SYMA Educational Aid Function 2022 - SYMA Seva Award

In this beautiful world, there are beautiful people – and if your senses are open, perhaps one could sight one such person closer by ! .. .. Triplicane has many. .. ..  likely you have travelled in the auto driven by the man in this photo !! 

1970களில்  MGR ரிக்க்ஷாக்காரனாக பிரபலம் ... 1995ல் ரஜனிகாந்த் - முந்திவரும் பாரு ! இது மூணு சக்கர தேரு என ஆட்டோவை இன்னமும் பிரபலப்படுத்தினார்.  பட்டிதொட்டி எல்லாம் ஒலித்த பாட்டு :

நான் ஆட்டோ காரன் ஆட்டோக்காரன்  .. ..

இரக்கமுள்ள மனசுக்காரண்டா!!   நான் எப்பொழுதும்

ஏழைக்கெல்லாம் சொந்தக்காரண்டா

In the Ajit starrer ‘Attahasam’ – Karunas  is an auto-driver – Ajit & Co would pull the vehicle from backside, as the vehicle could not move –  help would be sought – first Ajit would adjust the mirror and allow the vehicle to move ~ next Ajit, would stop a way-side auto – adjust its mirror, then vehicle would move – confused Karuna would mumble on the logic  !! ….. in the super hit ‘Basha’ – Manikkam (Rajinikanth) is a humble auto driver who helps the needy. He also keeps away from unnecessary fights and quarrels. His ambition is to bring up his brother and sisters with flying colours ~ he has a past ….‘Basha – Manik basha’.  No cine review this ! but a post on autokaran.

A trip to Chennai would never be complete without an encounter with them……… the ubiquitous three-wheelers painted yellow and called ‘auto-rickshaws’.  In the city so well connected by road, rail, sea and air.  - a drive  in this [the peculiar sitting posture of the driver, the cuts and turn-arounds of the vehicle – its capacity to turn at right angles and wade through milling crowds], the language of its drivers, the missing meters and the bargain – can all force mortal fear in you no ends.    Somehow there is lot of negativism attached to it – most users blame and would immediately tell their tale of woe. If you are a regular reader of Tamil magazines, a decade or more - ‘joke on soodu meter’ hogged the limelight.  The fact of life is they are very helpful –every road accident victim – the immediate rescuer is ‘auto drivers’.

To most of you, Srinivas YOungmens Association (SYMA) Triplicane would need no introduction.  We have been rendering service to Society from 1977.  We run a medical facility popularly ‘Rendu roova hospital’ since 1989 and a Tuition centre (SYMA Growth) providing quality educational assistance, free to students since 2008.   

July is a very important month for SYMA - our Educational Aid function, was held on 2^nd July 2022 at NKT National Girls High School.   Mr G Sundararaman, General Manager & CFO was the Chief Guest.  Mr TM Shyam Sundar,  CIO and Country Head Operations and Customer service, Royal Sundaram General Insurance Co. Limited  & Mr SR Rajagopal, former Additional Advocate General were the other distinguishd Guests on dias. 

In the Educational Aid function, we provide uniforms to around 1200 school students, honour the school toppers of Triplicane, financial award to select College students and present SYMA Seva award.   As a Social Service Organisation, we deem it our duty to identify and honour those individuals who had rendered great service to the society.  

2020 was different – the dreaded Corona virus Covid 19 threatened humanity, killing thousands and affecting millions.  People were confined to home and lived in constant fear.   At that juncture, not many ventured to come out and help others.  Having seen near and dear suffer, there was continuous fear in the minds of the people and suddenly many were living in isolation – in troubled times, there was none to help literally !!!  

Sri V. Balaji is well known in Triplicane, not many know that he has a diploma as a lab technician and worked in Medical lab for few years and few more driving car.  This 1969 born has been driving auto (from Hanumantharayan koil street stand) for close to 2 decades now.  He has helped road accident victims and many old aged and patients of Thiruvallikkeni.  During torrid Covid times, Balaji   exhibited exemplary spirit of service, ferrying patients including Covid affected to hospitals in his auto  and general public in purchasing medicine and other essentials. At a time when even neighbours had only fear in mind, Balaji visited homes, offered help to patients.  Triplicanites were truly benefitted by the noble deeds of  persons like Balaji at a time when they were in need of help & when even their relatives could not offer much of assitance.   He was instrumental in successful running of SYMA’s free auto  Campaign for Covid patients too.    

SYMA considers him,   an Extraordinary Role Model  and is proud to bestow on him  “SYMA SEVA AWARD 2022” in recognition  of his outstanding contributions in the field of  service to the aged people and thereby to the  society at large.   His son is studying B.Com and his daughter studying +2.  Balaji was honoured at our Educational function – presented Seva Award, a shawl and a citation besides a medal. 

We pray to Lord Srinivasa to bestow on his and his  family ,  long life, good health  and  vigour  to enable continued rendering  of service to the society for very many years to come. 

There are good individuals and good Organsiations like SYMA rendering service to the Society – together we shall work for betterment of society. 

With regards – S. Sampathkumar
3^rd July 2022.