Gandhi Niketan Ashram, T. Kallupatti, INDIA

Gandhi Niketan Hr.Sec.School, T.Kallupatti

KAMARAJAR’S 105th BIRTH DAY

Our great leader Kamarajar’s 105th Birthday was celebrated at Gandhi Niketan Hr.Sec.School in a grand manner. On that day Oratorical, Essay writing, Drawing competitions were conducted. Nearly 250 students participated in the competition. Participants were categorised into three groups. 6-8 std, 9&10 std, 11,12 std. First Three places were awarded.

Kamarajar’s celebration in the Hr.Sec.School began at 2.00pm. Afternoon session presided was over by our Gandhi Niketan Ashram Secretary Dr.V.Ragupathy Sir welcome address was given by the Headmistress Madam Mrs.R.Rajeswari. Good qualities and nature of the great leader Kamaraj was given by the chairman Sir, Prof.R.Venkatasami through online. After that secretary Dr.V.Ragupathy and Joint Secretary Mr.R.Rajendran gave a special speech about Kamarajar and also distributed prizes for the winners. Later on, a film on the life history of Kamarajar was screened. At the end, vote of thanks was delivered by Assistant Headmistress Mrs.P.Thilagavathy. Kamarajar birthday celebration ended in a grand manner with a National Anthem at 4.30pm.

The president giving the inaugural address from Chennai through Skype

Meeting was presided by Dr V Ragupathy, Secretary


Dr Ragupathy giving a prize for a student Who won the first prize in oratorical contest	Another prize given by Mr R Rajendran, Joint Secretary

Gandhi Niketan Primary School, T.Kallupatti

KAMARAJAR’S 105th BIRTH DAY

Eminent leader Kamarajar’s 105th Birthday was celebrated on July 15th Sunday as an Education Progressive day. Mr.Kamaraj gave much importance for Education during his ruling period.

The celebration began rightly at about 10.00 am. Secretary Dr.V.Ragupathy and Joint Secretary Mr.R.Rajendran , Assistant Elementary Education Officers Mr.Ponnuchamy and Mr. Ramasami also participated as special guests.

Asst Teacher Mr.S.Mariappan delivered the welcome address and the special guests were honoured with a shaul. Our Secretary in his speech advised the students to develop discipline, simplicity & punctuality. Mr.Ramasamy in his speech, told about the greatness of education, the level of education before Kamarajar’s period and how Kamarajar made a revolution during his period.

After that Mr.Rajendran in his speech told that Kamarajar’s period was a golden period and explained it with many examples.

A student named Hemavarshini game a speech about the life history of Kamarajar. Later on cultural programmes were performed by the students.

All of the students and teachers participated in the function. Vote of thanks was given by the Headmistress Mrs.Vasantha. Kamarajar Birthday Celebration ended with a National Anthem. Pongal was provided for the students. Above all, the chief guests, Ashram Joint Secretary, Special Guests and all the teaching staffs paid Homage to Mr.Kamarajar.

Mr Kamaraj birthday was celebrated in the primary school Dr V Ragupathy presided, Mr Ponnusamy, Assistant director in Primary education participating in the function

99th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS OF THE FOUNDERS AND 67TH ANNUAL DAY CELEBRATIONS OF THE GANDHINIKETAN ASHRAM

30th July 2007

The day started with a special prayer at Gandhi Mandapam. The students, trainees, village community and teachers from the village and the Ashram community participated.

            The President Prof R Venkataswami gave a message on the occasion. He pointed out that the greatest service we can do to remember the Founder is to live up to the ideals for which he stood towards the attainment of village Swaraj. He eulogised the great qualities of simplicity and humility of the Founder and exorted the community to follow those virtues in their daily life.

            At 8.45 am over 2,500 students of the ashram along with the ashram community assembled for the Ashram flag hoisting ceremony.
Justice K Venkataswami a member of the Ashram managing committees hoisted the flag. This was followed by singing of patriotic songs. Justice K Venkataswami spoke about the importance of students acquiring good qualities during their students’ days and contribute to the nation’s welfare.

            At 9.15 am the entire community assembled at ‘Shantivan’ to offer floral tributes at the Founder’s Samadhi. It was an indeed a very solemn occasion and to bhajans sung by the students was highly inspiring.

            Sri R V Duraisamy a very senior ashram well-wisher and whose family was involved in the building up of the Ashram from the early days, spoke on the occasion. He asked the students to prepare themselves from now on to acquire knowledge and become good citizens of our country.

            At 10.15 am Justice K Venkataswami declared open the Manimandapam in memory of our Founder. This memorial will house an exhibition on the life of the Founder and the history of the Ashram. In addition it will house a children’s library with computer facilities.

            At 10.30 am the main celebrations was held at the school auditorium. The students along with their teachers and several invitees from the neighbourhood assembled. The meeting started with a prayer.

            President Prof R Venkataswami welcomed the gathering. Dr V Ragupathy, secretary of the Ashram gave a brief report of the activities of the Ashram. He highlighted the various achievements in the building up of more infrastructure facilities in the campus, starting of E- publishing centre, English communication programme for the teachers and training in various rural crafts at Dr JC Kumarappa institute.

            He also presented the various projects built by the donations received from various philanthropists. Notable among them is Sri AN Radhakrishnan, Chariman, Meenakshiammal Trust and Chancellor, Meenakshi higher educational and Research university Chennai, who donated for the construction of a new hostel for boys at a cost of over RS 30 lakhs.

            Mr A K Venkatasubramanian IAS, (retired) gave the Founder’s oration. He highlighted the vision of the Founder at a very early age and commended the various good qualities of the Founder.

