foundation for the future new beginnings in bengal india ... · various stages of completion....

Dear Friends of AIM for Seva,

We, at AIM for Seva, have always been inspired by Seva and

for us, Seva is spiritual. For it is through Seva, we

metamorphose as individuals; from consumers to

contributors. We achieve this through giving and reaching

out and thereby mature emotionally too.

Guided by this spirit as well as our moving force and founder,

Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati, we are currently

present across 16 states with 97 Free Student Hostels. We

began our journey in 2000 and the first Free Student Hostel

was built in Anaikatti near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Since

then, we have come a long way. I am also happy to

announce that 12 new and upcoming projects are under

various stages of completion.

It’s been a busy second quarter at AIM for Seva. Our annual

fundraiser was held on August 16 and 17 at the Music

Academy, Chennai. Spirit of the Earth, an initiative of ours

organised the first edition of the India Organic Fair 2018

with concept support from the Ministry of Women and Child

Development. The fair was held from September 7 to 11 at

the Mother Teresa Women’s Complex, Valluvarkottam High

Road, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Over 65 vendors from 18 states

participated in this fair.

From north to south, our hostel students continue to make

us proud. We feature two such trail blazers—Rahul Gaur and

R. Gayathri in this Quarterly.

Another momentous moment during this period was our

entry into Bengal. We have acquired land near Bardhaman,

100 kms, north west of Kolkata, West Bengal.

Lastly, please do read our cover story on the Swami

Dayananda Rotary Matriculation School in Kadalur, Cheyyur

Taluk, Kanchipuram District. The school took shape in 2005

and this project was part of a larger rehabilitation effort in

the region post the tsunami of 2004. The proceeds from our

annual fundraiser held in August will go towards this

institution.

We welcome you to join our journey and with your continued

support, we would be able to penetrate the last mile and

thereby empower and educate every child in rural India.

Thank you,

Sheela Balaji

Chairperson and Managing Trustee, AIM for Seva

I N D I A | A M E R I C A

Bridge Number 1505669533

2 Foundation for the future

National Institutionfor Transforming India

No: TN/2009/0007789

Accreditation

On our cover page: Students from Venkat Shanker AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel for Boys in Mulvoy, Tamil Nadu

Contents

4 Highlights

6 Aspire

8 Hostel Focus

9 aim for seva Krupa home

10 Straight from The heart

13 The unstoppables

14 NEW and High

16 Break Free

18 India Organic fair 2018

20 Annual Fundraiser

21 Words of Wisdom

22 Swami Dayananda educational trust Updates

spirit of the earth24

Spread over 3 acres, the school's strength has

today swelled to 700. With our infrastructure of

classrooms, well equipped labs and buses to

facilitate our students, it is natural that our

institution is much sought after by parents living

nearby.

In addition to the regular academic curriculum, the

school also conducts 'Art for Development' and

'Theatre for Development' programmes. These

workshops help our students develop their

creative and communication skills, thereby

blossoming them into confident individuals.

The testimony to that is many of them are thinking

big. Take the case of 13 year old R. Mukesh who

studies in class 8 and hails from the village of

Veerattikuppam (55 km from the school). He

aspires to become an aeronautical engineer and

he lives at our Free Student Hostel within th

the same complex. Like Mukesh, another 8

grader, J. Lokeswaran from Palayam Village

(187 km from Kadalur) wants to get into

government service after completing his

education while Afrosa Begum studying in class

8 and hailing from the village of Kathankadai

(12 km from Kadalur) wants to become a pilot.

Most of them are first generation learners and

if they go on to achieve their dreams, they

would become the first ones from their village to

step into the corporate world.

Concurs V. Sundaram, administrative officer of the

school, "Our students are filled with dreams. That

is what makes our institution stand all. As staff of

the school, we take it as our duty to show them the

path of goodness. Take the case of 16 year old G.

Gokilan who has been studying in the school since

Kindergarten. The son of a farmer, his ambition is

to become a volleyball player. We encourage him to

balance his sporting goal with his academics;

education is fulfillment at the end of the day."

The Swami Dayananda Rotary Matriculation

School advocates all round development. Last

year, our boys and girls bagged the first position

in the Junior (U14) zonal level category in hand

ball. This year (2018-19), our institution is the

centre for conducting the zonal sports meet.

The strength of the school lies as much in its

teachers as in its students. Maths teacher,

Smt. Suguna Baskar is one of the oldest tutors in

the school.“The driving force behind this institution

is very different. Knowledge, intellectual capacity

and technological prowess alone have never been

sufficient to meet life's challenges. To be a

complete human being, we must have values.”

Our two-day annual fundraiser in August, in

Chennai was for this institution.

For an ordinary man, Kadalur appears to be a dot

on the Indian map, located 83 km from Chennai,

capital of Tamil Nadu. But to the parents and

guardians of the students, Kadalur is their heart

and the school, a hope for a better future.

Salient Features

Holistic development of children

Kindergarten to class 11

Well-stocked library

Smart board enabled classrooms

Spacious playground

State-of-the-art science and

computer laboratories.

