GANDHIJI"S LETTER TO AUDITOR

Gandhi's letter Auditor J.Vijayaraghavan treasures a thank you note that Gandhi wrote to his father’s firm for having audited a Harijan Welfare Account. 

“I thank you for your audit of Harijan account”, scribbled Gandhiji in a note to M.S Krishnaswami & Jagannathan way back in 1935. Eight decades later, the 80-year-old M.J. Vijayaraghavan, the son of M.S. Jagannathan, looks at the framed letter and remembers, “My father was only happy to audit this account. Our family supported the freedom struggle and believed in its values.” 

An antique table fan, old wooden tables and chairs greet you as you enter the office at R.S. Puram where Vijayaraghavan sits. It is maintained the same way as it had been during his father’s time, he says. The firm was reconstituted as M. S. Jagannathan & Visvanathan in 1967 when Vijayaraghavan’s uncle decided to shift the office to Chennai. “The new firm in Coimbatore was headed by my father, M.S. Jagannathan. After my father’s death, it was headed by S. V. Visvanathan and then by my brother M.J Rajagopalan. In 1998 when my brother passed away I took charge of the firm.” 

His uncle, M.S. Krishnaswami was involved in the freedom movement and was an active member of Indian National Congress. “I remember my father saying how he even quit a job in a foreign firm because he would not wear anything other than khadi. So strong was his sense of patriotism.” 

Vijayaraghavan’s father’s brother, M.S. Krishnaswami who was involved in the freedom movement, did not however forget about his responsibilities towards the family or the firm. “He made sure that my father was there to manage everything”, recalls Vijayaraghavan. 

It was Krishnaswami’s connection to the freedom movement, which drew Gandhi’s attention to the firm. Gandhi approached Jagannathan to audit the Harijan account that he had maintained for Harijan welfare. “My father immediately agreed to it. A few newspapers approached him later for publishing the letter sent by Gandhi expressing gratitude. However, he was against the idea of publicizing it,” says Vijayaraghavan. 

Vijayaraghavan also remembers C. Rajagopalachari and M.S. Sadashivam, visiting his home. “There would be a huge crowd around our house. Our support to Congress continued even after Independence. During the Indo-china war, my mother donated her ornaments for the war.” 

Learning curve 

There were only few auditing firms in Coimbatore those days. “The competition of course was less then. However, my father would tell me how it was difficult to get the license for practising auditing.” Vijayaraghavan’s nephew S. Aditya, is the fourth generation member of the family who has joined the firm. Vijayaraghavan says examinations were much more challenging during his time. “In my days we were not allowed to use a calculator. We used to calculate six digit figures. And we had to get them right in the first attempt itself!” 

Even though it was a profession that he inherited, his father always told him to make a name for himself. “I used to work as an apprentice initially in the firm. So when I was sent to the companies to audit their accounts, my father would not tell them that I am his son. ‘You should always say you are an ordinary clerk. Otherwise, they will treat you with special preference’, he used to tell me. ” 

The firm has audited 80 to 100 public and private companies, including the accounts of film industries till date.