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Dr. Kurien's Better Half

An informal tête-à-tête with Mrs. Kurien.

The staid grace of Molly Kurien appears to epitomise the oft-repeated cliché: "Behind every successful man is a great woman." Mrs. Kurien's greatness lies in her quiet strength and fortitude. Her recent loss hasn't daunted this indomitable woman who stood by her legendary husband through the vicissitudes of a life full of brilliance and inspiration.

The drawing room of her house reflects the reticent grandeur of its occupant. Her daughter Nirmala, she says, lives in Chennai. She looks at us as if bracing for the inevitable question: what part did she play in her husband's revolutionary contributions?

"It was all his doing, all the ideas, everything," she smiles, "I, of course, supported him." Did the Kuriens have a social life? "Here? In this town? Do you know, when I first came to Anand I wanted to run away!" she articulates in a tone that doesn't betray a trace of her Keralite origin. Communication was a barrier being unfamiliar with the language. "I still can't speak Gujarati," she sighs.

"It was a little difficult to have a social life really given the hectic schedule of my husband," she admits. "By the time he would return from work it would be seven thirty (if he didn't have a meeting, that is). Dinner would soon follow and he would be in bed by nine."

In the early years, when Dr. Kurien was building Amul and other institutions, he would wake up at two thirty in the morning, deliberate on what was to be done and then go back to sleep to wake up later at six am. This was the routine for several years.

Waking up at the wee hours of the night had become endemic to the existence of the couple. "Every now and then he would have to run to Delhi with regard to work. The nearest airport being in Ahmedabad we would have to rise at two thirty so that he would be able to catch the early morning flight to Delhi." And so it went on for years. "One of the good things about Kurien was that no matter how challenging the work at hand, he was able to switch off at will. He never carried his work worries into the house." The secret of longevity in a long-standing relationship like marriage, perhaps?

Did the originator of India's White Revolution exhibit any of his by-now famous traits of integrity and punctuality at home? "He certainly did so," she laughs. "If he set a time he would stick to it no matter what. And he stood by the principle of integrity right till the very end."

Yet the man, contrary to his image, was far from formidable. Once a young student wanted to meet with him and simply hung outside, too overawed to enter. Dr. Kurien, on learning of this, invited her in. Later the student couldn't help lauding aloud the humility and friendliness of the man.

With her husband constantly under the spotlight his better half devoted herself fully to the running of the house, which she did with full capability at her command. During his frequent absences she turned towards her favourite passion: books. "I love mystery thrillers," she enthuses, her favourite author being John Grisham among other mystery novelists. "And I love dogs!" she beams recalling with affection the twin rust-coloured setters she had raised since they were pups. Dr. Kurien, not overly fond of pets, too grew to love them. Dr. Kurien did not share her passion for reading although he loved reading newspapers and watching TV news. An ardent sports' lover he enjoyed a good of tennis. Chess was his favourite among indoor sports. "Only towards the end," she reminisces sadly, "he started withdrawing. He didn't want to play any game, not even chess."

Time is merciless, as they say, and on September 9 it took away her husband and a great soul from our midst. It is a loss Mrs. Molly Kurien has borne with characteristic fortitude and grace. That day, at the Kurien's tastefully appointed house we learnt a little more of the man that was Dr. Kurien. And we came away with deep admiration for his better half.