Values of community service

imbibed through Junior Red

Cross

100% pass rate

How many students call their school a

second home? How many would

excitedly rush to the school in the

morning and say with a glow in their

eyes, “We enjoy every bit out here.” That

is what the Swami Dayananda Rotary

Matriculation School in Kadalur, Tamil

Nadu has created for its students – a

place where learning is fun.

T h e S w a m i D ay a n a n d a R o t a r y

Matriculation School was part of a

larger rehabilitation effort undertaken by AIM for

Seva post the tsunami of 2004. The huge tidal

waves swept away homes, boats and fishing

equipment in many coastal regions across Tamil

Nadu. Kadalur was one such fishing hamlet in the

Cheyyur Taluk in Kanchipuram District.

After the tsunami, AIM for Seva volunteers stepped

into the region and worked round the clock to

provide the poor and needy with food, clothing and

temporary shelter, fishing boats, nets and engines.

In 2005, the Swami Dayananda Rotar y

Matriculation School, Kadalur opened doors with

14 students. One of the early sponsor of the

institution was the Rotary Club of Madras Chenna

Patna.

If you wish to donate towards

construction of a new classroom

block in the school, write to us at

[email protected]

2

Foundation for the future

3

In March this year, the Swami Dayananda Memorial Centre

was inaugurated in Manjakkudi, Tirvarur District, Tamil Nadu.

The inauguration stood complete with our founder Pujya

Swami Dayananda Saraswati's Mürti which was installed on

August 3, 2018 at the same venue. The idol installation has

given soul and fulfillment to the Memorial Centre that now

serves as a place to conduct retreats by Arsha Vidya teachers.

The Mürti was unveiled by Pujya Swamiji's senior disciple,

Swami Prasantananda Saraswatiji in the august presence of

Swamis and Swaminis of the Arsha Vidyä Parampara. The

Swamis and Swaminis were received with Pürëakumbham in a

procession leading up to the venue where they paid their

respect to their Guru, Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati.

The Swamis and Swaminis shared their memories of Swamiji. Swami Prasantananda Saraswatiji

delivered the Anugraha Bhäs̃anam.

Highlights

Pujya Swamiji's Murti unveiled

The Chairperson and Managing

Trustee of AIM for Seva, Smt. Sheela

Balaji received the Devi Award at a

grand function held at ITC Grand

Chola on September 11.

The award instituted by The New

Indian Express was conferred on our

Chairperson and Managing Trustee

for her efforts in promoting organic farming and preservation of indigenous rice varieties.

Devi Award forour Chairperson

AIM for Seva celebrates Founder's Day

throughout the month of August every year.

Remembering Pujya Swami Dayananda

Saraswati, children across all our 97 Free

Student Hostels in 16 states of

India light the lamp, distribute

sweets, chant slokas and offer

prayers. Prayers bind them together

a n d s p r e a d t h e f e e l i n g o f

brotherhood. All these children hail

from the poorest section of society.

That they have got an opportunity to

study, find proper shelter, food and

guidance is a blessing to them. It is

the feeling of gratitude that all these

children carry in their hearts and

hence try their best to excel in their

own chosen direction.

For Pujya Swamiji, with love

ndOn India’s 72 Independence

Day, the tricolour was hoisted

across our Free Student Hostels

in the country.

The biggest asset to a nation are

its children and across our 97

Free Student Hostels, our

students imbibe value-based

education, the foundation of

which is understanding and

appreciating one’s culture and

traditions. It is this ignited spirit

of patriotism that takes a country

forward.

Independence Day

4 5

Aspire

Both are winners in their own right.

Manju and Harsha both secured the st

1 position in a District level competition held at

the Sri Vadiraja Samasthana Higher Primary and

High School in Innanje, Karnataka recently. Eight

schools participated in the competition. Manju

who studies at the Shri Narayana Guru Kannada

Medium School in Paduballe surprised everyone

with his commendable extempore in the 'Pick and

Speech' competition while Harsha floored

everyone with his flawless recitation of Chapter

15 of the Bhagavad Gita and managed to secure

the supreme position.

Elocution

Jaya Smrithi Dhama AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel for Boys in Udupi, Karnataka

VocationPoonam Uniyal - 25 year old

AIM for Seva Sewing Centre in Haripur Kalan, Uttarakhand

Poonam aspires to take tailoring as her profession.

She is about to complete a nine month tailoring course in our centre.

Both Atul and Santosh bagged the second prize in

the talent search competition conducted by Kourav

Institute of Computer Education at Dr. K.L. Papneja

Adarsh Higher Secondary School and Thakur

Niranjan Singh High School, Kareli respectively.

Computer education

Santosh RanaClass 8

Atul Dhurve Class 10

Manju NaikClass 10

G. Harsha Class 4

Mathematics

R. Sivavarshini has topped the

national level intra-centre (5,000)

Brainobrain Abacus competition held

in Chennai recently. She solved 40

problems in three minutes flat.

Prior to this, she had won regional

competitions in Trichy and Thanjavur

solving 47 problems in two minutes

and thirty seconds. Sivavarshini has

been selected for the international

competition to be held in Dubai in

November. She will participate in this

six day event and will be

accompanied by her parents.