            He particularly stressed the contribution of the Founder in the development of ‘Panchayat raj’. He also felt sad about the present state of affairs in the implementation of the panchayat raj in our state. He was particularly, critical of the plight of women panchayat presidents belonging to the depressed classes. He called the public to take up this problem with a view to educate the public about their rights.
            Justice K Govindarajan distributed the mementos to the retired teachers and artisans.Justice K Venkataswami gave an address after declaring open the ‘Manimandapam’ in the name of the Founder Mr R Rajendran, Joint Secretary of the Ashram proposed vote of thanks.        The meeting ended with National anthem.

At 4.00 pm the cultural programme by the staff and students of the Ashram was staged. It was a wonderful performance consisting of dances, kolattam, kummy, karakattam and drama.

The highlight was an English skit which was staged for the first time in the Ashram. The participants spoke very good English which would certainly stimulate the other students to learn to communicate in English. The drama, depicting an incident in the life of the founder during his participation. The function came to a close after felicitating the artistes who participated.


Special prayer by the Ashram Community at 6.30 am	Founder at Manimandapam


Flag hoisting. The Ashram flag was hoisted by Justice K Venkataswami at 8.45 am	Children assembled at ‘Shantivan’ to offer homage to the Founder


Invitees at ‘Shantivan’	Floral tribute at Founder’s Samadhi


Students and staff at Founder’s Samadhi	Bhajans at Shantivan


Children, Teachers and other members of the Ashram Community	Sri R V Duraisamy,a close associate of the Founder giving a special address.


Kove Manimandapam after declaring open by Justice K Venkataswami	President Welcoming the gathering


Children and Staff at the Main Celebrations	Dr V Ragupathy, Secretary submitting the activities report


Mr A K Venkatasubramaniyan, IAS, delivering the Founder’s oration	Children for the first time enacting an English drama


A Colourful performance by the students	Trainees from Meghalaya performing their Folk dance


Boys enacting a scene from the life of the Founder Late Sri G Venkatachalapathy	A Scintilating karakattam by the students

GANDHI NIKETAN ASHRAM, T.KALLUPATTI 60th INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION

Independence Day celebration began at 8.00 am. National flag was hoisted by the Ashram Secretary Dr.V.Ragupathi. By 8.15 am students made a procession in the streets of Kallupatti by telling the slongans Vande mathram ! Mahatma Gandhi ke Jai ! Patriotic songs were sung. At 10.00 am Independence Day celebration commenced in the School Auditorium. Welcome address was given by the Head mistress. Ashram chairman Dr.R.Venkatasami addressed the children through online. He in his speech, recollected the 1st Independence day, he also said that 60th Independence Day should be celebrated as a birthday, mere slogans is not enough. Students should prepare them selves for their future. One should respect the school as temple. Work with an aim. One should be a good citizen and develop our nation. Ashram secretary Dr.V.Ragupathy sir, in his speech said that freedom was got by the sacrifice of many people. He also told about the memorial pillars raised inside the school campus in the memory of those freedom fighters. Students should realize their duty. One should have a passion for his nation, house and school. From the primary level to the secondary level students spoke on various National Leaders. Special speech was given by Mr.Pandiyan Rtd. Tamil Teacher who talked about the history of freedom struggle. Celebration ended with the vote of thanks by the Asst.Headmistress Mrs.P.Thilagavathy.


A day started with flag hoisting by Dr V Ragupathy




Students took out a procession along the streets at T Kallupatti


Later, assembled at auditorium. Meeting started with a special address by Prof R Venkataswami	Mr Pandi, Chief guest addressed the students


A special commemoration volume prepared by the staff and students of the Primary school was released.

INDEPENDENCE DAY AT P.SUBULAPURAM

As a part of 60th Independence Day celebrations the Staff and Trainees of Dr.J.C.Kumarappa Institute of Rural Technology and Development, T.Kallupatti visited P.Subulapuram under the leadership of Sri R.Rajendran principal of the institute on theafternoon of 15th august 2007. They did shirmdhan by cleaning the drainage, karuppasami temple area, public ground, levelling village play ground and planting trees in burrrial/funeral ground with the co operation of local people. A special meeting was organised at 5.00 PM which was presided over by Smt.M.Gandhi, president of P.Subulapuram panchayat. Sri.Alagarsamy chairman of village committee, Sri Palani secretary, Headmistress of Srinivash Primary School, Sri R.Rajendran Joint Secretary\Cum Treasurer Of Gandhi Niketan Ashram delevered talk on various topics highlighting the past and present economic conditions of villages,the development of the nation after Independence, the importance of agriculture and rural industries in the national economy, value based education, panchayatraj and gramswaraj. The local people, self help group members and school children in large number attended the meeting. An inter religious prayer was conducted at 6.00 PM which was followed by cultural programmed by the trainees. The people actively participated in all the programmes and enjoyed. They thanked whole-heartedly the management of Gandhi Niketan Ashram for celebrating the Independence Day with them in their village P.Subulapuram.

Shramdhan by the trainees from Dr J C Kumarappa Institute at P Subbulapuram






Tree plantation inaugurated by Mr R Rajendran,Principal of Dr J C Kumarappa Institute	Public meeting highlighting the various aspects of rural development


Variety entertainment by rural people	A section of the audience

At Kottanipatti a village near T Kallupatti was visited by our Headmistress Mrs Rajeswari along with staff and students. There was good reception from the local panchayat. The president of the Panchayat hoisted the flag following this staff and students took up cleaning up the streets at the Harijan colony. As a special feature, a dozen saplings were planted to commemorate the Independence Day.


The president of the local Panchayat hoisting the National flag.


Students from the Primary and Higher Secondary school Participating in flag hoisting.	President presenting a memento to the Headmistress


Students doing Shramdhan at the Harijan colony.




Tree planting as part of the celebrations.