Governor P. Sathasivam celebrated his 69th birthday without any fanfare, dedicating the day to a little bit of philanthropy and doing his bit to save the environment.
The Governor presented from his personal savings, a cheque of ₹25,000 to Ashraya, a voluntary organisation that provides food and other aid to patients at the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), and used the occasion to inaugurate a bamboo garden on the Raj Bhavan lawns. He had been following the practice of avoiding celebrations on his birthday since 2016. Ashraya volunteers Santha Jose, Lissy Kurien and Reji Mathen received the cheque from the Governor.
Plants polyalthia bamboo sapling
The Governor cut a ribbon and planted a polyalthia bamboo sapling at the bamboo garden that has been set up at the north eastern side of the Raj Bhavan, accompanied by his wife Ms. Saraswathi Sathasivam and his Principal Secretary Davendrakumar Dhodawat. The bamboo garden, set up on the direction of the Governor, has nine different varieties of bamboo.
The existing bamboo enclosure has been given a stone basement.
A pathway has also been created in the 25 cents area which has been developed by the staff of the Raj Bhavan through an effort lasting four months. The Governor also honoured M. Asokan, gardener, who has so far donated blood 116 times, on the occasion.