R. Sivavarshini - Class 6

Swami Dayananda Matric Higher SecondarySchool in Manjakkudi, Tamil Nadu

Smt. Krishna Rani Papneja AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel for Boys in Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh

At a speech competition

organised by the

Ramakrishna Mission,

100 participants

delivered eloquent

speeches on 'The Life of

Swami Vivekananda.'

Gulab Damor of Arsha Vidya Tirtha AIM for Seva

Free Student Hostel for Boys in Jaipur, Rajasthan ndwon the 2 prize. Gulab is keen to do a PhD in

music.

ElocutionGulab DamorArsha Vidya Tirtha AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel for Boys in Jaipur, Rajasthan

Sports and education are two sides of the same coin

according to our 360 degree education model. This

approach is a proven model to success. Students from

the AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel for Boys in

Sembangudi, Tamil Nadu won prizes in the

Bharathiyar Day Games at the Zonal Level conducted

by the School Education Department at G.B.H.S.S.

Valangaiman School in Tiruvarur District. These boys

have been enthusiast ical ly par t ic ipat ing

in various school competitions and coming back

with prizes. M. Gopinath

studying in class 9 won ndthe 2 prize in 3000

metres running race.

Sports champs bringhome prizes

6

In the picture: The runners up

in Kabaddi at the district level

Krupahome

Creativity is another name for the AIM for Seva Free

Student Hostel in Sathyamangalam. Our 25

children living in this premises are enthusiastic

learners–-- active in academics and sports.

And when it comes to showcasing creativity, no one

can beat the hostel boys at Sathyamangalam. They

are innovators in their own right.

The construction of the AIM for Seva Free Student

Hostel for Boys in Sathyamangalam was supported

by Shri. Ram Sampath and Smt. Hema Sampath

and the hostel opened doors in 2008.

AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel in SathyamangalamTamil Nadu

Krupa residents celebrate NationalHandloom DayOn the occasion of National Handloom

Day celebrated on August 7 every year,

residents at AIM for Seva Krupa Home

celebrated the day by donning hand woven fabrics in bright hues.

The National Handloom Day highlights the contribution of handloom to the socio-economic development of

India and promotes handlooms with the objective of increasing income of our weavers.

HOSTELFOCUS

You can make online donations to show your support. Log onto www.aimforseva.org

Arun is residing at the AIM for

Seva Free Student Hostel for

Boys, Sathyamangalam since

2016. The little boy used ice

cubes, battery, small plastic

fan blades, a small motor and battery cable to put

together his air-conditioner model. He was awarded rd

the 3 prize at the science exhibition held in his

school, Kasturba Higher Secondary School, Rajan

Nagar in Sathyamangalam.

Science C. Arunkumar - Class 8

AIM For Seva Free Student Hostel for Boys inSathyamangalam, Tamil Nadu

AIM for Seva Krupa Home products

Just like our mainstream weavers, 38 residents living in AIM for Seva

Krupa Home, a home for differently-abled adults who are taught

weaving as part of their occupational therapy love the loom.

Our residents aged between 18-65 years of age have various

developmental disabilities such as autism and cerebral palsy.

Weaving helps in mind and body coordination and also acts as a

source of recreation and rehabilitation. The fabric woven by them are

stitched into products like bags, wallets, passport holders and folders.

These products are available at Spirit of the Earth, our exclusive outlet

in Mylapore, Chennai.

P. M a h a l a k s h m i w h o

participated in the drawing

competition on ‘Healthy

Lifestyle’ conducted by the

Regional Resource and

Training Centre of T.T.K.

Hospital at Semmangudi

Higher Secondary School in

Sembangudi, Tamil Nadu rdsecured the 3 position. She won a cash prize of

Rs. 500.

ArtP. Mahalakshmi - Class 11

AIM For Seva Free Student Hostel for Girls, Sembangudi, Tamil Nadu

8 9

Madhankumar won the rd3 prize in a drawing

competition held at his

school - Kasturba Higher

Secondary School, Rajan

Nagar. Our little champ

also made an electronic

boat all by himself for his

school project.

ArtR. Madhankumar - Class 7

AIM For Seva Free Student Hostel for Boys in Sathyamangalam, Tamil Nadu

With the objective of

increasing the income of

the weavers in our country,

Prime Minister Narendra

Modi started the 'National

Handloom Day' in 2015, in

line with the Swadeshi

Movement proclaimed on

August 7 in 1905. This day

commemorates the

contribution of the weavers

of our country who have

kept a 5,000 year tradition

alive and in demand.

Computer Age Management Services Private Limited

Computer Age Management Services (CAMS) has been supporting us for the past four years.

This quarter, the company gave the first installment of Rs. 4 lakh out of the sanctioned amount of

Rs. 12 lakh towards student sponsorship for 38 students living in the S. Viswanathan Memorial AIM for

Seva Free Student Hostel for Boys in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.

Thank you

Sundaram BNP Paribas Home Finance

Rs. 2 lakh

KKR Trust - Rs. 2 lakh

Straight from The heart

L&T Valves LimitedM/s L&T Valves Limited supported us with Rs. 5 lakh towards construction of a compound wall at the

Swami Dayananda Rotary Matriculation School in Kadalur, Tamil Nadu. Last year, the company gave

Rs. 10 lakh to the same institution and the donation was utilised for buying desks and computer lab

equipment.

