CHENNAI / NEW YORK(TIP):  America Tamil Sangam and Shri Vari Foundation, New York have adopted two corporation schools in Chennai and constructed 10 restrooms partly with donations from American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) QLI and Indian Association of Long Island (IALI) New York.

The two Long Island, NY based associations jointly donated around $15,000 to Chennai flood relief fund of the Tamil Sangam two years ago which was now utilized to construct restrooms for girl students in two schools.

The kids were peeing in public in one school without any privacy while the other school had fewer restrooms for over a hundred children.

At a function held at Dr Janaki MGR College in Chennai, Tamil Nadu State Minister for Social Welfare Dr V Saroja, an OBGYN, said building restrooms helps improve the health of girl students and praised America Tamil Sangam and Shri Vari Foundation for implementing the project. She said the role of AAPI-QLI and IALI was praiseworthy in reaching out to the needy in their motherland. She announced a government grant of Rs 10 lakhs to the anganwadi (day care center) to be set up in an aided school in Thuluvapushpagiri in Tamil Nadu whose principal in charge was honored at the event.

Dr V. Maithreyan, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), guest of honor at the event, said non-resident Tamils played a big role in attracting investments for the development of the state and acting as a bridge between the state government and the country of their residence.

Dr. J Jayavardhan, Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha- South Madras), guest of honor at the event, said Tamil sangams abroad fostered language, culture, music and heritage and in addition America Tamil Sangam also chipped in to provide social welfare measures.

Sivasankari, celebrated author and novelist, praised the role of American Tamil Sangam in putting a smile on the face of hapless children.

Dr. R Natraj, Member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and former Director General of Police, presiding over the function, offered his support and cooperation to any Tamil associations from abroad willing to take up development work in his Mylapore constituency.

American Tamil Sangam honored Meena Rajan, headmistress in charge of government aided middle school in Thulvapushpagiri village in Thiruvannamalai district in Tamil Nadu. She had sold her jewels and her house to build classrooms and restrooms in the government school that had dilapidated class rooms with asbestos roof and no restrooms. She then went on to collect Rs 75 lakhs through donations to convert the dingy school into a smart class school with high tech facilities.

The Sangam also honored Dr TG Srinivasan, Chennai City Health Education Officer of the Corporation of Chennai for his untiring work in spreading the message of hygiene and cleanliness under Swatch Bharat program in schools, colleges, welfare associations and slum areas. It also felicitated principals of the two adopted schools – Soundarya Priya and Murugan- for their dedicated service. Two social workers – MV Ramani and Raja Mohan, advocate were also honored.

Prakash M Swamy, president of America Tamil Sangam, said the two schools were chosen for one school produced 100 percent results in tenth standard government exams for the past 8 years and the other excelled in promoting hygiene and discipline among students. Future plans include providing free sanitary napkins to girl students, improving the library and computer education, providing uniforms to students and sprucing up the campus. S Ravishankar, proposed a vote of thanks.