Udavum Karangal

Shri S. Vidyaakar Conferred “Best Social Worker Award - 2024” by the Government of Tamilnadu

THE GOVERNMENT OF TAMILNADU AWARDED SHRI S. VIDYAAKAR, SOCIAL WORKER AND FOUNDER UDAVUM KARANGAL, “BEST SOCIAL WORKER AWARD TOWARDS THE SERVICE OF THE DIFFERENTLY ABLED” ON 05/12/2024.

Mr. Vidyaakar has set up Jeevan School for the Special children along with a State of Art activity room “ Aarambam” at Thiruverkadu. Through his project Parivartan he has reached out to the mentally ill who are in the tribal areas of Coonoor and Coimbatore by providing treatment and free medicines. He has helped out the spinal cord injured persons through his scheme Paraspara by providing essentials like bed, cot, wheelchair and also proposing to construct 62 houses for them in Tiruvallur District. He is also instrumental in supporting the Government of Tamilnadu by constructing three Crematoriums in Annanagar, Otteri and Chethupattu, Thiruvannamalai. He has also helped 61 Gram Panchayat Schools by constructing classrooms, providing Stainless Steel table and benches, computers, cycle stand, labs, etc.

Mr. S. Vidyaakar thanks all his Well Wishers who have come forward to help him serve the Community.

Hey everyone! 📣Join us on May 18th at 7:30AM at Rusell Creek Park for the Annual Leo Club Picnic Fundraiser. We're raising funds for Udavum Karangal, a wonderful cause that supports underprivileged people in India. Donations can be made through Zelle using the email address [email protected], or you can contribute with cash or check on the day of the event. For more information and registration visit https://forms.gle/bVtRyVbdXYqMh68g9 See you there!

Mr. Mohan, Social Worker of Udavum Karangal receives State Award towards service of the Disabled

Annually, State level awards are given under various categories to mark the International Day for Persons with Disabilities by the Govt. of Tamilnadu.

Udavum Karangal has always been focusing its activities towards the persons with disabilities. This year, the cause of supporting persons affected by paraplegia was taken as focus area.

Paraplegics are those who are bedridden life long as they suffer inaction of their body below their hip, which occur due to injury or infection to their spinal cord.

Mr. Mohan under the guidance of Mr. Vidyaakar, Founder Udavum Karangal had taken up the mission of helping the paraplegics. Around 896 such persons in 16 districts of Tamilnadu were given Air bed/ cot & mattress/ medicine kit/ Diapers/ Commode wheel chair / Rice & Groceries, etc. depending up their requirement. Mr. Mohan had met them individually, understood their needs and handed over the requirements. The scheme was widely publicized and many a donors came in support of the cause.

In appreciation of the dedicated work done by Mr. E.Mohan, Social Worker, he was given the Best Social Worker Award in the service of Disabled by the Department of Social Welfare in the Tamilnadu State on 22nd January 2024. The Award contains a Gold Medal and a certificate of appreciation.

Udavum Karangal thanks all the donors and well-wishers who have come forward to help the persons with paraplegia. We still continue to help them and those who would like to help may contact us through www.udavumkarangal.org

Man missing for Fifteen (15) years rescued, rehabilitated and reunited with his Mother!

On April 24th, 2023 Mr.Vidyaakar, Founder of Udavum Karangal received a call from Mr. Balaji Govinthan, a well-wisher saying that a man wandering on the streets for the past two weeks needs help near Ayanambakkam and that the Police (Mr.Murugesan, SI Thirumullaivoyal Police station have directed him to be admitted to Udavum Karangal. On agreeing to rescue the man, arrangements were made at the Home of Udavum Karangal in Thiruverkadu to receive him and organise his rehabilitation.

Mr. Balaji, runs ambulance services and also a driver himself who was giving him food all along, with the help of his friend Mr. Nivesh, brought the man to our Home at Thiruverkadu and admitted him on the same day. He seemed to be at the age of 40 years and looked weak.

Our Social workers gave him a bath, provided him clothes to wear and a lunch was given. Our experienced social worker Mr. Srinivasa Rao while counselling him could get his name as Basheer Mohammed. Constant monitoring was done as the patient was non-cooperative, with an aggressive attitude and not mingling with others. It was only three days back (25-12-23) the patient opened up and was told that his native was Thiruvarambur, Trichy District. Immediately Mr. Rao contacted the local head of the Mosque and they could locate his house at Konar Street. His mother immediately spoke to Mr. Vidyaakar after confirming the photo sent by us through Whatsapp.

Immediately on receiving the information about her son being found, his mother Mrs. Jeyalani Begum, and his elder brother Mr. Feroz Khan brother rushed to our Home on 29th December 2023 and it was a tearful reunion. On arriving at Udavum Karangal’s Home at Thiruverkadu, Basheer’s mother gave complete details about the family and the missing of her son.

Mrs .Jeyalani Begum‘s husband died 1 year back and she had three sons, viz., Raja Mohammed, elder son who died a year ago due to a car accident at Trichy. Her second son was Mr. Feroz Khan who is married and is with her. The youngest son was Mr. Basheer Mohammed who is now been rescued by Udavum Karangal , has studied up to 5thstd and was a Welder. He was married in the year 2001 with Mrs. Navura Banu of Sayalkudi and out of the marriage he had two daughters Ms. Rihana and Ms.Reshma. Both the daughters have been given in marriage in the years 2015 and 2019 respectively and are living happily.