Aanandam Charitable TrustAanandam Charitable Trust, the land and building donor of the AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel for Boys

in Salai Village near Tindivanam, Tamil Nadu donated Rs. 3.6 lakh as student sponsorship for 12 students th

living in the hostel. This is the 5 consecutive year that Aanandam Charitable Trust is supporting this Free

Student Hostel.

Dewan Housing Finance Limited

Dewan Housing Finance Limited has been a regular supporter of AIM for Seva. Last quarter, they had sent

books and stationery items to our children living in the AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel in Alwal

(Telengana), Yelahanka (Karnataka) and Sriperumbudur (Tamil Nadu). In the past, the home finance

company has donated bunker cots for the AIM for Seva Dayananda Tribal Boys Free Student Hostel in

Anaikatti, Tamil Nadu. This quarter they donated Rs. 8 lakh to help us build the compound wall at the

AIM for Seva Dayananda Tribal Boys Free Student Hostel in Anaikatti, Tamil Nadu. During 2016-17 and

2017-18, Dewan Housing Finance Limited provided student sponsorships to all the students in Free

Student Hostels for boys in Anaikatti, Tamil Nadu and for girls in Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh.

A generous heart

Welcoming Oil India Limited who have joined hands with us this quarter by donating Rs. 2.10 lakh as

student sponsorship for 7 students living at the Shri Chunilal Vij AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel for Boys

in Rohtak, Haryana.

Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited

Rs. 2.40 lakh

Smt. Meera Chari, a well wisher of AIM for Seva has been consistently supporting us in all our endeavours.

Apart from regular contributions, she helped us with a generous donation for construction of the toilet

blocks in Semmangudi Higher Secondary School, Sembangudi, Tamil Nadu. And this time, she came

forward with Rs. 4 lakh for our annual fundraiser conducted over 2 days in August in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Oil India Limited

&

10 11

The New India Assurance Co. Ltd.Rs. 4.70 lakh

The unstoppables

This is the first time Tata Motors has come

forward to express their support towards our

work. In August, employees of TATA Motors in

Nigdi, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune visited our

children living in AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel for Boys in Chikhali, Maharashtra. They brought with them

30 sets of school uniform, one volleyball, stationery and snacks. On the occasion, Prathamesh studying in

class 10 gave a speech on AIM for Seva and its activities. The hostel students enthusiastically chanted

slokas and sang bhajans that they learnt recently as part of their activities. We are very happy with this new

association.

Gifts galore from Tata Motors

February 2018 was a momentous month for

19 year alumnus, Rahul Gaur, a student of the AIM

for Seva Free Student Hostel for Boys at

Karnaprayag, Uttarakhand. On February 13, Rahul

came first in the 800 metres race at the state level

championship held at the Maharana Pratap Sports

College, Dehradun.

Eight days later, he came to know that he has been

selected in the Garhwal Regiment of the Indian

Army. Rahul is now gunning for the national

championship and then the Olympics and he is

certain that the Indian Army would support him in

this endeavour.

Bhag Rahul Bhag

R. Gayathri, 18 presently living in the

Atmalayam Swami Dayananda AIM for

Seva Free Student Hostel for Girls in

Udumalpet, Tamil Nadu epitomises

perseverance and determinat ion.

Daughter of a labourer, Gayathri hails

from Udumalpet in Tamil Nadu and lost

her mother at the age of 13. Her father too

was attacked by parthinum allergy, an

a i rborne contact dermat i t i s that

prohibited him from leading a healthy life.

But nothing stopped her from continuing

her education. She scored 1119 out of

1200 in her class XII board examinations.

In spite of studying in Tamil medium till

her higher secondary school, she

managed to score 84% in her second

semester examinations in her second year

B.Com at the Government Arts College,

Udumalpet where the medium of

instruction is English. Gayathri has made

all of us very proud! And she continues to

march ahead.

Trail blazer from south

Straight from The heart

Emirates AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel for Girls

in Dharmapuri has always been a hub of activities.

Every morning, 28 girls living in this hostel beam

with energy and creativity. Running for the second

year in a row, the Titan 'Art for Development

Programme' has contributed towards to our girls

ingenuity to a large extent. And now earlier this

month, Titan gifted solar heaters and a CCTV unit

for the comfort and safety of our children.

Titan continues to support

A bag full of loveS.S.R. M.P.L. Elementary school in Bapatla, Andhra

Pradesh donated school bags to our children living in

Kosuri-Doraiswamy AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel

for Boys in Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh. These school

bags were bought from contributions of the alumni of

the school – an initative taken by Shri. A. Sathish

Prabhakar, Member of Legislative Council, Guntur

and Shri. S. Niranjan, Chairperson of Mandal

Education Office, Bapatla and Shri. P. V. Sambasiva Rao, Headmaster of the school. Our 36 children living in

the hostel are very happy and have now found a new reason to go to school.

Rahul's confidence is not without reason.

Politician and former shooter, Rajyavardhan Singh

Rathore won the silver in the double trap event at

the 2004 Olympic Games. At that time, he was in

the Indian Army in the 9th Grenadiers (Mewar)

Regiment.

