V. Sundaram

Captain V. Sundaram (April 22, 1916 – May 31, 1997) was an Indian

pilot and animal welfare activist. He founded the Blue Cross of India, the largest animal welfare organization of Asia

Career as a pilot

Captain V. Sundaram became a pilot in 1935 at the age of 19. He trained in

Madras in 27 hours. This record for a piston-engined aircraft is still unbroken.^[2]

Captain Sundaram had an accident-free flying record during the 35 years he served as pilot. He wrote of his experiences as a pilot in a book titled An Airman's Saga.

Sundaram was the first pilot to get the commercial pilot licence in the country.[3] On 26 October 1936, he flew a De Havilland Dove aircraft from Karachi to Madras.^[4]

Animal welfare

Captain V. Sundaram was always known for his compassion for animals. It was known among pilots that he would keep circling around until the runway was cleared of stray animals. He was instrumental in stopping animal sacrifices at several places. He also organized several seminars speaking against cruel methods of killing animals. He was a member of the executive committee of the Animal Welfare Board of India until 1987.

Blue Cross of India

On a rainy day in 1959, Captain Sundaram saw two pups struggling to stay afloat in the flooded roads of T. Nagar, Chennai. He took them home and founded the Blue Cross of India, a shelter for animals. In his own words, "God had given me so much that I thought I ought to do something in return. There are so many charitable institutions for human beings, but so few for animals." Blue Cross, started with a kennel in his own home, grew under his leadership to become the largest animal welfare organization of Asia.^[5]

Awards and recognition

Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
, 1964
Watamull Foundation Award, 1987
Silver medal from Madras SPCA
Silver medal from the Mylapore Academy
Distinguished Service Award from the
Rotary club
of South Madras
Prani Mitra Award, posthumously

Bibliography

An Airman's Saga. Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan.
ISBN 81-7276-102-3

References

^ ^a ^b Review of An Airman's Saga
^ The treatment of animals in India - past and present. Best Friends Network
ISBN 978-93-84030-28-5
.

^ Ayyappan, V. (21 August 2009). "When Good Old Madras Took Wing". The Times of India. Chennai: The Times Group. Archived from the original on 14 June 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2012.

^ Captain Sundaram at the website of the Blue Cross of India.