Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

A poignant gesture

By Subha J Rao

Students sponsor meals for a day at four homes run by Families for Children

Coimbatore: When their good companion and classmate Bhoopathi Raja (20), died in a road accident last month, his college friends grieved. Then they decided to do something worthwhile to keep his memory alive. The entire class chipped in and collected Rs. 13,000.

"We first thought of publishing his obituary," recall Hanish Nitin and C. Kirthi Raja of second year BCA. Then their teachers came up with a suggestion: "Why not contribute the money to an orphanage and help the children there?"

The boys contacted Families for Children (FFC), a children's home in Podanur, and offered to sponsor all three meals for a day for the 350 inmates at the four homes run by the organisation. They bought plastic mats for the children with the money left over.

Sunbeam Viswanath, manager, FFC, says it was a touching gesture. "The entire class came in to serve food to the children. And the fact that they did it so soon after their friend's demise has to be appreciated."

Welcome act

Such acts are welcome, says Sunbeam. "It keeps the memory of the dead person alive for some time. It proves that the students have a social conscience."

The `annadanam' came as a pleasant surprise to Bhoopathi's father, Kandaswamy. "The children did not tell me about it at all. It gives me great mental peace to know that the food was served in my memory of my son," he says.

Bhoopathi's uncle, N. C. Dhandapani, says the unity, love and affection displayed by the boys is gratifying. "Our family will always thank them for what they have done and bless them," he adds.

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