MADURAI: Greeted by eager eyes that looked up from their notebooks, retired IRS officer S Nagalingam stepped into a government school classroom in Madurai. He savours the moment, taking it all in, listening to the restlessness being reined in on the benches. For anyone, the scurried shuffling is another mundane Tuesday morning. But for Nagalingam, it is the hauntingly beautiful echo of a life interrupted, the vibrant and yet unfinished one of his son, Nighileswaran.
Nikil, as he was lovingly called, was known for his brilliance, humility and his heart to connect with people. An engineering student with unquenched curiosity, he devoured books, adored quizzing, and believed deeply in serving society. “I don’t remember a single contest where he returned home without a prize. On the day he died, he was on his way to participate in a quiz competition, but never got to write it,” Nagalingam said, his voice laced with memory. On October 27, 2007, a tragic road accident ended the young life. For Nagalingam and his family, time came to a standstill. “The books he left on the table remained untouched,” he said.
Yet, grief has a way of planting seeds even in the dark. Nagalingam remembers the turning point clearly. “After several days of crying, something struck me. Nikil believed in uplifting others, especially underprivileged students. How could I let that dream die?”
He remembered Nikil’s words — “Appa, government school kids are brilliant. They just need a chance.” That line, spoken by a teenager who saw potential where others saw limitations, became the heartbeat of everything Nagalingam did next.
With newfound strength driven by his son’s dreams, he established the Nikil Foundation in 2007. He approached the school education department with a proposal to offer free skill training to students in government and government-aided schools. Instead of bureaucratic resistance, he received overwhelming support. Schools across Tamil Nadu were encouraged to welcome his programmes. Soon, even Puducherry followed.
Today, over three lakh children have benefited from the training programmes, supported by 861 trainers scattered across TN and Puducherry. Many of these trainers are teachers, social workers, graduates, and professionals, who were themselves trained under the foundation. “Nikil’s vision has created a cycle of giving. Students who once sat in these sessions now stand before new students as trainers,” Nagalingam says.
The training is transformative. Students learn to understand their strengths, set clear goals, manage time, build healthy relationships, and sharpen their memory. “These are not lessons taken from textbooks, but skills shaping lives. More often than not, shy children come up to me after workshops, saying how they were unaware of their potential,” Nagalingam said, smiling. “Moments like this push me to continue.”
Nagalingam’s wife, R Malarkodi, was also a pillar of support from the start. Together, they spent weekends and holidays travelling to schools, often carrying their own materials and notebooks. In 2019, she passed away, yet Nagalingam feels her presence every time he addresses a classroom. “She always said if we can guide even one child towards a better future, the effort is worth it,” he recollects.
As years passed, Nagalingam noticed new challenges like substance abuse creeping into the lives of youth, and many teenagers were falling prey to peer pressure. To counter this, the foundation launched ‘Pudai Manal’, an awareness programme explaining the devastating consequences of drug abuse.
Further, determined to reduce children’s screen addiction and revive reading habit among students, he partnered with the Rotary Club to launch ‘Vasipai Suvasippom’, a project that encourages children to pick up books again. The pilot programme in Virudhunagar received immense appreciation, and plans are under way to expand it state-wide.
“I lost Nikil. But through every child who discovers their talent, he lives again. This is not just a foundation. It is a rebirth, his rebirth,” Nagalingam says.
(Edited by Rohith Sony)