THERE are people whose public standing commands respect, and there are people whose humanity quietly earns love. Datuk V. L. Kandan belonged to both rare categories.
His passing on Sept 15, at the age of 89, brings deep sadness to all who knew him, as a lawyer, a public servant, a former MIC leader, a devoted family man, and an unwavering pillar of the Pure Life Society.
Yet for those fortunate enough to have encountered him personally, he will be remembered most vividly for something simpler: a warm, disarming smile that remained with him through duty, difficulty and personal fatigue.
As a schoolboy, I had already heard of the Kandan family. His elder brother, the late Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam, was a towering national figure and former president of the Malaysian Indian Congress.
For many of us growing up, that name carried weight. In Puchong and Bukit Kuchai, Kampung Kandan itself stood as a familiar reminder of a family whose connection with public life and the Indian community ran deep.
Later, as I began reading the newspapers more seriously, Datuk Kandan’s name appeared in reports involving patent cases, legal matters and public notices. There were even advertisements explaining the proper patent history of particular products.
At that time, I knew him only through print, as a respected legal mind, a man associated with precision, professional integrity and the careful defence of rights.
It was years later, through the Pure Life Society and the late Datin Mother Mangalam, that I came to know the man behind the public name.
When Mother Mangalam passed away, I witnessed his devotion at close quarters. He was visibly frail, relying on a walking stick, and clearly tired from the many demands placed on him. But he never allowed exhaustion to weaken his resolve. He moved from one arrangement to another, attending to details, meeting people, ensuring that the final rites and the many necessary matters were carried out with care and dignity.
In the midst of bereavement, he remained meticulous—not out of formality, but because he wanted Mother Mangalam to receive the farewell she deserved.
At the same time, he asked me to appear on Saravedi Night, Astro Vanavil to speak about Mother Mangalam.
He referred to me kindly as one of her favourite students and wanted the public to hear about the woman he so admired and served alongside. That request revealed much about him: he did not seek the spotlight for himself. Even in sorrow, he wanted Mother Mangalam’s story, values and sacrifices to be remembered.
His leadership at Pure Life Society was also felt by the people who worked alongside him. Ms Geetha, Administrator at the President’s Office of the Pure Life Society, remembers him as a mentor who brought kindness, fairness, compassion and charitable through his leadership.
“Datuk mentored many people. He was very fair, compassionate and empowered the staff,” she said.
Those few words capture an important dimension of his legacy. He was not merely a leader by title or position; he believed in enabling others. He recognised the value of staff members, encouraged their growth and made people feel that their work and contributions mattered.
After the funeral, Datuk invited me for coffee at Lotus’s Gasing. Over breakfast, he spoke candidly about his entry into politics, his role in MIC, his legal practice and his years of involvement with Pure Life. It was a conversation filled not with self-importance, but with memories, humour and a quiet sense of duty.
Then came a request that I now carry with regret and affection.
“Write my book,” he told me. He said that I was a good writer and a student of Mother Mangalam, and that perhaps I could tell his story. I replied, honestly, that I would do so if time permitted.
We left the restaurant after a warm conversation, and I remember feeling that I had just spent time with a humble, courteous and gentle giant of public life.
I met him again at an interfaith event in Brickfields last year. True to his gentle persistence, he asked about my writing and again wondered whether I was ready to write his book. He had so many stories, factual, remarkable and important. Stories about law, politics, community service, people and the changing times he had witnessed.
But Datuk Kandan was never full of himself. His concern was always for others: the poor, the needy, the wards of the Pure Life Society and the many people who depended on compassion more than ceremony.
The society was fortunate to have him as deputy president for many years. He cared deeply for its residents and those who worked tirelessly to keep Mother Mangalam’s vision alive.
Datuk, I am sorry that I did not fulfil your request to write your biography while you were here. But perhaps some lives cannot be contained only within a book.
Libraries store books. Records preserve dates. Newspapers record achievements. But it is in the hearts of those whom a person has served, helped, encouraged and loved that a true-life story endures.
Datuk V. L. Kandan’s biography lives there, in the memories of his family, friends, colleagues, fellow lawyers, political associates, the Pure Life community and countless people whose lives were touched by his kindness.
Thank you, Datuk, for your smile, your humility, your service and your faith in people.
You will be remembered—forever and ever.
Datuk VL Kandan’s cortege leaves for the Kampung Tunku Crematorium morning of Sept 17 from No 6, Lorong 9/5B, 46000 Petaling Jaya. – September 16, 2026
Ravindran Raman Kutty is an award winning PR practitioner