Udavum Karangal
It was a path few had taken. Rough and untrodden, it needed a brave soul to explore. It was about 20 years ago that Vidyakar held in his arms an abandoned and helpless infant in a cinema hall. The incident moved him to lay a foundation for social service and change in the state.
Vidyaakar of Udavum Karangal (Helping Hands) spoke to Sify.com about his vision for change in society, his compassion for the underprivileged and his mission of selfless and voluntary service.

Excerpts from the interview:

How was Udavum Karangal started and what are its core activities?
Udavum Karangal was born to take care of the underprivileged and over the years has housed abandoned/orphaned children, homeless aged people, the mentally deranged and AIDS victims too. From a single orphaned child 20 years ago, it is today a home for thousands. It is run by a charitable trust and is funded entirely with public contributions from all over the world.

Did you have any experience in handling psychiatric patients and others affected by traumatic experiences before you started Udavum Karangal?
I am a graduate in law and I also have a Masters in psychiatric social work and sociology along with a diploma in psychiatric counselling and a diploma in administration and labour law. I also have three years hands-on experience at the Institute of Mental Health, and also at the German Leprosy Hospital, both in Chennai.

What is the new focus area of your organisation?
The AIDS afflicted population is constantly on the increase and they are being provided with a hospice facility to discover dignity even in their terminal stages. The problem of managing them after isolation from others still persists. Self-employment programs are a major thrust of our organisation. Vocational training and other ways to help them are in progress.

Can you tell us more about yourself?
I was born in a village in Kollegal in Mysore. My family was very poor and it was thanks to Ramakrishnan from Chennai that I received shelter and did my education in the city. I did my masters in social work and started my work in the slums of NSK Nagar, Chennai. Ramakrishnan is not a rich man. He is a middle class person who made me what I am today.

Can you explain the activities of your organisation?
Our range of activities involves looking after abandoned infants (programme called Pasamalargal), shelter for the mentally-retarded and HIV positive children (Kutty Papas), Karunai Illam - the last resort for the dying and the destitute, and Adaikalam, a transit home for missing and found persons. There are other programs for treatment and aftercare service for mentally sick women, and a short stay home for women in distress.

What do you consider your milestone in caring for the sick and the destitute? Any miraculous recoveries?
I would like to recall two instances. One involves Basavaraj who is about 45 years old. He had been chained and confined in a tiny room for 15 long years. This literate man kept himself sane by greeting and talking to the people who passed him in his prison daily. His crime? Fifteen years ago, there had been a violent episode, after which his family had him chained. Today, he is a free and well meaning adult at Udavum Karangal.

Then there is Savithri who lay abandoned in a dustbin, with hungry dogs devouring her legs before being rescued by us. For Savithri, what should have been a moment of pure innocence and joy, this beginning was indeed a terrifying experience. But that was two and a half years ago. Today she attends school.

What are your plans for the future?
We have plans for a 50 bed hospital, which is making good progress, a hospice for cancer and AIDS patients, projects on rural health and a training centre for upcoming social workers in health and community development in Chennai.

There is also a school expansion programme for providing more classrooms for aspiring students and a technical training programme.

Can you tell us about the international and national awards heaped on your organisation?
We have won many accolades. To mention a few, we have been named the best voluntary service in India by Matsuhita, Japan; the best institution to help the disabled by the Tamil Nadu government, the Bharath Gaurav award, the Bhatia memorial award from Pune, the Melwin Jones award from Lions International and the Ugadi Puraskar award by the Andhra cultural association.

Are you looking for sponsors abroad?
Yes. I am going on a tour of Europe and the US to talk to many organisations and friends. We have many well-wishers there, who have come to know of our work and try to help us in various ways. My trip to the US, I hope, would also be fruitful for the organisation and the underprivileged children that it represents.

P C Vinoj Kumar