12 13

Renaissance of modern India had its origins in

Bengal. Alongside the bourgeoisie community

and the culture of the west, Bengal's literary

and cultural conversation with the rest of the

world is a landmark in global history. Naturally

AIM for Seva’s presence would be incomplete

without an entry into Bengal.

We have just bought land approximately, 30

cents (0.3 acre) to build a new Free Student

Hostel for Boys in Bardhaman. Bardhaman or

Burdwan is 100 km from Kolkata and has its

own illustrious history. The hostel should be

ready by the next academic year (2019-20).

New beginnings in Bengal

The construction of our new co-education school in

Padali Village, Khargone District, Madhya Pradesh

supported by Shri. Jugal Kishor and Smt. Bimla

Kishor is 60% complete.

This upcoming school facility is on a five-acre plot

in Padali Village, located 50 km from Indore and

24 km from Omkareshwar. This institution is

designed to be a residential school and is set to

transform the lives of rural children around the

region.

We also plan to set up a Free Student Hostel for

boys and girls, provide a rural ambulance service

and create a health sanitation programme for the

local community.

AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel for Girls in Kusumbhi Village,

Unnao District in Uttar Pradesh is now open for admission. The

hostel land and the building has been magnanimously

sponsored by Dr. Rajkumar Nigam. The inaugural function was

held on September 19, 2018. The village head, Shri Ranjanlal

Awasthi and Principal, Government Girls Inter College,

Nawabganj, Smt. Sumalika were the chief guests for the

occasion. The local villagers also joined in the celebration. We

already have 21 girls living with us and look forward to support

many more to the best of our ability.

Bhoomi Pooja at Unnao

AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel in Kamalapuram, Andhra

Pradesh has got a new vehicle to take our children to

school. The driver, M.V. Narayana Reddy who has been

working with us for the last 3 years, comes in at 8:30 am

everyday and ensures that our Free Student Hostelers reach

the school, 3 km away in time. The bus accommodates 33

children who now ride to school comfortably.

New vehicle for our students

New school in Madhya Pradesh

A Free Student Hostel for girls was

recently inaugurated in Andhra Pradesh.

This building is located in Ameenapet in

Eluru Mandal in the West Godavari

District of Andhra Pradesh. Land and

building donor, Shri. Kocharlakota Rao who lives in USA graced the occasion along with other guests from

the village.

Eluru Mandal in Andhra Pradesh, where farming has been mainstay has developed quite a bit in the last

few years. The coastal area known for its rugs is now better connected. Thanks to improved road

infrastructure, today the region is home to educational institutions such as Sri Chaitanya School,

C.R. Reddy Public School and Bhashyam E.M. School. The hostel at present has 14 children and we hope

to nurture many more.

New Free Student Hostel for girls in Andhra Pradesh

NEW and High

A Bhoomi Pooja and the Khatmuhurt programme

of a new Free Student Hostel for Boys at Dhandhuka,

Gujarat was conducted by P.P. Swami Paramatmananda

Saraswatiji and P.P. Mahanta Shri Shambhunathaji

Maharaj in July. The construction of this hostel is

expected to be completed by March 2019 and the new

academic session will commence from June 2019.

Gujarat Bhoomi Pooja

14 15

The traditional art of Bommalattam provided a good break to

the students of the Dayasagar AIM for Seva Free Student

Hostel for Boys in Palani, Tamil Nadu recently. On the first

weekend of July, the boys got together and put in their

creative best. First, the boys put together pieces of cloth,

pins, colours and threads to bring string puppets alive on

stage. Then a voice over was provided and stories from our

folklore were brought alive on stage through the puppets. The

result was an entertaining puppet show.

Seshachariar AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel

for Boys in Cumbum, Tamil Nadu children

enjoyed a 3-day fun filled camp within the hostel st rd

premises from 21 to 23 September. Swami

Poornananda Saraswati, Swami Yogeshananda Saraswati, Br. Vishwanathan, Br. Ramanathan presided

over the inauguration ceremony. The camp included storytelling, classical and devotional music, yoga,

games and a host of activities for children. This mid-term camp provided a good break from the regular

schedule for 51 boys of the Cumbum Free Student Hostel. Such recesses help our students explore their

potential beyond academics and examinations. It also boosts their confidence and takes them closer to

Indian culture and values.

Fun-filled camp

In July, Bapu-Buddh AIM for Seva Free

Student Hostel for Boys in Indore had an

annual get together function organised by

AIM for Seva supporters. Shri. Radhey Shyam

Julaniya, Secretary of Water Resources and

Health Department, Madhya Pradesh and

other special guests were present at the

event. More than 550 people from Indore

and nearby cities attended the event.

A galore gathering

Emirates AIM for Seva Free Student Hostel for

Girls in Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu had guest

visitors spending time with our children.

Shr i . N.E. Sr idhar, head of corporate

sustainability at Titan along with his colleague,

Smt. P.S. Santhi chose to spend time with all our 28 children from the hostel. On their part, the kids were

happy to see the real faces behind the 'Art for Development' programme that had been in operation for

the past two years. Titan continues to be a valued partner and has supported us this year too with student

sponsorship and ‘Art for Development’ programme at the Dharmapuri Free Student Hostel and ‘Art for

Development’ programme at our Free Student Hostel in Yelahanka. The interaction saw the girls of the

Dharmapuri Free Student Hostel sharing their experiences in the hostel and their plans ahead. Titan

officials gave a presentation of their company.

