Tributes to May George - Grand Old Lady of Our Club- Charter Member and Tamil Nadu First Lady Civil Engineer

A Tribute to May from our hearts

As we saw her in her final sleep

A Sense of achievement was in her calmness

Many steps and paths that she crossed in leap

Making things in her stride and peace

She slept quietly after an untiring journey

Untiring because she did it with all passion and grace

A feeling of love and warmth in her eternity

Always the smiles that did not leave her face

As we bid adieu to our grand old lady of our Club

We remember her baby steps she took till the last

To join us and cherish being with us like a little cub

A year of Golden jubilee where she joined went off fast

Though our generations were different and far

She inspired both old and young alike

We could not hear her technical sessions or classes

But we heard about her achievements galore

Engineering in early days was a man’s domain

She broke the glass ceiling proving her herself there again

Not just  being the first few engineers of the State

But becoming the 1^st Lady Civil Engineer with grace

In harmony and peace, she believed in herself

And more in the strength of the Lord guiding her

She gave back to the society in every way possible

Making her life remain in fulfillment and graceful

Thank you dear old grand mother of Madras South

We children of the club you all started will be proud

For you left behind us a heritage to continue

And paths that we would thread endearingly for long

May you Rest in Peace dear May George

We are happy you are now resting in HIS hands

Happily holding hands with your husband again

And far away from human choices and pain

Thank you and we bid adieu dear May!

About May George

Rotarian CV George

·    May George was the Charter member of Inner Wheel Club of Madras South since 1963.  She also served the club as Charter ISO and as President during  1967- 1968.    52 years of unremitting willingness to continue with us as a strong pillar for Inner Wheel club of Madras South shows the determination and warmth of a person we cherished amidst us till today, 25^th Jan 2014, when she was called to be in the God’s kingdom of Peace.   May George was the 1^st Lady Civil Engineer in Tamil Nadu and built  2 Cottages for leprosy affected people in Madhavaram as our club project way back in 1965.       Mrs. May George was the first woman Chief Engineer in Madras, Tamil Nadu.         Mrs. May George, wife of PDG C V George passed away on 25^th Jan 2013 at the age of 89 and led an active life till recently.         May George  was with the club during the installation of the Golden Jubliee Year in July  2012 and also during the Golden Jubliee Celebrations held on 29^th Jan 2013.

May George

"My women are my source of strength. When I see them fighting a deadly virus everyday with a smile, I feel inspired. I know I have to go on, just to ensure their welfare."

 The first woman chief engineer of the Tamil Nadu Housing Board (she retired in 1983), 81 year-old May George has always bucked convention. Hailed as 'a people's technocrat' for her low-cost housing designs, she defied contractors and threw in her lot on the side of the poor. From 1963 to 1969, George served as principal at the Polytechnic College for Women in Chennai, which taught her the importance of vocational training. In 1991, she opened a short-stay home and vocational training centre for needy women, most of whom are HIV positive. Zonta Resource Centre, in Pallavaram in Chennai, is run by Zonta International, a not-for-profit organisation based in Chicago. In 2003, George built another home in Madambakkam in Chennai with funds from Amaidhi Foundation, a Dutch philanthropic foundation. The home has been vandalised by people who don't want HIV-infected people in their neighbourhood - George is standing firm.

- Vidya Venkat

Featured in Harmony Magazine
February 2007

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