The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Where spirits soar, desires take wing

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Monday, Jun 23, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Where spirits soar, desires take wing

Vidya Venkat

Underprivileged children see their dream come true on board Kingfisher flight

CHENNAI: “Whenever I saw planes in the sky, I wished I could fly in them. Today, my dream came true,” said an excited ten-year-old Nithya. She was one among the 85 children on board the ‘Dream Flight’ organised for underprivileged children by Kingfisher Airlines on Saturday. Squeals of laughter from these children filled the flight as it hovered over stretches along the Chennai coast and Tirupati for about an hour. Some children gasped with fear when the plane took off and landed as it was their first flying experience.

Making a kind gesture were Members of Parliament Kanimozhi and M. Srinivasulu Reddy who, along with All India Congress Committee member Karthi P. Chidambaram, shared the children’s happiness. Tamil actor Prakash Raj, on-board the flight as well, brought smiles on to the faces of children with some popular dialogues.

Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation organised a karagattam dance show near the Kingfisher counter at the Chennai airport.

The children, aged between 10 and 16 years, came from Barbara Kelly Home in Rotary Nagar, Annai Illam in Melmaruvathur, Sacred Heart Middle School, St.Ebba’s Girls Higher Secondary School and Ashram.

V. Raja, regional vice-president (Sales), Kingfisher Airlines, recalled a similar flight for children organised by him during his stint with British Airways in 1993. “After we organised that flight for children, Mother Teresa wrote to me thanking us for the gesture. It is that letter which inspired me and the team to organise such an event for children here again,” he said.

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