Generosity at Kalyana Nagar
<drop_initial>The Kalyana Nagar Association in Mandavelipakkam was formed more than 60 years ago with the aim of working for the development of the neighbourhood. Going beyond the call of neighbourhood duties, the Association, with more than 150 members, has been promoting social and cultural causes for many decades.
Kalyana Nagar Association provides financial assistance to support the education of students from economically weaker sections.
“Every year, ₹5,000 is distributed to more than 100 students from poor families. An application form is distributed by the Association at the beginning of each academic year. The Association, after verifying the ID cards of students and ration cards of the parents, gives the assistance,” says T.R. Prakash, the Association’s general secretary.
The Association spends between ₹5 lakh and ₹7 lakh for educational assistance and the funds are raised by contributions from members and well-wishers. The main source of funds comes from the revenue generated from renting out the community hall owned by the Association, he says. “The small community hall is rented out for family functions and get-togethers, and social and cultural programmes. The Association charges a nominal rent to hold the events and the income is used for charitable activities,” he adds.
The Association also regularly conducts free health camps for the benefit of the underprivileged. The Association has tied up with private hospitals and the camps are conducted free of charge.
“Each medical camp benefits about 100 people. The medicines are given free of cost. Spectacles are given to the needy during eye check-ups. The Association also bears the cost of eye surgeries,” says Prakash.
Every year, for Pongal and Deepavali festivals, the Association conducts a ‘vasthradhanam’, where poor people are given new clothes and gifts. Other initiatives include free spoken English, Hindi, French and Sanskrit, and smart phone awareness training for senior citizens. Yoga sessions are also conducted thrice a week.
The Association continues to sustain such initiatives because each and every member is committed towards the community’s welfare, Prakash notes.
Chromepet collective
The resident members of New Colony Residents Welfare Society in Chromepet have been distributing financial assistance of ₹500 and ₹1,000 to students from poor families.
“The funds are collected from members and philanthropists each year,” says V. Santhanam, the society’s president.
Every year, the residents organise a ‘Samathuva (egalitarian) Pongal’ and ‘Samathuva Deepavali’ where people unite to celebrate the festivals, irrespective of their caste and creed. “New clothes and saris are distributed to the underprivileged and a feast is organised. The celebrations help the people to bury their differences and unite as a community,” he adds.
For exam toppers
Muthulakshmi Nagar Welfare Association, Chitlapakkam has been rewarding the school toppers of Class X and XII public examinations with a cash prize of ₹500 for the past 20 years. The award is being sponsored by the Association joint secretary R. Ravindran, says president L. Sundararaman. A cash assistance of ₹1,000 also is given to the families of deceased members to meet the funeral expenses, he adds.