Mrs. Jeyalani Begum said, “My son, Basheer Mohammed, was having mental illness for quite some time from Childhood and he was referred to Psychiatrist for treatment even before marriage. After marriage he was becoming good and also staying at his wife’s place at Sayalkudi. He used to often come to see me at Thiruvarambur at Trichy now and then. In the year 2008 when he informed his wife that he is going to Thiruvarambur to see me he never turned up and went missing. We have been searching for him for the past 15 years at places like Yeravadi, Nagarkoil, Thoothukudi but could not find him. Now when I got a call from Udavum Karangal that my son Basheer Mohammed was with them from April 2023 onwards and that he had revealed my name and place just three days back, I could not believe myself. On knowing the news that Basheer has been found. I jumped in joy and now I am here at Udavum Karangal Home Thiruverkadu to receive him. I thank Mr. Vidyaakar for helping me find my son.“

Mr.Basheer Mohammed was restored on 29th December 2023 in the presence of the Founder Secretary Udavum Karangal, Mr.Vidyaakar. He was received by Mr.Jeyalani Begum, Mother, Feroz Khan, elder brother and his son-in-law.

Udavum Karangal a Chennai based NGO co-ordinates with Heed India, NGO Trichy to rescue a man at Contonment

It was on 12th of December at about 3.15 pm that Udavum Karangal Chennai received an email from Mr. S. Krishna, Assistant Audit Officer, HRI Audit Department, Trichy stating that an old man aged around 70 years was lying abandoned outside their office at Malaya House, Williams Road, Cantonment, Trichy. He seemed to be starving and very sick.

Under the guidance of Mr. Pappa Vidyaakar, Founder of Udavum Karangal a Social worker immediately contacted the Asst. Commissioner’s office and informed them of the situation. They immediately deputed Mr. Ventrivel, Head Constable of Contonment Police Station to the spot to verify the situation. In the meantime, the Social Worker of Udavum Karangal also contacted Mr. Raana Raja of Heed India (Kangaroo Home for the aged) to help out by rescuing the said person on the street. He immediately came forward to rescue the person and admit him in an old age Home.

In another half an hour, at about 5.30 pm, a Social Worker, a Nurse and a Male Care Giver from Heed India arrived at the place and rescued the old man who was lying on the road. He was immediately taken to their Home, given a bath, good dress to wear and sumptuous food to eat. He is now safe and healthy.

Mr. Krishna, Asst. Audit Officer, who gave the initial information, thanked Mr. Vidyaakar and the team of Udavum Karangal of Chennai for having taken swift action (though they were 300 kms away) in getting the man admitted in an old age Home at Trichy.

He also thanked Mr. Raana Raja Founder Heed India for having rescued the old man and given him a new lease of life.

Candles in the Wind - Udavum Karangal Quarterly Newsletter

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Mentally-ill man missing for two months rescued, rehabilitated and reunited with his brothers!

“The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.”

On November 30, 2023 time 9.00. AM we received a call from a Good Samaritan that a man needs help near Alandur metro railway station. Udavum Karangal is always pleased to hear a similar call from anyone because we feel the public believes us that we can do justice to such destitute.

As soon as we heard the call, our team of Social workers Mr. Mohan & Mr. Jacob rushed to the spot and found a 40 years old man laying uncared on the road, pathetic condition, dressed in rags and stinking. He was unable to stand, lacks strength and on the left leg he has big wound which has to treated immediately. Our social workers helped him to get into the Udavum Karangal van and he was taken to our Home located at Shantivanam for further care and management.

Our Social workers gave him a bath, first aid was given for the wound on the left leg later followed by lunch. Our experienced social worker Mr. Srinivasa Rao counseled him but in vain, constant monitoring was done, the patient was non-cooperative and after three days the patient opened up that his name was Kirubanandham and his native is Erode and the rest, he is unable to remember anything .

Udavum Karangal also helps the needy paraplegia persons and this project is initiated by Mr. Mohan one of the senior social workers of Udavum Karangal and last month he had covered Erode district. Immediately he contacted the Volunteer of Erode District helping Paraplegia Mr. Manikandan and this gentleman came up with the information that in Erode they were searching for Kirubanandham for two months but all the efforts went in vain and he made us talk with the patient sister Mrs. Girija in Erode. She told us that her brother M. Kirubanandham was mentally-ill when he was 17 years old. It is hereditary in her family and their grandmother was also a psychiatric patient. He was treated in IMH and also in some private hospitals but was not recovered fully and on one unfortunate day, he slipped and landed in Chennai near Alandur metro station. She also told that her two brothers are residing in Mangadu and informed them about Kirubanandham’s whereabouts. Immediately his two elder brothers Mr. Gajendra Kumar & Mr. Kesavan rushed to our Home on 08th December ’23 and it was a tearful reunion. Mr. Kirubanandham was restored to his brothers in the presence of the Founder Secretary Udavum Karangal Mr. Vidyaakar .

The duo brothers thanked Founder Secretary Mr. Vidyaakar and the organization for their Humane service.