CHENNAI: Retirement might have meant slowing down for many, but for 72-year-old KG Palani, a former electrical supervisor at the Kalpakkam nuclear power plant, it has become an exciting new mission.
He dedicates his time to teaching children about the wisdom in the Tirukkural couplets. He hopes to inspire them to become thoughtful individuals and contribute positively to society. Palani has always felt a strong connection to the Tamil language.
His passion began during his time in government school in Sathuvachari (Vellore), where he was fortunate to have exceptional Tamil teachers who introduced him to the works of great Tamil poets. Recently, he rekindled this interest after years of hard work in electrical engineering and enjoyable tea breaks with a colleague. They would read and marvel at the deep insights of Thiruvalluvar expressed in just seven words.
Palani’s journey is similar to that of a senior employee, Vembaiyan, who often opposed the push for Hindi in their organisation. After retiring in 2018, Palani moved back to Thaiyur near Kelambakkam, where he had previously bought land.
However, it didn’t take long for him to realise he needed a sense of purpose in his newfound free time. Determined to make a difference, Palani began visiting parents in his neighbourhood to discuss the importance of teaching Tamil to their children. He encouraged them to send their kids to learn the Tirukkural.
Facing various challenges while working alone led him to establish the Thiruvalluvar Kalvi Mandram in 2018. Since then, he has been training students from local government schools to participate in the annual Tirukkural Recitation and Memorisation Competition organised by the Tamil Development Department. His journey started modestly with just two students in his first year, both of whom won prizes. Since then, the programme has flourished.
Over the last seven years, 44 of his students have won prizes at the state-level competition, with 19 awards earned just last year.
“We do face some resistance when we try to motivate the kids who want to participate. We persist even if they initially refuse, but what’s important is that we personally fund the prizes,” he admitted. Beyond winning competitions, Palani believes teaching the Tirukkural offers children lifelong lessons. “In addition to improving their recitation, they learn valuable life lessons that will stay with them forever. Moreover, this process improves their memory and boosts their confidence,” he shares.
He also takes time to celebrate his students’ achievements each year by organising a one-kilometre procession through the neighbourhood, bringing together parents, teachers, and residents to share in the joy of their successes. Palani’s efforts didn’t stop there. He is now the chief instructor of the World Thirukkural Mutrothal Iyakkam.
He trains instructors from across Tamil Nadu, who then teach other students in preparation for various Tirukkural recitation competitions. His dedication was recognised by the state government with an award during the silver jubilee celebrations of the Thiruvalluvar competition held in Kanniyakumari in 2024. Palani is also a strong advocate for improving government schools in his area.
He serves on the management committees of both the boys’ and girls’ higher secondary schools, contributing from his pension towards their repairs and raising funds for additional needs. Now, Palani dreams of introducing this literary treasure to even younger children. “I want to reach out to those who have yet to attend school with the Tirukkural,” he said.
“I plan to approach Mylswamy Annadurai, head of the committee that designs the curriculum, to suggest adding many lessons from the Tirukkural into primary education in ways that children can easily grasp.”
For Palani, retirement has become much more than a second innings. It is a chance to pass on a priceless literary legacy to the next generation, one couplet, one classroom, and one child at a time.
(Edited by Subhalakshmi PR)