Durban’s ‘human calendar’ Sathasivan Arumugam dies at 55

Durban has lost a remarkable son in Sathasivan Arumugam, who passed away at the age of 55 after a brief illness. His funeral was held on Tuesday. Sathasivan, often regarded as a slow learner in educational standards from decades ago, possessed a rare and astonishing gift that was never fully understood or appreciated.

Growing up, Sathasivan was seen as a calendrical savant despite his intellectual disability. He had the uncanny ability to tell you the day of the week any given date fell on, often within a split second. Regardless of whether he was given a date from the previous century or even the date of his own birth or that of his siblings and family members, his answer was almost instantaneous.

The nature of his gift puzzled experts. Neuropsychologists at the University of KwaZulu-Natal conducted studies in the 1980s, but no clear explanation for his exceptional ability emerged. Some postulated that he had extensively memorized the calendar, yet there was no evidence that he had access to calendars dating back 100 years or scrutinized them regularly. Others theorized a complex mathematical formula, but Sathasivan couldn't possibly run through such a formula in mere fractions of a second.

Diagnosed with autism, Sathasivan was initially labeled with mental retardation, a misdiagnosis that was prevalent during his childhood. He was sent to a trade school where he learned skills like woodwork and metalwork and earned the nicknames "Calendar" and "Numbers" for his remarkable abilities.

After retiring from a career as a carpenter, Sathasivan yearned to work again. The passing of Sathasivan leaves behind a life that challenges our assumptions about intelligence and human potential. His untimely death raises uncomfortable questions: were we too quick to underestimate him due to societal preconceptions or too slow to recognize the extraordinary abilities that lie within people? The answer to these questions may linger long after his passing.