed Sait

My Father Essa Ahamed Sait 

My father, Essa Ahamed Sait was the first law graduate from our community in Kerala. He took his law degree from Madras law college in 1932 and started practicing in Cochin. He was having good income and we lived in a very royal way there. My schooling was in Hajee Essa Hajee Moosa Memorial School, Cochin.

My father is the founder member of Iqbal Library in Cochin and founder member of Muslim League in Travancore Cochin area. He became fully involved in Politics forgetting his job. He also stood in the Assembly Election from Cochin. Muslim League was in the infant stage and he has spent all his money for the election, but lost. He became depressed and left Cochin and went to Taliparamb were my uncle was there.

He started practicing there and he became very popular there. This was in 1954. We were following Hanafi Madhab and locals were Shafi. There was some differences in prayer which the muslims noticed and suspected us. One Hindu girl came for house job with us and we kept as we never felt any problem. But the orthodox Hindus could not tolerate that. Though we sent her, both muslims and hindus became angry and he lost most of his practice. My grand father then came and  took us to Kayamkulum where I was admitted in the Govt High School. 

This is the turning point in my life. One person motivated me there to study well and I became top in the class. My father though started practicing in Kayamkulum he could not succeed. My father is instrumental to start Muslim League in Quilon. But when Muslim league joined with others in the Vimochana Samaram to topple the first Communist Ministry which was doing very well, my father then resigned from the league as it was against his principle to topple a ministry doing well.

He is a person who spent all his money for the party and did not get any benefit from it. He became introvert and could not do any work and died in 1974 at Cochin at the age of 63, having not even a pie with him. Muslim League totally forgot my father who is responsible for sacrificing his life and money for establishing the party. He was however happy in his last days as all his children has come up by then through hard work.

After realising that he has cancer and it is in the last stage he called all to whom he was not happy requested for forgiveness and died peacefully at Cochin.

May Allah bless my father forgive all his sins and make him enter Jannath out of  His Mercy  Aameen 

Dr.Mohamed ali essa

My job and stay in Younus College of Engineering, Kollam

My job and stay in Younus College of Engineering, Kollam

In 2005 end Prof M.A.Rasheed, who was my student in NSS College and now Vice Principal of YCET brought Management representatives to my house in Ernakulum to request me to join as Principal. I went to the College motivated staff and students by remaining there for a week and returned. I then went to Kuwait with family for a 3 months visit.

When I returned from Kuwait I decided to join YCET as the management insisted. I went with family by Feb 2006. They provided furnished house. There were some financial problems in YCET then. I made frequent meetings with staff and students and discussed their problems with the management.

I was really surprised that management gave complete support to my advices and slowly the college atmosphere and condition changed. Students started opting YCET and all seats started filling. I tried to select good staff and provided to them reasonable salary and facilities. I conducted department staff meetings to study department problems and HOD meetings to study college condition. I went to each and every class motivating them and showing them the importance of studies and how to study.

All the staff and students gave me full support and management approved all my steps. I worked in TKM for about 25 years the management rarely comes and understands the real condition of the college and staff. But here the chairman and all directors are physically present for the students and staff to discuss their problems. They know each every staff and their whereabouts. I enjoyed the work and stay there. The image of the college has gone up and the results started raising.

My youngest sons marriage conducted at Cochin during that time. Chairman and one director and some staff attended the functions. I could also go for a Hajj with wife from there.

By 2009 my age was 67 and my remaining there will  affect the college as they will not get new courses so I selected a new Principal for them and left. The management and staff separately gave send off parties. The management, staff and students gave me momentos and we left Kollum contented and came back to Cochin and then to Kuwait to meet my sons and families. I am extremely  happy that I got full recognition from YCET and that I could do some improvements for the College with the Grace of Allah 

Three staff of the college headed by Nigil came to see me on 17th of Jan 2016 to my flat and had discussion with them for about an hour l am very happy that they have come all the way from Quilon to see me. I am honoured.

