If an institution is working towards a cause, then it can count on the management of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Mylapore to support it by offering its space, particularly its auditorium, at no cost.
KN Ramaswamy, director of the Bhavan, says the trust has been following this practice for many years.
“We are a charitable organisation and we believe the best help we can offer such organisations is offer them the use of our auditorium free of cost,” says Ramaswamy.
Popular for its acoustics and lighting, the auditorium can accommodate nearly 500 people and is sought-after by various cultural groups and educational institutions.
VExcel Educational Trust, Papanasam Sivan Satya Saibaba birthday, a few institutions working for the visually-challenged and a bhajans group are among those that have approached Bhavan either for their monthly or yearly events.
The monthly meetings of Kamban Kazhagam, Mylai Thiruvalluvar Tamil Sangam and ‘Kalangalil Avan Vasantham’, a programme to pay tributes to Kannadasan, are among those meetings held at Bhavan’s, he says.
Ramaswamy says they also offer certain groups the auditorium at a concessional rate. He says a majority of the programmes conducted at Bhavan’s are non-ticketed and these include events relating to the Music Season.
“Our motto is that the events hosted at our venue must reach out to a larger audience,” he says.
Mylapore Residents Welfare Association makes use of its mini-hall to conduct its meetings.
The police personnel attached to the Mylapore Station are also among those making use of the space to brief the team ahead of major events in the neighbourhood. “They get to avail the cloak room, toilets, and sometimes we serve them breakfast too,” adds Ramaswamy.
