"Kalyanam Pannipaar Veetai Kattipaar", is a famous Tamil quote about taking responsibility and experiencing its nuances. This proved to be true indeed, during the grand wedding of our BM family in March 2024. I joined this family just a year before the big wedding, in 2023. The first thing we do in preparation for the wedding...
“விதைத்தவன் உறங்கினாலும் விதைகள் உறங்குவதில்லை” -(Vidaithavan uranginaalum vidaigal uranguvathillai) – meaning “The one who sows the seed may sleep, but the seeds never do.” In December 2024, we had a SAMVAAD session on the subject of ‘The Joy of Giving’, anchored by Mr. Bharath Natarajan, our Joint Secretary. He highlighted the ripple effect of even the smallest...
Respected Sangitha Kalanidhi, Smt. M.S. Subbalakshmi, Smt. Venkataraman and all the other illustrious dignitaries on the dias and all of you present here for this momentous occasion. It is indeed a great honour to me to be asked to speak as a member of the Executive Committee of the Balamandir Kamaraj Trust. I am also fortunate...
My journey with Bala Mandir began in 1996 when my mother, Vedamma, held the role of General Secretary, following Manjumma’s tenure. I have paid a few visits to Bala Mandir at that time and got to know of Manjumma and what she had done for the children of Bala Mandir . But it was only when...
Dr Indu Balagopal has left an indelible mark on us in the many years that she was an integral part of the BMRF executive committee. Now, for reasons of age she has chosen to retire much to the disappointment of the BMRF sub-committee. She was charismatic, quick-witted, had a way with words and a fine...
Those were the days not so long ago, when BMRF lunches would be cosy gatherings with wholesome home-cooked food and happy hours spent in pleasant company. These lunches would invariably follow the sub-committee meetings held every quarter. Some of the members would have travelled far to attend the meetings and it was welcome relief to...
My earliest memories of Manjuma were of a rather intimidating person, always clad in white (which I later learnt was khadi), severely pulled back pepper-salt hair and thick- rimmed glasses with high-powered lenses. She came often to my parental home as our families were close friends and my grandmother and she advocated fiercely for independence...
June is in, and the planning for upcoming events in the month of July has already started in Bala Mandir. We generally start the planning and checklist work, a month earlier, and the plan was for the upcoming ‘Education Day’ celebration in Bala Mandir in memory of ‘Karmaveerar Kamarajar’ on his birthday – which is...
