A local swimming club and a group of astronomy enthusiasts from Kerala have earned nationwide recognition after Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted their contributions to society in his monthly radio address, Mann Ki Baat.
Modi praised the Aluva-based Valasseriyil Swimming Club and the Thiruvananthapuram-based Aastro Kerala astronomy club for their community-driven initiatives.
In 2007, when a boat tragedy in Thattekad claimed 18 lives, including those of 15 schoolchildren, Saji Valasseriyil, a steel furniture businessman from Aluva, resolved to help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
The Valasseriyil Swimming Club was formed in 2010, and since then Saji has trained 18,600 people to swim. His uniquely designed course, which he describes as classes ranging from Pre-KG to PhD, culminates with students swimming across the Periyar River, helping them overcome their fears and gain confidence in open waters.
Notably, the classes are offered free of cost as a service to society, with only voluntary contributions accepted.
“The river is the school for us. Here we train students between the ages of 3 and 80, not just in swimming but in many aspects, including personality development in children. Half of every batch we train consists of girls/women. I have also had the opportunity to train many students with physical disabilities, who eventually swam across this river confidently,” Saji says.
“The prime minister mentioned my name four times in his address. But it is not just about me — it is a community effort. Many of the students I train return to the club to train new batches of learners.”
This year alone, he says, more than 3,000 students have been trained by the club. Having recently trained 913 students in a single day, Saji is now preparing facilities to accommodate up to 1,500 swimmers daily from the upcoming academic year.
Mann ki Baat also brought cheer to another Kerala-based community initiative — one that seeks to nurture scientific curiosity and public engagement with astronomy.
For Syam V S, founder secretary of Aastro Kerala, the prime minister’s mention was a significant acknowledgment of the group’s efforts. Founded in 2009, the collective of professional and amateur astronomers has grown into a community of more than 1,000 regular members.
Based at the Thiruvananthapuram Planetarium, the organisation is known for its astronomy outreach programmes in schools, colleges and public spaces. Its activities include sky-gazing sessions, telescope-making workshops, star mapping exercises, camps, seminars and other educational programmes.
“It is an honour that the Prime Minister chose to mention our group while encouraging students and young people to engage in activities that improve their scientific temper,” says Syam. “It is a huge recognition for our work.”