An hour to remember

Puppet play

Temple tour

A I M f o r S e v a

p a r t n e r e d w i t h

Pratham Books for

their annual 'One

Day, One Story' event

on September 8 on

the occasion of World

Literacy Day. The

idea was to encourage children to fall in love with reading.

A Cloud of Trash, written by Karanjeet Kaur, and illustrated

by Bhavana Vyas Vipparthi was sent to all hostels in

Andhra Pradesh (12) and Telengana (4). It's a story about

a little girl called Cheekoo, who has a cloud of trash

hanging over her head. This makes her very, very unhappy,

and as we follow her story, we learn a little more about

trash, and about keeping our surroundings clean. Our

children across 16 hostels in both states read out the

story aloud and even enjoyed enacting it.

Once upon a time

BreakFree

Students of the Atmalayam Swami Dayananda AIM for Seva Free Student

Hostel for Girls in Udumalpet were taken for a pilgrimage tour to Srirangam,

Thiruvanikkaval, Kallanai, Samayapuram, Uchi Pillayar Koil, Thanjavur for

two days. The 65 hostel students stayed at Srirangam. The Srimaan Trust,

Srirangam took care of their food and accommodation. In fact, one of our

students, recited the Thiruvarangam of Srirangam

with tremendous ease. Trustee founder of the

Srimaan Trust, Sri. Parashara Badri Narayana

Bhattar Swamy told them about the greatness of

Srirangam temple, explaining to them in detail

the stories attached to every pillar and

structure. According to our girl hostelers, this

yatra was highly informative and the

knowledge gained was an experience of a

lifetime.

16 17

Organised by Spirit of the Earth, an initiative of AIM

of Seva, which has revived organic heritage rice, the

fair was held from September 7 to 11, 2018 at the

Mother Teresa Women’s Complex, Valluvarkottam

High Road with concept support from the Ministry of

Women and Child Development. KKR Trust donated

Rs. 2 lakh towards the India Organic Fair 2018.

“We would like to make India Organic Fair 2018 a

national movement from Chennai,” Sheela Balaji,

Chairperson and Managing Trustee of AIM for Seva

said at the inaugural function.

This was followed by an enlightening presentation

on folk varieties of rice by guest of honour,

Dr. K. Vijayalakshmi of CIKS (Centre for Indian

Knowledge Systems). Sabarmatee Tiki, one of the

Nari Shakti award recipients of 2018 and founder

of NGO Sambhav, was the guest speaker at the

inaugural function. The chief guest of the inaugural

event, M. Murali, Managing Director, Sri Krishna

Sweets said the time had come to develop rice SKUs

(stock keeping units) and sell the same as the

country had such rich bio diversity.

From spices in the Kumaon Himalayas to organic

produce from Kerala, the best of India was under

one roof on all five days.

thOn day 2 (September 8 ), there was an interesting

dialogue between Cdr S. Lakshmanan Iyer from

Bio Basics and athlete, yoga expert and social

activist Gayathre Rajam on 'Be Organic and Buy

Organic' in the morning.

In the afternoon, Programme Director from the

Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems (CIKS),

Smt. Subhashini Sridhar along with her colleague,

Shri. R. Manikandan, programme coordinator at

CIKS shared their knowledge on what goes into

India Organicfair 2018

setting up and maintaining an organic farm. The

evening concluded with Sacred Offerings by

Rakesh Raghunathan. His temple food cookery

demo was filled with stories, songs and lesser

known facts of south Indian culture.

thOn day 3 (September 9 ), it was literally farm to

the table. Sunday morning saw urban farmers

taking centre stage in a panel discussion. India’s

rice warrior, Dr. Debal Deb gave a wonderful

presentation where he highlighted the conceptual

differences in organic and ecological agriculture

on Sunday afternoon.

This was followed by a lip smacking session.

Shonali Muthalaly, editor of The Hindu MetroPlus

moderated this session with renowned cook book

authors, Smt. Sabita Radhakrishna, Smt. Mallika

Badrinath and Smt. Prathiba Jain who shared their

journey of collecting and documenting heirloom

recipes.

thOn September 10 , Monday there was an interesting

morning dialogue between Dr. K. Vijayalakshmi

(Founder, Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems)

and India’s rice warrior, Dr. Debal Deb. They shared

their insights on the future of organic farming –

scope, challenges and what farmers and

consumers could do to support the movement.

In the evening, there was an interesting session

on Rice—the Fundamental Nourishment as

described in Ayurveda. The panellists were

Ayurveda Acharya L. Mahadevan, Dr. Amutha

Damodaran and Dr. Arvind Bharadwaj.

The first edition of the India Organic Fair 2018 got off to a flying start on September 7 in Chennai.

India Organic 2018 drew to a

grand close on September

11 evening with a violin recital

by Dr. Parur Harini Srivatsa.

All the vendors at the

India Organic Fair 2018

received a certificate of

participation from the

Chairperson and Managing

Trustee of AIM for Seva,

Smt. Sheela Balaji.

