Where shelter and learning is a noble service

A HUGE banyan tree affording shelter to thousands obviously starts only as a tiny seed. Sri Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Vidyalaya, in Chennai, was also evolved like this, with the indomitable will of a young girl. This girl was no other than R. S. Subbulakshmi Ammal, who dedicated her entire time and energy for the cause of women's emancipation. While fate snatched away her husband early in life, it was her father R. V. Subramania Iyer, a retired government official, who in his far-sighted wisdom educated his daughter, much to the consternation of his relatives and friends. Subbulakshmi's courage to swim against the currents of all the negative factors in society helped her attain a colourful education, not to speak of the responsible coveted positions she held in various academia.

Subbulakshmi Ammal's sensitive heart was touched by the plight of young widows, and the poor and neglected ladies during her time. To rehabilitate them, she started the `Widow's Home' which first functioned in Triplicane, and later moved to Vivekanandar Illam in Chennai. She also started a Higher Elementary Training School, a Model School and a Hostel Complex attached to it. She prepared these inmates for the Government Eighth Standard Examination. After they emerged successful, they were made to undertake two years of Higher Elementary School Teachers Training Course. Her effort in using her good offices with the Government of Madras to get the ladies a stipend of Rs. 10 each, would not be a flattery. She gave the nomenclature of this Higher Elementary Training School as ``Sarada Higher Elementary Training School for Ladies'' which she named after Goddess Saraswathi. Now the Institution takes the name ``Sri Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Vidalaya Model Higher Secondary School for Girls''. His Excellency Lord Pentland, as a rare gesture, personally recommended Subbulakshmi for the ``Kesari Hind Gold Medal'' a prestigious award given to social workers by the Government of India in those days. This was a token of appreciation and recognition for her noble service towards women's emancipation.

In 1940 Rao Bahadur Sri C. Ramanujachariar, who was the Secretary of Sri Ramakrishna Mission Students' Home, in Chennai, approached Subbulakshmi Ammal and owing to her old age, offered to take over the burden of running the training school, model school and the hostel. Subbulakshmi, who was more interested in seeing the progress of these institutions, willingly agreed and handed over the responsibility and later even served as Honorary Secretary of these institutions. Her effort in collecting Rs. 80,000 for the Ramakrishna Mission by approaching philanthropists and charitable trusts are worth mentioning here.

We at the Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Vidyalaya most sincerely and genuinely feel that in view of the tireless efforts by the Iron Lady, it would be more appropriate and fitting to rename Burkit Road in T.Nagar, Chennai (where Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Vidyalaya is situated) as sister R. S. Subbulakshmi Ammal Road. It will not be out of place to state here that some time ago Besant Road, Adyar, was renamed as Dr. Muthulakshmi Road, who was a contemporary of Late Sister R. S. Subbulakshmi Ammal. Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy like Subbulakshmi has also rendered selfless service to the cause of Women's Education and founded an orphanage ``Avvai Home'' for the benefit of poor destitute girls. She also started a high school exclusively for girls and named it in memory of her younger sister, Dr. Nallamuthu Ramamurthy. The above two Institutions are all located in Besant Road, Adyar, which has since been renamed as Dr. Muthulakshmi Road by Chennai Corporation under the instructions of the Government for perpetuating the memory of the great lady.

We invite the attention of our Chief Minister, Dr. M. Karunanidhi, Minister for Rural Development, Mr. Ko. Si. Mani, and the Mayor of Chennai Mr. M. K. Stalin to take immediate follow up action in complying with our legitimate request in public interest. We once again reiterate, that it will be a fitting recognition to Sister R.S. Subbulakshmi Ammal in the Diamond Jubilee Year of Sri Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Vidyalaya. Under the care of Sri Ramakrishna Mission, with its sole motto ``Selfless Service'' blossomed Sri Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Vidyalaya, as a vast educational complex in the course of 60 years.

Today it boasts of two Higher Secondary Girls' School, one Middle School, and one Primary School - all four schools are State Aided Institutions with more than 6500 students. Students studying here are not affluent, they are absolutely poor, and amongst them many are living even below the poverty line.

This Mission Centre readily extends any help to our poor students to complete at least the X Standard without any interruption and to successfully pass the Government X Standard Examination, which is the minimum qualification prescribed by the Government for a clerical post, either in the Central Government or in the State Government establishments, Public Sector enterprises, etc. Every year, out of the donations collected, free school uniforms and new clothes for Deepavali are given to nearly 1000 poor students.

Textbooks, notebooks and stationery are also supplied free of cost to some deserving students, including examination fee. In the course of these 60 years, activities were tremendously expanded with a view to serving helpless ladies in all spheres of life and that too in a more effective and efficient manner.

The working women's hostel comes to the rescue of umpteen working ladies coming to the city from all over India. The orphanage has been functioning for the last 25 years and the entire expenses are met by the donations received by the institutions.

During this hour of joy in our Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Vidyalaya, it would be very pertinent to remember all the large hearted citizens who have made generous donations for the cause and indeed mention R. V. Subramanya Iyer, father of Subbulakshmi and Justice S. Varadachariar, Former Judge of Madras High Court, who have donated several acres of land across the city to see the institution grow so magnanimously.

Celebrating its Diamond Jubilee Year, Sri Ramakrishna Mission Sarada Vidyalaya in Chennai fondly reminisces the yeoman service of its founder R. S. Subbulakshmi Ammal who dedicated her life to the cause of education and women`s emancipation.

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