Namma Madras News is happy to welcome Mrs Sowmya Natarajan to this edition of Chat Time.
Sowmya Natarajan has been a top ranker at Vidyodaya Matriculation Academy, T.Nagar, Chennai, upto her 12th Std, where she had a firm foundation for life, one can say.
Now Sowmya, give us a glimpse of your life’s journey after that.
Hai Ma’am! My days at Vidyo are indeed most memorable.I did my college education at Stella Maris. Today I work as a Consultant in the Software Technology space, am an Entrepreneur and carve some time out for social work as well. Over the course of my career, I have had the good fortune to travel to many parts of the globe till the return of the native completed that phase of my journey in life.
That is interesting but the return to India is quite unexpected…don’t you think so
Yes Ma’am! But this I think this phase of my life has enabled the many facets of my personality – as a mother, a daughter, daughter in law, career woman et al. It was a challenge in the beginning, but I have been enjoying it all.
Tell us how the spirit of service to society spread in your mind – like an “Agni kunju’ in the words of the Supreme Poet, Bharathi
That I think is indeed ‘The hand of Providence’ that lit the fire of service due to which I have understood, felt and enjoyed the spirit of teamwork and service. I’m currently President of the Inner Wheel Club of Chennai United which is one among 57 clubs in District 323, under the leadership of Chairman Kamala Selvam. My team members and I work with Animal shelters, Gaushalas, orphanages, old age homes, e-learning and tuition fee assistance for those who are not able to meet school fee expenses, sponsorship of vocational training, upskilling for employability, healthcare and medical treatment expenses especially now during the Pandemic, marriage expenses for the needy, self defence classes, menstrual hygiene, environment care, mental health sessions and most importantly Annadhanam among other causes.
That is indeed commendable. We should extend our Congratulations to Chairman Kamala Selvam and to all members of Inner Wheel Club of Chennai United for having taken up and completed so many projects successfully. Now what is the latest…
We have collected Rs 1 lakh as a joint club project towards medical care for alcohol and drug Deaddiction services at VHS hospital. Also, we have recently done a contribution of Rs 2 lakhs from our club towards building a new shelter for intellectually challenged girls at a shelter called Arunodayam in Kolathur. This was through the contribution from club members, friends and their friends in turn. This project is for building awareness for the cause of the Girl Child and abandoned, intellectually disabled children and integrate them into our social fabric. At this juncture I would like to thank my Vidyo school friends who continue to assist me with contributions whenever I place appeals.
Thank you Sowmya. Your services in this sphere will definitely kindle the same spirit in many minds towards social causes. We would like to thank you for presenting this awareness chat show. I would like to wind up with a note to every reader to sow the seeds of sharing and caring in the minds of children from the very early years. So also the schools should slowly and steadily include programmes of taking the young ones on trips to orphanages to the visually challenged and to special children and instill this thought in their young minds.
Thank you for joining us today, Sowmya Natarajan and if we from Namma Madras News can put forth an appeal to Inner Wheel Club and its members, the need of the hour as we approach the end of the Covid Tunnel seems to be the school fee assistance for the entire year for needy families and to adopt such children.
Yes ma’am. The cause you have highlighted is something that we can take up as our immediate focus. I thank you for this opportunity on behalf of Inner Wheel Club of Chennai United.We can be contacted on iwcchennaiunited2020@gmail.com for any support.
Rajee Mani