18 19

The premises of Music Academy beamed with enthusiastic supporters who

had saved their date for the AIM for Seva annual fundraiser.

The evening began with the AIM for Seva anthem presented by children of

the Swami Dayananda Rotary Matriculation School, Kadalur. This was

followed by a moving speech by Swamini Suddhavidyananda Saraswatiji

who runs our Free Student Hostel for Girls in Chinnasalem, Tamil Nadu.

For the next 105 minutes, Krishna swept away the audience at the

Music Academy. To spread this message of love and compassion for

others, AIM for Seva chose to stage Anitha Guha's Nandalala. Filled with dramatic movements,

Nandalala kept the audience glued to their seats with its scintillating performance.

At the end of the performance, our Swamijis and Swaminis, chief guest for the evening, Smt. Revathi

Ramachandran, Director of Kalakshetra Foundation and Smt. Anitha Guha, Director of Bharathanjali

were honoured by the Chairperson and Managing Trustee of AIM for Seva, Smt. Sheela Balaji.

Aug 16 by Anitha Guha's Bharathanjali

at Music Academy, Chennai

Fundraiser

Aug 17 by Kala Sadhanalaya, founded by Smt. Revathi Ramachandran at Music Academy, Chennai

The programme commenced with the Chairperson and Managing Trustee of AIM for Seva, Smt. Sheela

Balaji felicitating Swamini Vishvapriyananda Saraswatiji who heads two of

our AIM for Seva Free Student Hostels and a primary school in

Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu. After this, two students from AIM for Seva

Free Student Hostel in Sriperumbudur shared their experiences of

hostel life with the audience. Jagat Pavani Ganga painted the glory

of Ganga interpreted through ancient and contemporary verses.

After the performance, Shri. R. Kannan, Treasurer, AIM for Seva

honoured the chief guest of the evening, acclaimed performer

and choreographer, Smt. Anita Ratnam, choreographer of Jagat

Pavani Ganga, Smt. Revathi Ramachandran and violin maestro,

Shri. Lalgudi G.J.R. Krishnan.

caring, from being only a consumer to be a

contributor.

Danam, giving and sharing, is a mark of growth.

Not giving is a mark of being stunted. Remaining a

consumer all the time, and not becoming a

contributor, is not the Vedic view of life. We have to

be contributors.

Even though you do not have compassion, you can

act compassionately and you will discover

compassion. If you do not have love, act lovingly;

you will discover love. Similarly, in the act of giving,

you grow, people grow and your country grows!

'Giving' is the means for growth.

You keep giving until it hurts. You can give your

time, you can lend a sympathetic ear to someone;

lot of people want such ears. You can express

words of appreciation, encouragement, empathy

and so on. Sharing your knowledge with

somebody is also caring. You can also pray for

somebody; there are many ways of giving. Only by

giving you grow.

Words of Wisdom

In this section, we are

sharing excerpts from

Danam-written by our founder, Pujya Swami

Dayananda Saraswati.

We came from a culture where there was zero

competition. Every priest was a son of a priest;

every washer-man, barber, blacksmith and

goldsmith inherited his profession, the skill from

his father. This is how our society has been, and

even today a son of a priest may not be a priest,

but every priest is still a son of a priest.

So, from a non-competitive society we are pushed

now into a competitive culture, which means

everybody becomes insecure. We need to grow to

handle ourselves in a culture of competition. We

have to conform to rules, providing space for

others, and even enjoying others' success. And we

can do so only if we have self-worth.

One's self-worth is not mere money. It is one's

culture. The culture of Hindus is one of caring. As

an individual, as a corporate entity, as a collective

body, we care and express that care. We grow by

20 21

We are running caring programmes under the All India Movement (AIM)

for Seva. We build and manage student hostels in rural areas. By participating

in our programmes, you have an opportunity to grow and be a contributor.

Be a part of AIM for Seva programmes of caring.

July 9 2018 was a red letter day for the students,

management and staff of the Swami Dayananda thCollege of Arts & Science, Manjakkudi. The 14

graduation day was held that day with 535

students receiving their degrees. Amongst them,

11 are university rank holders.

Smt. Sheela Balaji, Chairperson and Managing

Trustee, Swami Dayananda Educational Trust

welcomed the gathering. Dr. N. Kanakasabesan,

Principal of the college presented the academic

achievements of staff members and the students.

Swami Omkarananda Saraswati, Founder, Sri

Swami Chidbhavananda Ashramam, Theni

presided over the function and delivered the

Anugraha Bhäs̃anam.

th 14 Convocation Day at the Swami Dayananda College of Arts & Science

thThe 10 Inter-Patashala Vedic Competition 2018

organised by OM Charitable Trust in the city in July

saw all three of our students from the Swami

Dayananda Vedapatashala in Kodavasal,

Tamil Nadu bagging top ranks (securing over 90%)

in the competit ion. The three students,

Satyamoorthy Krishna (Krishna Yajur Vedam 3

participant), G. Rajesh (Krishna Yajur Vedam 4

participant) and V. Sri Hari (Krishna Yajur Vedam 4

participant), all secured top ranks in the

competition. And this is not the first time.