Dr.Mohamed Ali essa

My job and stay in N.S.S. College of Engg, Palghat

My job and stay in N.S.S. College of Engg, Palghat

My first job after B.Tech from CET in First Class, was in N.S.S College of Engineering, Palghat. I joined NSS by April 1964. My father dropped me in Palghat. Prof. V.S.Nair was the Principal and Prof. Padmanaban Nair was the head of Mech Engg. All the staff helped me to make my job easier. I was second to HOD as all others were Asst. lecturers. At that time candidates were not coming for teaching profession and only second class candidates were coming as Asst. lecturers.

Actually I was little upset as I have to handle final year classes and students were mostly elder to me. I went to see final years before going to class. They assured to cooperate. I had to Take Theory of Machines, the subject which I liked much since it was handled to me by the eminent Professor Dr. Ravikumar in CET. So I could take the subject very well and all liked me.

The climate was hot and sometime we used to put water in the room and sleep. In summer the timing was 7.30 am to 1.30 pm. The stay and the surrounding was good with Malampuza Dam near by. I was staying with some staff Preman, Chandran etc in Akathethara. Among the staff I liked Raru Menon for his humble and helping nature.

Since I got job in TKM College of Engg, Quilon.  I left NSS after 15 months of good , peaceful and satisfying job, as my father was particular. My marriage was fixed  with my father's sister's daughter from Kayamkulum. I joined TKM in July 20,1965 and I got married by Aug 22, 1965

Dr.Mohamed ali essa

My life and Studies in IIT, Madras

My life and Studies in IIT, Madras

In 1967 I got admission for a sequential summer school when I was working as Lecturer at TKM, for the summers of 1967,68 and 69 at IIT, Madras. This was the first of its kind conducted at IIT for Engineering College teachers. We got a warm welcome and they assured that one from  each group who comes top will be given direct admission to 2nd year M.Tech. All started to work sincerely. In my Turbo Machines group there were 6. Through exchange Program Experts from American Universities were coming and handling classes in addition to few Germans working in the IIT. Dr. Fierison of the University of Wisconson has handled Gas Dynamics and by the Grace of God I secured top marks. He even invited me to come to Wisconson for M.Tech. I was unable to go due to family problems. Classes of Dr. Prithvi Raj and Dr. Krishna Swamy were very impressive.

I then got direct admission to second year M.Tech and joined IIT in 1969.I was the only person selected from Kerala that year for the direct admission to the second year of M.Tech at IIT, Madras. It was really very interesting stay and life with absolutely no tension. Dr. Prithvi Raj, my guide there, who has just come from Liverpool University after his PhD was very friendly and helping. He is a role model for a good guide. After the dinner we used to go to the lab for work and remain till 12. My guide also will come to help and support.

I could bring my wife for a week and stayed in Taramani guest house. Some of my relatives who have never seen IIT came to visit me and were surprised to see the marvellous campus. Even now I wonder how I could complete the design, fabrication and testing of a Radial Blower with all instrumentation in just 6 months. I am really indebted to Dr. Prithvi Raj's motivation and support. For all the work including my defence I took only 10 months instead of one year and returned to T.K.M and also promoted as Asst Professor there.

I visited IIT Madras and my Turbo Machines Lab today on 1st Aug 2016. I am surprised to see my work still there after 46 years used for experiments and Research. I am really proud of this and thank Allah for this recognition. I have also seen my guide Dr. Prithviraj. He is very weak and desperate after the death of his wife. May God bless him with health and long life. I feel very sad when I got the news rhat My guide Dr. Prithviraj passed away in Jan 2017. May his soul rest in peace. I am highly indebted to him for all the help and support he gave in my studies and research at IIT, Madras 

Thus, in many occasions in my life, I have experienced the Grace of God. Surely God's help will come if you do your duties properly with prayers.

Dr. Mohamed ali esa

My Studies and life in IIT, Bombay

My Studies and life in IIT, Bombay

I joined IIT, Bombay for doing PhD by Oct 1974 under the QIP Scheme of the Government of India on deputation from TKM College of Engineering, Quilon. I selected Dr. Achutan as my Guide and selected a topic on Combustion Characteristics of Cyclone Furnace. This created a problem as my M.Tech was on Turbo Machines from IIT, Madras and the present topic is on heat transfer and combustion. So I had to study thoroughly heat transfer, chemical kinetics and Computer programming. Also since the work on this topic is mainly done in Russia, I had to study Russian language to translate some of the Russian papers into English. So it was a herculean task.

