When Pandit Jawaharla Nehru was uttering the words, “The Light has gone out of our lives”, on that fateful night on Friday, the 30th January 1948, over the All India Radio, a bunch of ladies in Tiruchi were wondering how best to keep the memory of Mahatma Gandhiji, the Father of our Nation, alive and evergreen. Their thoughts went to those who had also lost the lights of their lives… the destitute women, widows and orphan girls who were never cared for properly and left to drift for themselves in the society. By the time Bapuji’s “Asthi” was brought to Tiruchi by Dr.T.S.S.Rajan, the then Health Minister of Madras State and the veteran Freedom Fighter, the idea of these determined band of service minded ladies of the historical city, got crystallized and took the shape of The Tiruchi Seva Sangam Society for the welfare and upliftment of the parentless and destitute girls and for the rehabilitation of destitute women and widows, thereby making Bapuji’s lifelong service to the poor meaningful.
The Tiruchi Seva Sangam has been built brick by brick by the founder members Mrs.G.Thanjammal, D/o the veteran Freedom Fighter Dr.T.S.S. Rajan and other service minded ladies of Trichy. The Founder members are Mrs.Rajammal Krishnaswamy(BabyAmmal), MRs.Rajamma Ramasundaram, Mrs.Savithri Nageswaran, Mrs. Ranganayaki Thatham (Writer “kumudini”), Mrs.Jaya Rajan, Mrs. Malayappan, Mrs.Vaidehi Parthasarathy, Mrs.Rajammal Sowmyanarayanan, Mrs.Padma Rangaswamy, Mrs. Lalitha Pattabiram, Mrs.Seethalakshmi Sankaralyer, Mrs. Jayalakshmi Acharya, Mrs.S.Sundarabai, Mrs.Parimala Raghunathan, Mrs. Lady Seethamma Desikachari, Dr.(Mrs)Monsing, Mrs.Subbulakshmi K.A.P Viswanatham, Mrs.Soundarammal Joseph, Mrs.Ponnammal Arunachalam, Mrs.Leelavathi, Mrs.Padma Rajamanickam, MRs.Hansa Chandrakant, Mrs.R.Vishalakshi Ammal, Mrs.Lakshmi Rajangam, Mrs.Meenakshi Seetharaman, Mrs.Padma.S.Rajan and Mrs.Kamala.R.Chari. This Women’s Welfare Organisation is being nurtured by their followers during these 72 years, giving shelter to the helpless women and destitute girls.
Having been started in a humble way in March 1948, in the outhouse of Mrs.Baby Ammal’s house, The Tiruchi Seva Sangam was shifted to the present campus within a year by the Secretary MRs. G.Thanjammal in a tiled house for Rs.100 (One Hundred Only) as monthly rent. The Members collected Rs.5 from each member and Sri Gopaldass, Jewellery Mart Owner donated Rs.50 per month. In 1952, Sri Gopaldass donated Rs.50,000 (Fifty Thousand Only) for the purchase of the land paving way for the ownership of the property and for the growth of The Tiruchi Seva Sangam Society.
The Sangam expanded its activities manifold and came to the rescue of many more orphans, destitute children and suffering women. Mrs.G.Thanjammal and her daughter Mrs.Kamala.R.Chari, Former Secretaries of The Tiruchi Seva Sangam are the Chief Architects of the Sangam activities, ever since Mrs.G.Thanjammal assumed office as the Honorary Secretary in 1949.
It will not be an exaggeration to say that The Tiruchi Seva Sangam stands as a monument to the untiring and selfless service of Mrs.G.Thanjammal and her daughter Mrs.Kamala.R.Chari for more than 30 years from 1950 to 1981.
Under their leadership, the Sangam grew from strength to strength to the present status paving way for the bright future for the bright future for several thousands of poor, needy girls and women.
The General Body, consisting of 135 members, elects the members of the Managing Committee and the Office Bearers once in three years. Now The Tiruchi Seva Sangam is in the safe hands of the present Managing Committee brimming with life by the Dedication of the band of Sercice Minded Office Bearers.
Mrs. Kamala Bhandari the President, Mrs.Parimala Raghunathan the Vice-President, Mrs.C.Saraswathi the Secretary, Mrs.S.Sakuntala the Joint-Secretary, Mrs.Lakshmi Subramanian the Treasurer and the other 10 committee members are honorary members. We are sure to keep the lofty ideals of the Sangam and achieve greater heights in the years to come.
In the beginning, the members themselves took up the job of teaching and also giving vocational training to the inmates. The members tried their best to raise funds to maintain the free hostels properly. The hard work and sincere efforts have resulted in the present in the present state of the campus brimming with useful welfare activities.
The Tiruchi Seva Sangam, 72 years old banyan tree, is spreading its branches and giving shelter and future prospects to several hundreds of destitute girls and poor women every year.
The Tiruchi Seva Sangam has the reputation of visits of many veteran National Leaders in the early periods. Dr.Rajendra Prasad, Dr.S.Radha Krishnan, Jawaharlal Nehruji, Rajaji, Kumarajar, Mrs.Lakshmi Devadas, the daughter of Rajaji and the daughter-in-law of Gandhiji and the former State Governors Sri Shree Prakasha and Shree. Bhishnuram Mehdi also have visited our Sangam. Seva Sangam Girls’ Higher Secondary School has the reputation of having our former Prime Minister Mrs.Indira Gandhi to open our High School when the school was upgraded as High School on 22nd Jue 1965, with Mrs,G.Thanjammal as the Founder Secretary.
The Silver Jubilee or The Tiruchi Seva Sangam was celebrated in 1973 with MRs.Madhu Ben Shah, the then Governor’s wife, and with Mrs. Sarojini Varadappan as the chief guests during the period of Mrs.Kamala.R.chari as the Secretary. The Golden Jubilee of the Tiruchi Seva Sangam was celebrated in 1998, with the Union Minister for Power Hon’ble Rangarajan Kumaramangalam as the chief guest. On that day the Postal Department released a special Postal Cover and a special Post Card with The Tiruchi Seva Sangam LOGO.
Nearly, 1700 students are studying in our Girls’ Higher Secondary School and 650 girls are staying in our Tiruchi Seva Sangam Girls Hostel, of whom, more than 400 poor girls are enjoying Free Food, Shelter and Education facilities.