Mr CV Chalam lived and breathed glass from the age of 20 when he graduated from the Benares Hindu University, India with a degree in Glass Technology and started working at Sodepore Glass (Bihar).
Right from the start he was involved in commissioning a new glass plant from the ground up.
His next stop was at Hindustan Pilkington Glass in Asansol - the India plant of the famed Pilkington Brothers, UK - where he spent 22 years garnering expertise in all facets of manufacturing sheet and rolled plate glass.
He developed coloured and clear glass with exceptionally good clarity using the existing setup. Other stops in his journey included Madras Sheet Glass and Seraikella Glass before setting up his own consulting practice in 1984.
His daughter Padma said: “He was always thinking about glass, be it the technical details of glassmaking, creative ways to use glass or just admiring an exquisite hand-blown Murano glass object.
"He was an avid knowledge seeker and loved learning from the experts and sharing his knowledge with others.
“His stint as an academic at Anna University, Chennai teaching graduate students about glass was a dream come true – to prepare the next generation of glass technologists for tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities.”
She added: “His love for glass was apparent to everyone that met him, and his unassuming, down to earth manner endeared him to one and all.”
His last business trip was to China at the age of 85. He bade farewell to his glass filled world on July 16, 2019 after a brief illness.
His dreams and visions for the glass industry live on through his company, CV Chalam Consultants.
Mr Chalam is survived by his four children, Subbayamma, CV Raju, Padma and Anuradha and their families, his brother Sitaram, and a large extended family of nieces and nephews. Subbayamma and Raju currently run CV Chalam Consultants.
