Br. Irudayasamy entered the Jesuit Novitiate on 1 February 1961 at Beschi College, Dindigul. His first appointment was to maintain the House and Hostel at Loyola Public School, Guntur (1965-1967). When he was transferred to Loyola College, Chennai, as kitchen in-charge at the Jesuit residence, he managed to do his diploma in catering at the Govt. Catering Technology College, Adyar, Chennai (1967-1968). He thus became a trained chef who enjoyed cooking and even more when others, especially fellow Jesuits, relished eating the delicious and hearty meals prepared by him with Indian, Western and Chinese dishes. Practically, all his life, he oversaw the kitchen either in Jesuit residences or hostels, except for a few years he served as farm and dairy manager at St. Paul’s Seminary and St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli, and at Royapuram.
Br. Irudayasamy was a great Chef, promoter of Siddha medicine, enthusiastic gardener, and an obedient Jesuit. In his room, in addition to cookbooks, he had a collection of books on Siddha medicine, vessels, containers and even a stove for preparing medicines with all kinds of herbs he had in his garden. His garden had also roses, zinnias, pansies, gladioli, chrysanthemums, petunias and dahlias well-nurtured by panchagavya organic pesticide/manure which usually won many prizes in the annual competition held at Bryant Park, Kodaikanal.
He was so obedient that even at the age of 78 he accepted a short assignment of training the younger Jesuits and lay staff to run efficiently the hostel kitchen at Loyola College, Vettavalam. In retirement since 2020, he passed away quietly on 8 June ‘23 and on the following day, after the Funeral Mass, his mortal remains were laid to rest at the Beschi Illam cemetery, Dindigul .
Patrick Ravichandran, SJ
