Swamy S R

Early life

Born in Bangalore, in the year 1922, of parents who lived a life of rich culture and austerity, Swamy was the darling of the family. He often remarked "What! A son after five daughters, I was received with great celebration." His career in Montessori brought as much adulation, if not more, from his students and admirers.

Even while pursuing his graduation in Chemistry his interests varied from the spiritual thoughts of Ramakrishna Paramhamsa to the political ideas of Mahatma Gandhi. 'I would have left home and joined the Swadeshi(Freedom) Movement in 1942 but my parents would have been stricken with grief' he used to say. But there was something else waiting for him, perhaps, to devour him totally - Dr. Maria Montessori and her work with the Child.

His initiation into the Montessori Movement

It was in 1943, and Dr. Maria Montessori was conducting her training course in Kodaikanal. That seemed to come as an answer to the inner call of Swamy. He started his life's mission, never to look back. He completed his Primary and Advanced Courses in Child Education under the guidance of Dr. Maria Montessori.

He set about organizing the setting up of Montessori Houses of Children in Bangalore and New Delhi between the years 1943 and 1950. He also helped in organizing Montessori training courses and was in close contact with Dr. Maria Montessori for about two-and-a-half years. He joined Albert Max Joosten who was then the Director of training for the Indian Montessori courses, first as his assistant and translator and later as Assistant Director of Training and Alternate Director. This collaboration continued until the death of Joosten in 1980. They worked zealously together and conducted Montessori training courses in the various cities and towns of India - New Delhi, Yeotmal, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Jhansi, Benaras, Ranchi, Ahmedabad. They were also responsible for conducting several refresher courses, introductory programs, setting up of Montessori schools, etc.

Swamy was instrumental in establishing the Society for Further Propagation of Montessori Movement in India while in Kolkatta as a mark of celebrating the sixtieth birthday of Joosten. It was indeed a very interesting tribute paid to a person whose dedication to the Montessori Movement he admired. Eventually the FPMM merged with the Indian Montessori Centre, a registered body formed to support the Indian Montessori Training Courses.

After Joosten's untimely death in 1980, Swamy was appointed as the Director of Training of the Indian Montessori Training Courses. He continued conducting the Indian Montessori Training Courses for a span of ten years in different cities tirelessly. The heavy responsibility took its toll on his health and forced him to retire from active work in 1990. He passed on the mantle of leading the Montessori Movement in India to Ms. Meenakshi Sivaramakrishnan, his student.

Many of Swamy's students can be found working in Montessori classes not only in the Indian subcontinent but in many other parts of the world as well.

He passed away in June, 1993.

Sources

cite journal |title= S.R. Swamy
journal = AMI Communications
volume = 2/3
pages =16
date=1993

cite journal |title=S.R. Swamy
journal = Voice of Innocence
volume = 2/2
pages =2–4
date = August, 1993

External links

* [http://indianmontessoricentre.org/tsep.0942/montessorians/articles/swamy/article_list.php Some articles written by S R Swamy]