வானவில் - A Rainbow of bliss

The Editorial Team

On Campus Nov 25, 2017

The whats, whens, whys and whos of PSG & Sons’ Charities’ ‘Vaanavil’ that happens every Saturday in PSG Tech

By Madhumita C (B.E , Instrumentation and Control, 2016-2020)
Photograph by Shashank Narayanan (M.Sc Theoretical Computer Science, 2017-2022)

We all walk past the huge banners placed near the D-Block and on the pavement outside the college compound that keep changing every fortnight; but only a few of us notice what they read. A couple of weeks back, out of sheer curiosity, I grabbed a look at the then placed flex and decided to attend the Vaanavil event. By dusk on the 11th of November, the D-block conference hall was packed with people, including a number of senior citizens. Interestingly, a few young and enthusiastic kids from PSG Sarvajana school were also present as spectators. With more than half an hour to kill before the commencement of the programme, I decided to interact with the people who had already settled in their seats by then. “I’ve been attending the Aarokkiya Vaanavil sessions regularly for the past five months, after noticing the banner placed by the highway once”, said Mr.Ramaiya from Kovilpalayam, when asked if he was a regular audience. He also added that he looks out for the advertisements whenever he crosses Avinashi Road and ensures that he attends all the sessions.

As the programme commenced, Dr.R.Rudramoorthy, Principal, PSG Tech and Dr.S.Ramalingam, Dean, PSG IMSR marked their presence and introduced the speaker of the day to the audience. The Renowned medic, Dr.A.Murali, Professor, PSG IMSR spoke on the topic டெங்கு – ஓர் விழிப்புணர்வு ( Dengue – An Awareness programme), addressing the need of the hour. His short lecture was followed by a Q&A session, where he clarified some of the common misconceptions regarding the disease, its mode of transmission, and importantly on the measures to prevent the spread and contact of the deadly disease.

Dr Murali, during Aarokkiya *Vaanavil* dated 11/11/2017

What is வானவில் (Vaanavil) ?

‘Quality education’ is what crops up in one’s mind on hearing the word ‘PSG’. But the activities of PSG & Sons’ Charities extend beyond offering educational services alone and Vaanavil is one among them. Being a part of PSG’s CSR activities, Vaanavil’s objective can be explained briefly by Bharathiyar’s popular verse (which is Vaanavil’s tagline, as well) “பல நன்மைகள் செய்வோம்” (Let’s perform several good deeds). What started as lectures attended by a very small set of people stands tall today, with a legacy of hosting about a hundred speakers in a span of just three years!

“It all started back in 2015. We wanted to extend our services to the community beyond charity and education alone, and do something that the common man connects with and benefits from”, said Mrs.Uma Chenkathir, Media officer, PSG Institutions. Vaanavil focuses on promoting the physical, mental, intellectual and social well-being of man. “Initially, we were inclined towards the spiritual and intellectual aspects only. However, we realised that a healthy being is vital to all the above, which made us broaden our vision”. While இலக்கிய வானவில் (Ilakkiya Vaanavil) is about relating spirituality, culture and literature, ஆரோக்கிய வானவில் (Aarokkiya Vanavil) is for spreading health awareness.

“We organise sessions on the first and third Saturdays of every month. The sessions are usually held at F-block, PSG Tech and our audience is mainly comprised of the employees of PSG Institutions, students of PSG Sarvajana and the general public. Most sessions witness a gathering of upwards of 250 people”, said Mrs.Vidhya from the Secretariat office at PSG Sarvajana school. Ilakkiya Vaanavil kickstarted on 18.04.2015 with Dr.Iraianbu IAS inaugurating the series with a lecture on the topic ‘வாழ்வியல் விழுமங்கள்’ (The values of Life) and there has been no stopping ever since. The speakers’ list includes prominent personalities like Kalaimamani Marabin Maindhan Muthaiya, Mrs.Kavitha Jawahar, Mr.Nanjil Nadan and Dr.Devi Gunasekaran.

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(Source: PSG & Sons’ Charities)

The first episode of Aarokkiya Vanavil was convened by the Dean of PSG IMSR on ‘General Health Awareness’ on the 9th of July, 2016. “Aarokkiya Vaanavil is scheduled on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month. Usually, a talk lasts for about an hour and we try to dedicate more time for the Q&A session for the benefit of the audience”, said Mrs.Uma, describing a typical session. Aarokkiya Vaanavil enjoys its own distinguished and regular followers, thanks to the themes chosen that address the specific disorders/diseases and the prevalent issues of the period, which makes Vaanavil relatable to the masses. “We invite the most experienced doctors and specialists in the city, whom people find difficulty in consulting, owing to their busy schedules”, she added.

The next session of Vaanavil witnesses Mr. Ranga Ramalingam, talking about the history of Kulashekhara Alwar. Don’t miss out and be sure to attend it tomorrow (25.11.2017, Saturday) at 5.30 pm!

MADHUMITA.C (BE I&CE 2016-2020) is an avid traveler and a music enthusiast who is also interested in exploring different cultures and meeting new people

SHASHANK NARAYANAN P (M.Sc. THEORETICAL COMPUTER SCIENCE, 2017-2022) is an aspiring photographer and a passionate programmer. He has keen interest in collecting trivia and facts about automobiles. He loves anything under the sun that involves anime.