In 2015, S.M. Karthikeyan, our Vedapatashala

student, secured the first rank in Krishna Yajur

Vedam 4 while N. Balaji stood second in Krishna

Yajur Vedam 4 . A year before, in 2014,

M. Ramanathan from the Kodavasal Vedapatashala

secured rank one in Krishna Yajur Vedam 4 while

H. Arun, another of our Vedapatashala student

also came first in Krishna Yajur Vedam 3.

This year, there were 3,000 applicants for the

competition from across the country. Krishnamoorthy

Hegde, Krishna Yajur Vedam Adyapaka at the

Swami Dayananda Vedapatashala in Kodavasal

proudly remarked, “As per the admission criteria to

this competition, only those students who secured

above 85% could enter the event. Only 360

students from across India made it to the

competition.”

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's

Swachh Bharat Mission, the new toilet

blocks at the Semmangudi Higher Secondary

School in Sembangudi, Tamil Nadu have

been functional since August. We had

started raising funds for the toilet block via a

crowd funding platform earlier this year.

It was topped up with donors who came

forward with their generous contributions.

With adequate sanitation facilities and

improved hygiene conditions, there would be

no long queues during lunch break for our

students.

Construction of new toilet block completed

Torch bearers of our Vedic tradition

Swami Dayanandaeducational trust

Updates

That is not all. The OM Charitable Trust has also

declared our Vedapatashala amongst the Top 10

Vedapatashalas in the country based on overall

pedagogy, cleanliness and hygiene of the

classroom and surrounding environment and food

and other support provided to students.

Our enrolments at the Vedapatashala have

also seen a steady rise over the last decade.

From a mere five students in 2007, this

number has moved up to 34 this academic

year.

A registered public charitable trust, OM Charitable

Trust has been formed to encourage education

and research on Indian heritage education.

Among other things, the Trust conducts

competitions in the area of Shastras and

scriptures, thereby honouring our scholars who

are studying the Vedas and Vedanta.

Dr. M. Murugesan, Principal and member

syndicate, Sudharsan College of Arts & Science,

Perumanadu, Pudukkottai was felicitated at the

function. Shri. M.G. Srinivasan, Correspondent of

the college delivered the vote of thanks.

The students shared their experience of studying

in the college and called it as 'the best days of their

lives'.

Bagging prizes in zonal sports

Twelve schools had participated in the zonal

sports and games meet of Kodavasal, held

at Ohai in August. Three of our students from

the Swami Dayananda Matric Higher

Secondary School came back with prizes.

stS. Suriya of class 12 won the 1 position in

javelin and shotput while another student of nd

the same class, S. Subhash came 2 in

running (under 17 category). R. Pynshailang

Kharlait studying in class 8 grabbed the second

position in shotput (under 14 category).

22 23

spirit ofthe earth

On August 1, Spirit of the Earth, an AIM for Seva

initiative participated in the FICCI Flo Bazaar

organised by FICCI Flo, Chennai Chapter at ITC

Grand Chola.

Spirit of the Earth, which has revived indigenous

rice displayed 12 varieties of organic, heritage rice

varieties such as Kalajeera, Karuppu Kavuni,

lluppai Poo Champa, Mapillai Champa and Thooyamalli among others at its stall in the FICCI Flo Bazaar.

Visitors showed a lot of enthusiasm and were curious to know about the benefits of consuming

indigenous rice.

Spirit of the earth @ FICCI Flo Bazaar, Chennai

Spirit of the Earth, an AIM for Seva initiative made a

presentation on heritage grains to officials at the US Consulate,

Chennai in July. The interaction dwelt on the benefits of heritage

rice such as red rice and others like Karuppu Kavuni. During the

presentation, we told the audience how indigenous rice varieties

like Mapillai Champa, Karuppu Kavuni and

Kalajeera are low on the GI

(glycemic index). For those

looking to switch to organic

heritage rice, the regular rice

grains can be substituted with indigenous ones in idli and dosa batter.

The discussion was followed by sampling of snacks made from black rice

and other varieties.

Grainy insights: Knowledge sharing at US Consulate,Chennai

INTACH (The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage,

Chennai Chapter) had invited the Chairperson and Managing

Trustee of AIM for Seva, Smt. Sheela Balaji to give a talk on

her journey on the heritage rice trail on July 20 at Amethyst in

Chennai.

Smt. Balaji began her presentation by sharing her experience

with rice; from collecting rice seeds five years back to her

encounters with farmers and challenges on spreading

awareness on organic rice. Smt. Sheela Balaji emphasised

the significance of consuming heritage rice. “When it comes

to nutrition in rice, 80% of the nutrition is in the bran and

though wheat has more protein when compared to rice, the

quality of protein is better in rice as it comes packed with

eight amino acids and plenty of micro nutrients." The

glycemic index in brown rice with one husk coating ranges

from 55-62 while this moves up to 72 in the case of the

Ponni variety. In fact, damaged cells can be renewed if one

consumes black rice.

Our Chairperson and Managing Trustee's Talk at INTACH

FICCI Flo Bazaar

organised by

FICCI Flo,

Chennai Chapter

at

ITC Grand Chola.

24

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