SIS INDIA NEWS
CHENNAI FLOOD RELIEF WORK
We are all aware that during the first week of December 2015, heavy rains unprecedented for over a century shattered the life of common man along the coastal regions of north Tamil Nadu covering the districts of Cuddalore, Chennai, Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur including the union territory of Pondicherry.
Roots company, left no stones unturned and swung into action immediately by forming a relief team as per the advise of our beloved Chairman Shri K Ramasamy (honorary member of SIS)
Relief materials worth around Rupees 15 lakhs was loaded in two trucks along with 15 volunteers were sent to Chennai to distribute the needy people. Relief Items included 10,000 Nos. of water bottles, 2000 Nos. of bed sheets, 2000 Nos of towels, 1000 Nos. of bedspreads, 2000 Nos. of candles, baby diapers, sanitary napkins, wide range of medicines for differently affected, bathing soaps, washing soaps etc.,
Our volunteers stayed at Chennai for two days packing all the relief materials and distributing to the affected families individually by the volunteers. More than 2000 families were benefited by receiving these items.
MEDICAL CAMP AT LOTUS
On the occasion of Sri Swami Sachithananda Maharaj’s 101st Birthday at Lotus Coimbatore, India, an ENT Camp and an Eye Camp conducted on Saturday the 26th December 2015.
ENT speacialists and Doctors from MCV ENT hospital Pollachi and EYE specialists and Doctors from Lotus eye hospital Coimbatore where concduting free ENT and EYE camp for the benefit of the poor and needy people in and around the village of Chettipalayam.
Mr K Ramasamy, Managing Trustee, Swami Satchidananda Foundation inaugurated the camp. The camp started at 9 am and ended at 4 pm. A total number of 217 people where benefited out of this camp.
The Doctors expressed their satisfaction for the overwhelming response of the Villagers.
PROJECTS
LOTUS INDIA
The Satchidananda Foundation in India constructed a smaller scale of the LOTUS TEMPLE in Yogaville, USA for Swami Satchidananda's 100th Jayanthi in 2014.
It is located in Chettipaylam on the land where Sri Gurudev's birthplace home is located.
Now consisting of the LOTUS TEMPLE, LOTUS CAFE and guest accomodation.
The Light Of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS) is a unique temple dedicated to interfaith understanding and the Light within all faiths. Individual altars represent and honor the different world religions. The vision, design and inspiration of Sri Swami Satchidananda, the LOTUS in Virginia, USA which was dedicated in 1986, now the second LOTUS Temple will be built in Sri Swami Satchidananda's birthplace in India.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM - LIGHT OF YOGA TRUST
SIS has a program helping underprivileged children with their education, books, yoga classes and clothing.
This project is directed by Swami Lalitananda (Mataji), a disciple of Sri Swami Satchidananda's who lives in Coimbatore.
Mataji personally spends time with the families and children and makes sure the children have everything they need.
Swami Lalitananda is responsible for paying the school fees directly to the school on behalf of SIS
Currently we are sponsoring 3 children in Coimbatore, Kishore, Mogesh & Nandana
SIS has also provided rent for Kishore and Mogesh's family, enabling them to live in a one bedroom apartment instead of them all living in a 4 square metre one small room house. We have also provided many of their needs, such as; water filter machines, kitchen utilities, battery lights for when there is no power. For christmas one year we bought the boys bicycles.
We have also purchased a cot, mattresses and bedding to Bhaskar & Punitha and their 2 boys who had been sleeping their entire lives on cement floors...excess funds from the donation provided much-needed basic food items for this family, such as large bags of rice, dal, etc
UDAVUM KARANGAL
Udavum Karangal - Help Hands, an inspirational organization that has branches in Chennai and Coimbatore, southern India.
Udavum Karangal (Helping Hands) is a registered, non-governmental, non-religious and non-profit social service organization, established in 1983, with sole objective of serving people in distress who are orphans & destitute.
Integral Yoga Gibraltar has donated to Udavum Karangal for the past 8 years, this was SIS's first visit to the Udavum Karangal and was overwhelmed with the INCREDIBLE service Papa Vikyaakar and his team are doing.
SIS is currently sponsoring 4 children for their higher education. Please see below.
Service in Satchidananda is financially supporting these girls through their higher education.
THIRUVALLUVAR HIGH SCHOOL
Thiruvalluvar Tamil High School was started in the year 1995 with 22 children with the aim of providing ethical based quality education to the children of Karaikal region especially for destitute children & children from families below poverty line. Their parents are working as porters, Sweepers, Scavengers, Maids, Coolies for their livelihood.
At present the school has 250 children studying from L.K.G to 10th standard. Our school is approved by the Government of Puducherry. Education is provided completely free of cost to all the students. (Our school is having 18 teacher 3 administrative staff and 2 office assistants)
It is run by the registered non-profit organization “Thiruvalluvar Ethics Educational Service Trust”.
SIS is donating USD 325/- every month which goes towards the feeding of the children (part of the expense) and additional USD 450/- every year towards their annual sports day. This is a special school with kids from very poor background. The most important part is the ethical teaching and the vocational training.