Ranganathan library biography lesson plans

Early Life & Education

S. R. Ranganathan (born Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan) was born on August 9, 1892 to Ramamrita Ayyar and Seethalaskshmi in Shiyali, the Tanjur District of Tamil Nadu (Raghavan, 2019).

He was raised in rural India and his father died in 1898 when he was merely six years old. By 1907, he was already married to his first wife Rukmini, when he was fifteen and she was eleven. His family was Orthodox Southern Indian Brahmin.

Ranganathan's education began in 1897, when he was five years old.

Ranganathan library biography lesson plans

He was placed under the care of Subba Ayyar, his relative and a primary school teacher (Kent, 1978). It was at this time that he was taught about Indian philosophy and religion, particularly the teachings of Nayanars and Alwars.

These beliefs heavily influenced his later works and outlook on life. Perhaps the biggest setback of these years was his persistent stammer. At the time, a speech impediment was seen as indicative of low intelligence. Despite this, Rangan