Luckily for me there was Mr. U.N.Gaitonde who was an expert and sincere person doing his PhD and willing to help all. With his smiling features and hardworking and helping nature he has impressed me. Normally person doing PhD will be engrossed in his work and will not get anytime to help others. Gaitonde has really surprised me by his good will. Gaitonde has also helped me in making a mathematical model of my work.

All India Kutchi Memon Federation has released All India Kutchi Memon Directory and I attended representing Quilon in the Jamat Khana in 1975 where President Kabli released the Directory. It was a big function 

By march 1975 I went and brought my wife and children, admitted children in the Central School in the Campus. Subsequently I was allotted QIP furnished quarter. The life then has become pleasant with good climate, good food. My wife took the complete responsibility of house and children and I was completely in my studies. I took up a course on Heat Transfer by Dr. Sukatme who was also HOD. His sincerity in teaching and dedication is a model thing for all teachers. He was available for help in the evenings. Gaitonde has become our family friend and spent few sunday with us. So I never felt any difficulty in studies.

We also had relatives in Masjid Bunder and Gauregaum. we visit them and they also visit us. We did not even go for my younger brothers marriage in Cochin as it will distract the study. I had to go to Tata Institute of Fundamental Research for my Computer work frequently as IIT computer was not sufficient for my work. All expenses were met by IIT.

I was trying all methods to solve my problem but I could not get any solid result even after 2 years. I then became panic as I am having only 3 year leave to complete my work . One day I met HOD Dr. Sukatme in the evening and explained my problem. He assured me that if I can prove that the problem can not be solved by any existing method that itself is sufficient for PhD. This gave me courage, I put more effort and by God's grace I could start getting results in another 6 months. By April 1977 I took back my family to Quilon and returned to IIT. Then I stayed in Hostel and completed my work and got the thesis typed out. I wanted only 2 months extension for submission of my thesis.

Me along with some other students visited poor houses outside the campus and helped them to get some earnings and also assisted their children in studies. I am very pleased to know that that work still continues there in a larger scale. May Allah accept that deed Aameen 

I am thankful to my guide and greatly indebted to Gaitonde and Dr. Sukatme for all the support given. I could also associate with some of my friends for doing social work by helping poor people outside the campus. I left IIT, Bombay by Jan 1978 fully contended. I am still having contact with Dr. Gaitonde and he has also visited us in Quilon and Cochin.

2 years back I went with my son to Trissur to see my guide Dr. Achutan. He was very happy to see me. He is staying with his sister as his wife passed away and only son in America. 

I am thankful to God for enabling me to take PhD though I was an average person. I thank my wife and children who helped and supported me in my stay in Bombay
Dr.Mohamed ali essa

Character and Conduct

Character and Conduct

All religion and groups stresses the importance of having a good character and conduct. The purpose of religion is to realise the creator and to be good to His creations. Irrespective of which religion you follow you should love and help each other. Prayers without good conduct has no value to God. In that way the purpose of religion is lost.

Our attitude towards our parents, wife, children, relatives, teachers and public should be good if we are religious. Terrorism has no place in religion. War is permitted in religion only for defense or when you are not permitted to follow your religion and live peacefully.

India was famous for communal harmony. But lately some narrow minded people provoked communal violence for their benefit. We should all realise this and fight against these plans to create an atmosphere of harmony.

In my childhood and younger ages there was absolute harmony and peace. People were respecting and helping each other joining each other for festivals and happy occasions and doing all the help when some body in distress irrespective of cast and creed. But the influence of some criminal minded persons provoked hatred among different religion and sects crushing the peace and harmony prevailing. We can be religious but should never be communal. Our religious and political leaders are in some way responsible for the conflict. These spoiled the situation and people started fearing, fighting and killing each other.

We all should now make an earnest attempt to come closer forgetting the religious differences for the uplift of humanity and to have a peaceful life in this world. Or else the world will come to an end due to war and fights. May God help mankind to lead a peaceful life by providing good and dedicated religious and political leaders

Dr.Mohamed ali essa