Date : 7th April 2017

On Chokkalingam Sir’s guidance, we made a plan to visit Kandavarayanpatti Government aided school, one of our Pilot School located in Karaikudi.

Set out for the visit, Started on 6th April night, logged into a bus from Chennai to Karaikudi. Reached Karaikudi in early dawn of 7th April, took an auto to the CECRI Campus. A Team of volunteers from CECRI- Central ElectroChemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, assisted me in the visit schedule. Team Leads Archana, Sabari and Poornima arranged me a Guest House of CECRI, for refreshment.

It was a pleasant environment with sounds of nature, fresh air blowing around the campus, with peacocks moving around casually. It was a different environment for a Chennaitie. I was welcomed by Mr.Sabari Volunteer from CECRI. Then after the refreshment, I met the CECRI Team Leads Archana, Sabari, and Poornima made a quick plan about the visit, took some references from Chockkalingam Sir via air, then started our travel. They offered me breakfast from CECRI canteen, we ate among the students, I went back remembering my old days in college.

After the breakfast, we logged out CECRI awaited for the bus which was a rare pickup spot. So we took an auto reached Karaikudi Bus stop. It took around 10 o clock in the morning took a bus from Karaikudi to Thiruppathur, a city placed between Karaikudi and Madurai. It took 1 hour to reach Thiruppathur, from where we set an another ride to kandavarayanpatti. We reached the School by 11.30 A.M.

We were welcomed by the Headmaster of the government school, discussed about the process and raised feedback on the videos. We then visited the Library that was donated by Chockkalingam Sir to the school children, and was happy to hear that the books were very useful for the children and are eager to take up books. Took a look at the ledger that was maintained for book keeping.

Then moved out to our main process, setting up the TV for the video classes, it was first planned to supply CD’s, but the changing of formats that was edible to the DVD player was a big challenge. So we decided to provide Flash Drives, on Installing the flash drive the videos were able to be played easily.

We started the video session with the young blooms of the school, who showed keen interest in watching videos. They were educated, while on the go of videos, the video has been passed and made interaction with the young ones, who cleverly and boldly answered the questions raised by our volunteers, we wound up the session as the bell goes for the lunch time. The little children happily greeted us and disbursed for the lunch session. After which we educated the mode of playing to the staffs and super seniors of the school, so that they will assist them in playing videos.

Then we signed off the session placed the flash drive plugged in the Television in the way of offering them the flash drive. The Headmaster greeted CECRI Volunteers for their future success and thanked Vetrivel Foundation for the efficient process, with that note we signed off from the school campus.

I was happy to hear that our Chief Chockkalingam Sir’s hometown was Kandavarayanpatti. We had an opportunity to see our chief’s mother, who welcomed us and offered lunch. We had our lunch in Chockkalingam Sir’s house, a traditional way of Tamilians, Thalavazhai Ellai Soru, Sambar, Rasam, Buttermilk. Tummy filled refreshed us, then we took blessings from Sir’s mother, left kandavarayanpatti, reached back to CECRI. It was a whole lot of experience and responsibility coined on the volunteers to support Vetrivel Foundation. I thank them all for their great support.