Founders Remembrance Day was observed on 13th June 2007. The day started with a solemn inter religious prayer at 6.00 am in the morning at the newly constructed Manimandapam in the memory of our Founder Sri G Venkatachalapathy. The students of the school, the trainees of the Kumarappa Institute and the staff members of all the wings of the Ashram participated in the prayer. Prof R Venkataswami the President of the Gandhiniketan Ashram gave a message for the occasion.
Newly Constructed Kove Manimandapam memory of our Founder Late Sri G Venkatachalapathy
At 6.00 am – Special prayer. The portrait of the Founder at the age of 24 as Vice President of the Madurai district board adorning the wall
He mainly highlighted the great qualities of the Founder particularly his passion for constructive work among the villages. He called the members of Ashram community to dedicate themselves to the noble ideals for which the Founder established our Ashram.
At 8.15 am the entire student community from kindergarten to plus two assembled under the trees surrounding the newly constructed Manimandapam, with the teachers, the Ashram staff and staff of the J C Kumarappa institutes along with the trainees taking their seats at the periphery of the student gatherings.
Children from primary school & Boys from higher secondary school
Teachers and other invitees
One of the great qualities of the Founder was his deep conviction on the role of prayer in one’ s life. To commemorate that the aspect of his life a namasangeerthanam (Bhajan) was organised The Bhajan was sung by Mrs. Sarala Govindarajan of Madurai along with her colleagues.
It was an indeed a memorable occasion with all solemnity. For 45 minutes the entire audience was in rapt attention with the morning sun showering its rays on them through the branches of the trees and the Manimandapam standing majestically in the forefront.
President giving the message for the occasion Dr V Ragupathy, Secretary thanked the singers
Prof R Venkataswami, the President in his introduction recollected how the founder believed in prayer as enunciated by Mahatma Gandhi and whenever our founder was facing challenges he resorted to the prayer for answers. He exorted the students and staff of the institution to follow the path carved by our Founder and do their best for the welfare of the rural community. In the end of the entire audience joined in Ramdhun. Dr Raghupathy, Secretary of the Ashram thanked Mrs. Sarala Govindarajan and her party and they were honoured with Khadi shawls.
At 9.45 am the members of the Managing committee along with the teachers of the schools and training institute and some of the invited guests proceeded to Founder’s Samadhi and offered floral tributes
Invitees and teachers and students offering their prayers at the Founder’s Samadhi
At 10.00 am to commemorate the noble ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and his ordent follower our Founder and their passion for spinning, a relay spinning by our Ashram staff was started at the Manimandapam. The mass spinning continued till 4.00 pm in the evening.
Relay Spinning in progress At 4.00 pm the entire community again assembled at the auditorium of the school.
Students and Staff assembled at the school auditorium for the special lecture by Mr Kalugumalai K Shanmugam
Invited Guests
President welcoming the lecturer and honouring with a shawl
Mr. Kalugumalai K Shanmugam a retired Tamil scholar gave a beautiful lecture on Gandhian ideals and he related them to the life of the founder. He was very much impressed at the way the student community in this school have conducted so well themselves prayer and appealed to them to maintain noble traditions of the Founder. He pointed at the gloomy picture prevailing in the country with wrong practices, corruption and other unwanted activities and he wanted the student community belonging to Gandhiniketan Ashram to pick up the great ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and contribute their best to our nation. Following that Mr Rajendran principal of Kumarappa institute and Joint Secretary of the Ashram proposed vote of thanks. And the meeting ended with National anthem.
Mr Shanmugam giving his address
Mr R Rajendran, Joint Secretary giving vote of thanks
