Rowing down the Adyar river for five decades

Five former employees of Parry & Co. recall the time when they were part of a title-winning team

In the mornings, around 6 a.m., both on weekdays and weekends, one can spot a small group of men who are in their 70s, rowing down the Adyar river, cracking jokes as they go.

They are no ordinary folks. The five rowers, Revi Thomas, Rabindranath Rao, S. Radhakrishnan, Naresh Vassudhev and P. Venkatram, all former employees of Parry & Co., who won medals at major regatta events in the 70s and early 80s, are still at it, waking up early in the morning, going to Madras Boat Club and rowing with all the joy that the sport brings. Naresh and Revi, who rowed for MBC, were honoured with the prestigious Club Colours.

In fact, Parry & Co. won the Challenge Fours Trophy, a main event in the prestigious Merchants and Bankers Trophy, for two consecutive years in 1974 and 1975. Barring a few, members of that winning team are still maintaining a link with rowing.

S. Radhakrishnan, part of Parry team that won the Challenge Fours Trophy, says it feels great to be part of the sport for 50 long years and still rowing.

“Every morning, we sit together and reminisce about those days, at the Madras Boat Club. Whenever we are in Chennai, we meet and row at MBC. We have been rowing for 50 years now. We are at MBC at 5.30 a.m. and finish our warm-up by 5.45 a.m. and by 6 a.m. we start racing. It is such a good feeling that at 82 I am able to row six kilometres. Of course, the body feels the pain, but it is a pleasurable pain,” laughs Radhakrishnan.

Seventy-six-year-old Rabindranath Rao, who was part of the team that won the Challenge Fours Trophy twice, says winning the titles felt great. “When we won the tournament in 1974 after 17 years, our Managing Director invited us to the boardroom and everyone celebrated. We were thrilled,” Rao recalls.

Rao enjoys the time with his close friends at MBC. “We keep meeting regularly and are close friends. Once you start rowing, you cannot forget your crew so easily. We race for 10 km; there is rigorous training,” he adds.