Generally, in life there are many people who say that they have seen enough in life and fail to cross even their personal boundaries. Amongst them are few people who carve their life and make it meaningful. Even among them are women who are talented and have achieved. Smt. Amirtham Varadaraj is one such persons.
Generally, in life there are many people who say that they have seen enough in life and fail to cross even their personal boundaries. Amongst them are few people who carve their life and make it meaningful. Even among them are women who are talented and have achieved. Smt. Amirtham Varadaraj is one such persons.
Smt. Amirtham Varadaraj was born into one of the biggest business-clans of Coimbatore. She was born to Kamalammal and G. Purushottama Naidu. Her grandparents and parents fed her not only with love and affection, but with knowledge. During the era when the girl children of Coimbatore had not seen a glance of the schools, Amirtham graduated from college. Her family hailed from Peelamedu. She was a deeply religious girl and adored Sowgandhika flower.She was deeply attached to Sheshadri Swamigal and Kuzhandhaiyanandha Swamigal. She used to write Rama Nama in her free time and had a good collection of books.
She got married to L. G. Varadaraj at the age of 23 and became a part of the world-renowned ELGI family. Hewas considered the ‘father of corporate governance’ in this part of the country.Amirtham Varadaraj began to live a special and a prosperous life with an affectionate husband, four children, car, andbungalow.Shewas a Pativrataand aDharma Patni. Her Paternal Grandfather, the legendary Rao Bahadur V. Gopal Naidu was one of the founders of Radhakrishna Mills Ltd. He was one of those big mill owners and C. S. &W. Mills belonged to his stable. Gopal Naidu Higher Sec. School was founded by their family.
If Amirtham would have just thought to live with those riches and prosperity, she would have remained no more than an ordinary person. But she transformed her life and made it purposeful from the way she cared, loved, behaved, and displayed affection towards others. As all achievers are unique in their own ways, she was well-mannered and down-to-earth. It was her habit to take great interest and responsibility even with the smallest of matters. Let it be serving her husband, parenting, cookery, social service, or planting saplings, she did it whole-heartedly. She remained exemplary for working hard with affection and love.
Amirtham amma had two worlds. Her family, friends, and neighbors were her first world. Educating physically and emotionally challenged children were her second. These two worlds remained her two eyes.
All her children grew up under her love and kind-strictness. She motivated her children to be independent and totake right decisions on their own. She taught her children that all humans are equal from a young age, as a result they even lovingly called their car driver as “Abdul Anna”. She was active by nature and did not take rest even for a minute.She was enthusiastic all through her life. Even when she sat down, she used to weave sweaters or tablecloths. It could be jovially pointed out that the sweaters were to her, like the Japamalawas to a saint. The only difference would be that a saint would meditate for a boon for himself while she weaved sweaters for others.
At one point of time, her sweater dhaana crossed the boundaries of her house and extended to the protectors for our nation, the soldiers. During the mid-1960s, when the sky was filled with war clouds, Amirthamwas one of the ladies who came forward bravely to help and assist the soldiers. She wove hundreds of sweaters for those unseen warriors, who protected the country by camping at the snow-filled Himalayan borders. Being the wife of one of the popular businessmen of Coimbatore, she could have bought the sweaters from shops, but she did not do that. Love for the nation and the soldiers made her to resist the pain and weave them with her own fingers.
Amirtham amma’s love did not stop with serving the human population. It extended towards the trees, and plants too. Her passion for trees went beyond expression. She found her happiness when the sapling she planted, protected, and watered sprouted. Wherever she traveled, she carried seeds, or saplings with her. She made use of the natural resources and also helped others to harness them. She had once planted and grown an African Neem in Coimbatore which was said not togrow in Indian soil. Everyone was astonished to see that plant grow into a tree which was beyond all probabilities. The results of her powerful and loving thoughts were visibly witnessed.She also often used to talk about the sacred tree which was present at The Sadasiva Brahmendral Adishtanam at Nerur near Karur.
Like that unknown spinster who later became Mother Teresa, there came a situation in Amirtham amma’s life where her love went beyond the four children to become a caretaker for forty children. She was one of the founding members of a home for physically and mentally challenged children in Coimbatore. Her life began to transform. She knew the names of all the children in the home byheart. Within a few years, she erected a school for those challenged children and is now known as, AmritCentre for Special Needs. It functions at Sai Baba Colony on Mettupalayam road.
In the rush of time, the school also became a part of her life. She informed her husband and bought a German-made nerve stimulator machine for the children. Even for her birthday she would request all her wish-wishers and relatives to give a cheque either to the school or the home instead of gifts. She also made handicrafts and weaving facilities for the grown-up children at the home. She involved herself in selling the products made by the children which included simplethings like chalk pieces.
Amirtham amma lived a humble life without any beautification or ornamentation. She neither displayed her prizes nor pride. Like the blue of the sky, and the sugar dissolved in milk, she stayed involved and immersed in the work she did. There could be many allusions brought to explain the kind of noble work she performed dutifully. She ever remained invisible like the roots of a tree and helped many challenged children to live their life purposefully. Amirtham amma’s life remained exemplary to all her contemporary well-wishers and remains inspiring till date.
PS: Amirtham and Varadarajwere blessed with four children, Vanitha Mohan, Gayathri Balaji, Sudharshan Varadaraj, Jayaram Varadaraj.