The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Savithri Vaithi honoured

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Sunday, Apr 01, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Savithri Vaithi honoured

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI : Friends, associates and well-wishers trooped to Narada Gana Sabha on Thursday to felicitate Savithri Vaithi, who has spent decades caring for the aged.

A seemingly unending row of felicitations by people from all walks of life — from Madras High Court Judge Prabha Sridevan to film producer AVM Saravanan — was greeted with spontaneous applause by members of Vishranthi, an old age home for destitute women founded by Ms. Vaithi.

"If you go through Savithrima's biodata, you will find it impossible to believe that somebody could do so much in life," remarked Justice Sridevan.

Ms. Vaithi, who started with the Chennai Corporation's health cell, later founded the Monday Charity Club, consisting mostly of homemakers.

Through the club, she instituted a book bank, Vishranthi, a senior citizens' centre, a home for children with single parents, and even a health care centre for the tsunami-hit in Pulicat.

The toughest job, according to Justice Sridevan and chairman of senior citizen bureau V.S. Natarjan was being a mother to the 120-odd `grandmas' of Vishranthi. Especially when the occupants were not wanted in their own homes.

Ms. Vaithi said the debate over whether or not to have old age homes was no longer relevant, with an increasing number of youngsters moving out in search of better jobs. "There should be enough homes for widows, and widowers," she pointed out.

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