MADURAI: “Akka, when is my birthday?”
The question came from a child at Joe Andrea Illam in Kadachanenthal — innocent, disarming, and unforgettable. N Kayal Vizhi, then a college student celebrating her birthday at the orphanage, didn’t know how to respond. Later, she learnt that for many children in such homes, the day they arrive becomes their de facto birthday.
“That question just stuck with me,” Kayal recalls. “It opened my eyes to a reality I hadn’t fully understood until then.”
It was 2008, and Kayal was still an undergraduate student. That moment, while not a grand turning point, planted a quiet thought that stayed with her — one that eventually led to Padikattugal, a humble initiative that took shape a few years later, with the goal of supporting children and communities in need.
Since 2012, Padikattugal has helped more than 500 children, including Sri Lankan refugees, from across Tamil Nadu by providing financial assistance, education support, and emotional care. The initiative wasn’t born overnight. It emerged from the friendships, weekend visits, and shared values of a group of young people who simply wanted to do more.
“Back then, we were just a group of students who liked to volunteer,” says Kayal (33). “During my college days, I worked as a scribe for visually challenged students. That’s how I met SP Subramanian Kishore, B Shanmugarajan, VKS Santhosh, Silambarasan Elango and others. Unlike most of our peers, we spent our Saturdays visiting orphanages in Madurai.”
With the little money they had, they would buy stationery, sweets, or other small gifts. Eventually, they began celebrating birthdays of children at the homes — a simple gesture that created joy for everyone involved. As more friends and relatives began participating, the idea slowly took on a more structured form.
Encouragement came from A Kathir, managing director of Evidence, an NGO working for SC/ST rights. “He told us we needed to do this work in an organised manner,” Kayal says. The group then approached S Malaisamy, Kishore’s teacher and a professor at Sethu Institute of Technology, who has remained a key mentor.
Now 47, Malaisamy serves as the managing trustee of Padikattugal. “When someone comes to us seeking help with education, we verify their marks and background. We then share a masked photo and details on social media to find sponsors,” he explains.
The organisation’s first beneficiary was the daughter of a man accused in a criminal case. Today, she’s a Group-I officer in the Tamil Nadu government — and now sponsors others through the same platform.
K Brahma Sakthi Ayyanar (24), a final-year engineering student, remembers the support he received. “My father is visually challenged. Padikattugal helped him set up an STD booth 10 years ago and also supported my schooling. Today, I volunteer with them too,” he says. “We take children to shopping malls, let them choose their clothes, and even take them to the cinema. We want them to have moments they can remember.”
Kayal, who once faced pressure to quit school after scoring low in Class 10, says her struggles made her more determined to support others. That belief has become the heart of Padikattugal — a quiet, collective promise that no child should be left behind simply because they can’t afford to dream.