CHENNAI: At Gurukulam Integrated Centre for Children with Special Needs, music plays a vital role. Every day after lunch, the kids choose songs to which they dance for 30 minutes. Seeing this enthusiasm, the trustees of the 10-month-old school came up with the idea of raising funds through Akshayyam — a musical concert.
Gurukulam was started in February by four mothers who have children with special needs. “We have been functioning the school with donations from friends and relatives. Musician Ranjith Govind, who is associated with the school, suggested that we have a musical fundraiser. Through the concert we also want people to know about the school and what we do,” says Supriya Vijay, one of the trustees of the school.
The school provides a space for children and adults with special needs. “Here, at Gurukulam, we cater to each and every child with a specially tailored programme. The teacher-student ratio is 1:2,” she says adding that there are currently 15 students in the school.
Ranjith was in awe of the school’s concept and has been associated since its inauguration. “I make it a point to visit the school at least once a month and play music with the kids. Their approach to music is pure and the unbridled joy makes me feel good. We often perform music as a commercial business, but with them it is just for fun. I also sometimes go there to practice music while they play around,” he says.
At the concert, singers including Vijay Yesudas, Ranjith Govind, Rahul Nambiar, Aalaap Raju, Jithin Raj, Keshav Vinod, and more will perform. There will also be a ramp walk where the kids will wear t-shirts with handblock print designs made by them. “The t-shirts have been provided by Hasta, an online showroom. We teach block printing to the students and they have made the designs themselves. Apart from this, we will also launch a book written by 25-year-old Aravind Kumar, a person with autism, who is part of our institution,” says Supriya.
This cause is close to Rahul Nambiar’s heart. “I have a family member who deals with autistic children. It is a known fact that music brings them joy and helps them with their skills. I’m honoured to be a part of this cause of helping them build their school for the betterment of these kids. These kids enjoy music and I am supporting them through a way I know I can,” he says. The event will have 12 volunteers who have worked with these kids to help them in case of any discomfort during the concert. “One of them is sensitive to loud sounds. So a volunteer will be escorting him in and out. The others are all fine with loud music as we see them groove to it every day,” says Supriya.
The proceeds from the event will be used to equip the centre by providing the students (between the ages of 9 and 25) with trained faculty, infrastructure and vocational equipment, subsidised education for even those children whose families cannot meet the educational expenses, and move to a place where children are not curbed by space restraints.
The concert will be held at TAG Auditorium, Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidyashram, Kilpauk, from 6 pm on December 6. Donor passes are priced at `500 and `1,000. For tickets and details call: 919841318260, 9176601081 or 8754568406, or email gurukulam2019@gmail.com.