The fourth Hamsadhwani R. Ramachandran Award of Excellence was presented here on Saturday to Savithri Vaithi, founder and chairperson of Vishranthi, a home for elderly destitute women.
The award, instituted in the memory of R. Ramachandran, founder secretary of Hamsadhwani, comprised a citation, a memento, a cheque for Rs.15,000 and a shawl and was presented by Gopalkrishna Gandhi, former Governor of West Bengal.
Felicitating the awardee, R.K. Raghavan, former Director of Central Bureau of Investigation, said Vishranthi was a model institution whose example should be emulated. An award to its founder was an incentive to work harder who “though advanced in age is full of energy and enthusiasm and strength.” The award was a call to take forward the movement that Ms. Vaithi had started, he said.
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Mr. Raghavan recalled his association with Mr. Ramachandran and praised Hamsadhwani which he said was not flamboyant and set a trend for others to follow by organising concerts though it had no auditorium of its own. The organisation would strengthen the civil society in Chennai, he said.
Hamsadhwani president Ramnath S. Mani and secretary, R. Sundar participated. The event was followed by a special concert by violin maestro T.N. Krishnan.