RANIPET: When MK Isai Amudhu, a promising student killed himself after his grade in the Class 12 exam didn’t match his expectation, his father G Munusamy often found himself in the foothills of the nearby Kanchanagari Hills contemplating suicide for months on end.
Amudhu was a bright student who excelled in both academics and extra-curricular activities and aspired to join the civil services after becoming a doctor like his elder brother MK Ilakiyaperunthagai. Always anxious about measuring up to his brother, he ranked second in his Class 10 exam in his school despite nursing anxiety for which he sought medical treatment. “My son was so talented. I don’t know what changed, but the pressure of exams started to weigh on him,” 56-year-old Munusamy recounts.
“As parents, we never pressured our children for marks. But despite our support, he became increasingly anxious. The burden of failure gnawed into his fragile mental health and took a toll on July 2021 when CBSE announced the Class 12 results without conducting the exam due to Covid protocol. He just got 400 out of 500 when CBSE announced the results. He was expecting to top the exam,” Munusamy said. “My son left us, writing a note which said, ‘I don’t wish to live; no one is the reason for my death. Kindly take care of my brother and help him achieve something big.”
The loss left Munusamy and his family in shock. “It was devastating. For months, I was gripped by thoughts of ending my life and found myself often at the Kanchanagiri Hills, contemplating the same,” he admits. But this personal tragedy has goaded Munusamy, a former civil engineer, to find a deeper purpose. He has made his late son Amudhu’s love for nature his own pursuit of happiness. His son used to often trek the Kanchanagiri Hills with his mother, finding joy in every moment. Three years ago, Munusamy sat alone on the hills, his thoughts consumed with despair. A social worker named Saravanan Lavanya noticed him and, on hearing Munusamy’s story, urged him to think differently. “These hills need you to plant trees. Why don’t you devote yourself to that?” Saravanan said. “My son always wanted to do something for these hills. That’s what finally pushed me to plant trees,” he says,” Munusamy says.
“My family is my backbone in this journey. After I left my job to dedicate myself fully to tree planting, my wife, S Kosalai, became the breadwinner, supporting me through everything. This work has erased my suicidal thoughts and given me a sense of purpose,” Munusamy says. His dedication hasn’t gone unrecognised. Munusamy has received Pasumai Virudhu Award and climate changer award from Ranipet district administration, and he also supports single-parent children, offers free NEET classes for the underprivileged.
“My son’s loss has brought me here. I hope everyone can find happiness and plant a tree,” he says, wiping his tears. In 2022, Munusamy established a trust in Isai Amudhu’s name and began his plantation work. Drawing from his previous experience, he launched an ambitious plan to plant 5,00,000 trees across 1,100 acres in Kalmelkuppam Panchayat with the permission of the forest department through the Tamil Nadu Afforestation Project. “Out of the 1,100 acres, I’ve planted 3,400 trees over 100 acres in the panchayat,” he tells TNIE. Munusamy and his team Pazhani, Venkateshan, Ramu, Yogavalli, Anbarasu, Tulasi, Mani and Anu Arasu dig three-feet pits to ensure better growth, planting trees such as Pungan, Vempa, Aalan, Arasan, Athi, Illappai, Nelli, Mamaram, Poovarasan, Thekku, Magizham, Badham, Neermarudhu, Pazha, Shenbagam, Thekku, and Naval. “In memory of my son, I call all the trees my children and nurture them with the help of kind-hearted people. Whenever I plant them, I kiss and plant them with my whole heart. In the memory of my son, I plant Thennai trees more and I have spent around `4 lakhs,” Munusamy shares.
He has set an additional goal to give away one crore trees for free to any volunteer who wishes to plant them. “I collect trees from him and have gained a wealth of knowledge,” says Rajesh R, a local visitor, to TNIE. “Take my Mara Kulanthaigal (tree babies) and plant them wherever you go,” he urges volunteers, riders, and tourists who visit Kalmelkuppam Panchayat, nestled near the Kanchanagiri Hills in Ranipet district.
(To support Munusamy’s work, contact him at: 9715711343)
(Edited by Armstrong Chanambam)