Ajit Kumar was born on 1st March 1957 to Mr P. Mukundan and Thangam in Ipoh. He was their only child. He lived his entire life at Fairpark, Ipoh. Mr Mukundan was a very astute and successful accountant and was the Chief Accountant of Perak Hydro Electric. Ajit’s mother, Thangam Mukundan was a teacher at the Main Convent Ipoh now known as Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Convent Ipoh.
Ajit was a student throughout his schooling years at St. Michaels Institution, Ipoh. He was a brilliant student who excelled not only in his studies but also in extra-curricular activities, especially cricket. As far as I can remember, the only time Ajit ever did “poorly” was when he came in 3rd in standard as he had to sit for his exams at home due to chickenpox!! Not only was Ajit a brilliant scholar, but he was also Head Prefect at St. Michaels Institution for the last 3 years of his formal schooling till Form 6. With a one-time, double promotion, Ajit finished his Form 6 at the age of 17. His mother had resisted a second double promotion along the way.
In sports, Ajit’s love for cricket saw him become Captain of the school cricket team for 2 years and eventually he led a team to play an inter-state cricket tournament representing Perak under 17’s in Penang in 1976.
As the only child of the family, needless to say, his family loved him immensely and were very protective of him. On the night before his departure for Penang, his mother packed mosquito coils for him as she knew he was staying at a dorm. Ajit took out those coils as he did not want to be the only one in the team using them.
After arriving in Penang and playing on the second day of his all-day test match, Ajit called his mother to say that he regretted not bringing the mosquito coils along as he was severely bitten by mosquitoes. The damage had been done and on the 3rd day of the test match, Ajit collapsed on the cricket field fitting with a high fever. He was rushed to Penang General Hospital and subsequently flown to Kuala Lumpur General Hospital Neuro department where he remained for 7 months with the first 6 weeks in ICU and in a coma. The love of his parents, saw his mother giving up her successful teaching career and looking after him full-time while his father scaled down his commitments and gave up the opportunity to become the Accountant General of Malaysia.
Despite his parents providing him with all the financial and loving support and flying to London and elsewhere for medical treatment, doctors could find no cure for his encephalitis. He remained an invalid and mostly bedridden for 36 years till he passed away on 19th July 2012. While Ajit could not speak, move or eat without assistance, his sense of humour never left him whenever he heard a funny joke. His brain was very much alive and receptive to the conversations around him. His lack of body coordination severely restricted his life.
All this happened while waiting to join Cambridge a few months later for medicine. His aspirations and that of his parents were cruelly cut short.
What kind of an individual one may ask was Ajit with all his brilliance and spirit of sportsmanship? All I can say is that as his elder and closest cousin, he always wanted me to warn him should I hear or see any behaviour that could be mildly construed as arrogance by others. I never had any occasion to do so. He was such a humble person despite his outstanding achievements. Ajit was very much a down-to-earth soul for which I loved and respected him tremendously.
Ajit’s father, Mr Mukundan in his generosity has bequeathed his wealth to the AMMA Education and Scholarship Fund to help other less advantaged students to succeed in their aspirational goals. We hope that you will similarly continue to pursue academic excellence like Ajit and realise for yourself a successful professional career.
In receiving this award, we hope that you will continue to honour your parents who have supported you in your studies and in all your endeavours; do justice to the loving memory of Ajit, and his parents by fulfilling the unfinished dreams they had for Ajit and finally to AMMA for so diligently choosing you from amongst a field of talented peers.
The Trustees of the Ajit Kumar Trust wish all scholarship recipients every success on their academic journey.
Trustees:
Capt. Suresh Menon
Mr Anil Raman
"Self-confidence is very important. But without compassion and humility, it's just arrogance"
All applications shall be reviewed by a Committee set up by the Board. The Committee will evaluate the eligibility of each applicant, and shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview. Scholarships will only be awarded upon the Committee’s recommendation and subsequent approval by the Board.