Chennai: When the fruit vendor says with a conviction that it will rain today “because Ramanan sir has said,” you can’t help but smile.
Recognisable from television shows, S.R. Ramanan has become a household name so much that he is often referred to most casually by his name during conversations, especially when anyone wants to make a point about the weather.
Right now this Director of Area Cylone Warning Centre of India Meteorological Centre, Chennai is the man of the moment. Unassuming, accessible and warm, he is easy to chat up and no wonder a favourite with the media.
But Ramanan is unaffected by the spotlight. Brushing it off, he attributes the work to his team and says “It is not just a one man show. We are a team.” Then states: “Fame is a slow decay. And, this too shall pass away.”
A week ago, when Chennai was battered by heavy rains, Ramanan was almost living in his office. It was not just monitoring the latest on weather maps that kept his team on their toes, but the deluge of calls to the office.
“We were busy informing and assuring the public on the latest weather conditions.”
He says that his office works in association with other centres pan India.
“Every morning, there are discussions over videoconferences with colleagues across India. We don’t work in isolation.”
Neighbouring countries
Every day, the weather updates are posted online at http://www.imdchennai.gov.in. before noon and again updated in the evening. Thunder shower and cyclone updates are forecast every three hours.
One can register for SMS based cyclone alerts. Cyclone eAtlas and Rainfall Atlas can also be downloaded free online.
Besides his team is in touch with their counterparts from neighbouring countries relying on them for pictures from their satellite and radar division.
Over the years, the meteorological department has seen an upgrading of technology, pertaining to computing power, software in radar systems and cyclone forecasting.
“Still, the tropical belt is always a challenge,” says Ramanan, who joined the department with a Masters in Physics, as a 24 year-old, while his friends took up teaching profession.
He has worked in Delhi, (where he had the opportunity to see a hailstorm for the first time in his life) and in Pune. Ramanan will be retiring next year.
What about career opportunities in the meteorological department?
There are opportunities for engineering graduates and post graduates with a mathematical background. But it is limited in India, unlike in the West, where opportunities are more, since apart from an apex government body, private companies are also keeping a tag on the weather.
Fan page
Ramaman is a favourite among students, more so when he appears on television. They listen in rapt attention eagerly waiting to hear the sweet sounding word “rain” that could herald the approach of a holiday. Ramanan’s forecasts are taken into account by the government before announcing a holiday for educational institutions.
There is a fan page dedicated to him on Facebook and memes abound online.
Sample this: ‘In a land ruled by semester exams, there is only one ray of hope-Ramanan Sir.’
Ramanan’s first priority is his work and feels that joining the social media will be a distraction from work. He is neither on Facebook nor twitter. However he connects with students while interacting with them during lectures in schools on meteorological studies. While his talks are in English in city schools, in rural areas he speaks in chaste Tamil.
What brings out the child in this father of two is his collection of stamps and coins, a hobby that goes back to his younger days. Ramanan also enjoys travelling and prefers the outdoors to a book.
Rain or shine, Ramanan eventually reigns.
