I realised the above said quesion only when i saw the happy faces of the parents, who were feeling proud of thier kids receiving prizes on stage in Pon Naavarasu Matriculation School, Malayaandikavundanoor, Udumalpet, Coimbatore (district) on 18-March-2007.
As like everybody else in the highly educated society, Dr. P K Ponnusamy,my uncle, could've decided to settle in US and continued his research in Bio-Phyisics.....in exploring the DNA of HIV and things beyond that. Would've lead a peaceful life with thier daughters who are well settled in US and continued to earn more accolades than he is receiving now!
What made him to stay in home place, set up a trust, run a school in a village with a financial deficit?
Well, everyone will think that he started the school with an aim to serve the rural society in the name of his beloved son Naavarasu!! ( http://www.ponnaavarasutrust.org/evolution.htm )
The link will tell you the objectives behind the formation of the trust..and there are many more reasons...which is hard to see from a distance for anyone!
Peculiarly, he does not encourage donation campaigns, do not want much of publicity for the school... which everyother trust and trust run schools looks for. Trusts always encourage donators and their involvement! But he hardly accpets donations.
Why is it so? let's see his perspective!
"Had my son been alive today, i will be spending minimum three lakhs for him...
I'm just putting that money for 300 students! If i could able to do this till my life, then that will do for me!... "
" Payyanai parikoduthaachu....andha soehathhai maraikka yaedhoe ippadi alainchukittu irukkaen"
(I lost my son.....to hide the sorrow, i'm doing all these)
"There is no need for me to do go for donations...it will come on its own even if i say no! my friends and my well wishers are always ready. But i want this trust to grow on its own over a period of time. This school is a platform for making my dreams come true, which i missed to see those through my son!"
I was deeply moved by his thoughts!
He is not interested in the trust to grow as a college or a university!He doesn't want to dilute the esscence and lessen the taste!
The concept is simple...
Educating 100 students every year from a rural area with all the best morals, human values and with visions as that of Pon.Naavarasu is 1000 times better than very professionally running a school which just provides education to its best!
He wants to see hundreds of Pon Naavarasu coming out of the school every year!
And we console ourselves and smile when the parents of those hundred Pon Naavarasu, who are proud of thier children's education and prosperity!!!
During the trust's 10th year celebrations, his voice broke when he was talking about his son on stage...Though his eyes were ponded ... He could able to grow many lotus in the pond! Making it so beautiful that nobody can feel the pond was formed after a thunderstrike on his cherised temple!
After seeing the school kids spirit and involvement, I believe them that they will surely transform the society in future as Pon Naavarasu wished! and at that moment, i realised how a loss can be transformed into happiness & propsperity!!
R P
