MALABAR TO MALAYA

A journey in 1902 that disconnected the roots of my ancestors but gave me a "positively twisted" future.

This is a historical biography on the influx of the journey of my grandparents, who migrated to British Malaya from their home in Malabar (then British India).

As history unfolds ...Konda left his home in Edapal, and Parvathy walked with her brother to catch the bus at Thallaserry; both did not expect that to be their final journey out of Malabar ... never to see their siblings, momma, papa, sweetheart or their pet dog ever again!

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Available formats: Kindle, paperback, and hardcover.

ISBN 978-9671653401 (Malaysia) - ISBN 978-1729104989 (USA)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Email: r avi311@outlook.com

I am 53 years old and a third-generation Malaysian of Indian descent. Graduated with an honours Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Malaya (Kuala Lumpur) and held various management positions in multinational companies. Currently working as General Manager for a modular construction company, Smart Box Industries LLC, in Dubai, UAE. Fluent in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia, Tamil and Malayalam.

SYNOPSIS

The British rubber plantations in Malaya (now Malaysia) created a huge migration of indentured labour from India. My grandpa joined the wave to start a spice business and lost it all. That plunged my generation below the poverty line!I

I was born in a plantation house (not a hospital) and my birth certificate was "processed" at a police station.

That is how I arrived on earth in 1965. Grew up on the rubber plantation, soon to become unpaid underaged labour helping my parents tap rubber trees starting at 04:30 in the morning amongst the mosquitoes and snakes while smacking into spider webs between the trees. Our meals start on a perfect dining table after payday and dwindle into a lack of food by end of the month.

The vicious cycle seems to never end year after year. In the years to come, I became a Chemical Engineer and that changed this "fate" by placing food on our table consistently. As I set sail on my career, my life took various positive turns that brought me to being a Company Director, occasionally signing cheques with six digits in them.

This book shares a part of my journey that took me through pain, gain, glory and gratification.