Cleophas was born as the eldest son of Prof
Antony Pichai, a Professor of Education serving at that time at St. Xavier’s
College of Education and Mrs Gnanaprakasi on 25-09-1945. His parents further
had eight children among whom four are males and remaining four are females.
Taught by teachers of British background, his father was a typical example of
an elitist life of that time. He played tennis at District Club, entertained
people with strings of piano and closely moved with the top brass of the
district administration. Along with friends such as Prof Swaminathan and
Justice Seetharama Rao, Anthony Pichai involved himself in several
philanthropic activities. All these characters were strongly ingrained in the
minds of Cleophas also known by his father’s name as Antony Cleophas.
At
the age of 15, Cleophas lost his mother. He compensated his loss by engaging
more with music. He took regular classes at Ignatius Convent wherein a European
nun of senior age gave him piano classes. Identifying his dedication, his
father bought him a piano selling several acres of land those richly yielded
palm products among other farm items. However, when his piano teacher left for
Europe, she wanted her piano to be sent to Cleophas. The mind of the natural
genius in the field of music did not stop with mastering piano but made a
thorough exploration into the world of string instruments covering violin,
guitar, and cello. At a very early age he appreciated the classical side of
music and wanted to contribute to the spread of it than associating himself with
the ‘pop culture.’ He participated and organized several Western Classical
Music Concerts that addressed the aesthetics of genius minds. A strong presence
of Christianity in Tirunelveli region did not evolve a vibrant musical
tradition providing canvas for a genius like Cleophas to spread and excel. May
be in realization of this his father sent him to Loyola College in Madras
(nowadays Chennai) wherein he formally completed BA degree in English
Literature. Thereafter his heart chose a path towards music making him land at
Kodaikanal International School wherein he served as teacher of music for one
year. But again his father called him back to take up a post-graduate study at
VOC College, Thoothukudi. Tragically, on the very day of his admission, his
father passed away. Cleophas was just 21 years old and like a captain braving a
stormy ocean took the responsibility of his siblings. He supported and guided
his four brothers and four sisters, ensuring that each one of them was
well-settled in life. It was said that he compromised on his personal expenses
and even used shirts in which he personally cut and stitched the torn up
collars on the opposite side even after being appointed to the college as a
member of the teaching faculty.
He
was an impartial teacher and stood beyond divisions such as caste, class and
religion. As per Hindu Dharma Shastra’s ‘for certain categories of people one
should not apply parameters such as caste, place of birth, class and religion’
stressing the need for universal acceptance. It includes teachers. In the case of Cleophas he
is not only an English teacher but also a teacher of music. Therefore, his mind
was characterized by an accommodative cosmopolitan culture. As a teacher, he
was known to have taught grammar with extraordinary skill although he always
thought that adopting a procedure through grammar was not the proper way to
learn a language. Rather, like babies imitating the mother and family members,
learners should adopt a natural method of practicing. One of his teachers
inspired him with command of vocabulary which Cleophas also followed. Apart
from grammar, he had a taste for poetry which he taught with verve. However,
his accomplishments in the field of music never interfered in his English
teaching and he never boasted about that. His students always said that he
objectively evaluated the exam papers and encouraged the weak students. Same with
his colleagues and he did not distinguish between seniors and juniors. He was friendly
with all the members of the teaching and non-teaching members of the staff. However,
he was very close to Professor Calisthus a friendship they maintained till last.
With him as well with other friends and students, Cleophas was always willing
to travel and through the experience gathered by observation and participation
he further enriched his generous mind. He possessed a great sense of humour and
cracked timely jokes. He efficiently read the minds of his students and always addressed
them in honorific plural while speaking in vernacular language.
In
one of the tour programmes, he was asked about the performance of thespian
actor Shivaji Ganesan as a piano player in the movie ‘Puthiya Paravai.’ He said
“actors deeply observe the original players and skillfully imitate them. Thus,
Shivaji Ganesan has done an acceptable body language and finger work.” At the
age of 50, Cleophas with his stout body and chubby face is said to have
resembled Shivaji Ganesan but for his baldness. In early 1990s, he owned an
Ambassador car and an Enfield motorcycle while driving which he exhibited the
body language of a police officer than a professor or music teacher.
Nevertheless, he was a soft-hearted man and refused to drive his car across a
student’s body as part of a Karate programme since he felt the task to be
highly stressful. But he has in several instances come forward to donate money
voluntarily. One student recollected the occurrences during a tour to Goa
conducted in 1997. Seeing the restless student Cleophas called him personally
and said “Thambi enjoy! If you want money, do not hesitate to ask me.”
When it comes to his musical accomplishment it was said that Cleophas and Ilayaraja, the celebrated musical maestro of the Indian film industry appeared for the eighth grade Piano test and the former alone came out successful (source: Mr Sadagopa Nambi, Company Commander, Tamil Nadu Home Guard, Tirunelveli City and playback singer). Another music director of film industry Vijay Antony was one of the noted students of Cleophas among others. He had veneration for the Polish pianist Fredryk Chopin whose nocturnes inspired him. His taste for the silence of night reflected his independent mind and evidently he never tied himself with any institution or organization. He received lucrative offers for his musical talent from prestigious organizations with condition to quit smoking. He said “I can stop smoking anytime I wish. But I do not agree with the point that it is against spirituality or God. Rather it only spoils my health.” Once he played piano kept as an exhibit at a shopping mall in the USA which was reported by a newspaper as "an Indian played a piano as never before" (Source: Richard, former post-graduate student of the Department of English, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli).
Though born into Roman Catholic faith he preferred to marry Ms Ruby of a different denomination in 1974 and least bothered about consequences. They had two daughters namely Terena Antony and Serena Antony. With the support of his family he started a music school and also registered an exam centre for music under Trinity College of Music in 2003 the year in which retired from college service. He left this world owing to physical problems on 7th August 2009. His famous quote “all things will perish from under the sky, music alone shall live, never to die” was engraved in his tombstone by his aggrieved family members. The centre he started has continued to operate to this day by the members of his family. After his passing, it was renamed Cleophas Philharmonic Academy in his honour. A student of MA History wrote a dissertation about him in the academic year 2009-10 and named it “Isai Narambugalin Maindhan Cleophas.”
