CHENNAI : The stage was decorated with flowers and thoranams, diligent volunteers were running errands and seating guests, tiny tots were decked up in costumes and rehearsing ahead of their performance — this was the scene when we stepped into Vani Mahal’s Maha Swami hall to witness the finale of Bala Mandir Kamaraj Trust’s ‘70 years in service of children’ celebration.
P Natarajan, the treasurer of the Trust, took the audience on a journey of Bala Mandir’s growth and shared their future plans. “The celebration doesn’t just stop with the events that were curated for three days...we will have events happening throughout the year, ” he said.
Maya Gaitonde, general secretary of Bala Mandir, addressed the gathering. She expressed her gratitude and appreciation to the staff, members and donors who have been the Trust’s guiding light throughout the journey. “Bala Mandir owes its success and qualitative services to a few people,” she said and went on to mention the names of people including Jaya Krishnaswamy, director, Madhuram Narayanan Centre for Exceptional Children, Anandalakshmy, Dr PJN Reddy, and the Trust’s in-house ‘Kadhai Teacher’ Kalpagam Narayanan.
Gopalkrishna Gandhi, former governor of West Bengal was the chief guest. “This has been one of the most fulfilling and heartwarming events that I have attended in decades,” he said. He acknowledged the vision and foresight of the founders of Bala Mandir — K Kamaraj and Manjubashini — and discussed how as a society more focus and attention should be given on the condition of orphans. Gandhi emphasised that Tamil Nadu should bring back the Legislative Council. “It is the way to connect with people and ensure their problems are solved,” he said. He also released the Trust’s annual calendar.
Dance performance
The highlight of the soiree was perhaps the music and dance performance by the children of Bala Mandir. The presentations were not just entertaining, but thought-provoking too.