National Senior Citizens Day 2026 Celebrated in Tenkasi 189th Week of VAMA’s Saturday Sangamam brings together nearly 200 senior citizens VAMA Charitable Trust, in association with the Tenkasi Senior Citizens Council and CONSORT, Madurai, celebrated National Senior Citizens Day 2026 along with the 189th Week of VAMA’s Saturday Sangamam at Tenkasi on Saturday. The programme brought together nearly 200 senior citizens from different parts of Tenkasi, along with representatives of NGOs, senior citizens’ organisations, partner institutions, volunteers and well-wishers. The celebration focused on promoting healthy ageing, financial security, digital awareness and meaningful engagement of senior citizens, while recognising and honouring elders who have made valuable contributions to society. The programme was graced by Ms. Mathivadana, District Social Welfare Officer, Tenkasi. Mr. M. Muthukumarasamy, Trustee, VAMA Charitable Trust, welcomed the gathering and participated in honouring the distinguished guests and awardees. Senior Citizen Achiever Awards Senior citizens who have made significant contributions in different fields were honoured with Senior Citizen Achiever Awards: Dr. C. Tharmaraj – Healthcare Dr. S. Soundara Rajan – Healthcare Prof. K. S. Palaniappan – Tamil Literature Mr. M. Sankaranarayanan – Agriculture Dr. G. S. Vijayalakshmi – Environment Mr. Dorai Thamburaj – Eldercare The award ceremony recognised not merely age, but the experience, knowledge, service and continuing contribution of senior citizens to society. Valuable Sessions by Partner Institutions A special feature of the programme was the participation of professionals from DBS Bank, Kauvery Hospital and Tata AIG, who responded positively to VAMA’s invitation and shared information specifically relevant to the needs and aspirations of senior citizens. Experts from Kauvery Hospital created awareness on healthcare and healthy ageing, while representatives of DBS Bank shared useful information relating to financial wellbeing, wealth management and financial security for senior citizens. Representatives of Tata AIG spoke about insurance and protection, as well as opportunities for senior citizens to continue contributing their experience and expertise through “Experience in Action” initiatives.

We are happy to share the successful completion of the *188th Week of VAMA’s Saturday Sangamam, held on **16th August 2026* in association with the *Tamil Ilakkiya Peravai, Ambasamudram*. As part of the programme, VAMA facilitated the participation of senior citizens in the Tamil Ilakkiya Peravai event. More than *80 elders* participated enthusiastically and got a wonderful opportunity to showcase their talents and skills on the stage. The elders enjoyed the opportunity to participate in the cultural activities and express their talents in front of the audience. *Mr. Lakshmanan, Secretary of the Tamil Ilakkiya Peravai*, appreciated the efforts and performance of the VAMA team and expressed his appreciation for the support extended by VAMA in organising the programme for senior citizens. Our *Trustee, Mr. Muthukumarasamy*, also participated in the event and spoke about the valuable services rendered by the Tamil Ilakkiya Peravai for senior citizens. He appreciated their efforts in recognising the talents and contributions of the elderly and highlighted the importance of respecting and honouring senior citizens in society. He also appreciated their initiatives towards nurturing the skills of the younger generation, including school and college students.

We are happy to share the highlights of the 187th Week of Sangamam, held on 8th August 2026 at Alwarkurichy. This week’s Sangamam was organised as a spiritually enriching Thiruvasagam Muttothuthal, with the participation of our elders from various locations. The programme was conducted with the support of Sivagami Ammal Thiruvasaga Team from Sivanthipuram Sivamthipuram. Our elders had the wonderful opportunity to join the Thiruvasaga team and spend the entire day immersed in spiritual activities and devotional memories. The Sengol Atheenam from Perungulam graced the occasion and blessed all the participating elders. The traditional Kailaya Vathiyam was performed by experienced experts, and our elders greatly enjoyed the devotional music and the spiritual atmosphere. VAMA arranged breakfast and lunch for all the participating elders. The elders also had a valuable opportunity to meet and interact with many other elders, share their experiences, and spend meaningful time together.

We are delighted to share the successful completion of the 186th Week of Sangamam, held on 1st August 2026 at our Sailam Centre. More than 100 elders enthusiastically participated and spent a joyful and meaningful day with us. As the day was dedicated to Health Awareness, we invited our associated Heartfulness Team and the trustee of Nalvalvu Ashram, Mr. Nalvalvu, to guide our elders on maintaining good physical and mental health during their senior years. The programme began with a prayer to Soundarya Ganapathy, seeking blessings for the well-being of everyone. This was followed by a Heartfulness meditation session, where the team guided the elders through simple meditation techniques. The participants expressed that the session brought them a deep sense of peace, calmness, and relaxation, helping them relieve stress and enjoy a peaceful state of mind. Following the meditation, Mr. Nalvalvu from Nalvalvu Ashram delivered an informative and interactive health awareness session. He answered many questions raised by the elders and shared valuable natural health practices. He advised the elders to reduce their intake of rice, especially during the evening, and instead include more millets, nuts, and seasonal fruits in their daily diet. He also shared several simple and practical tips to maintain physical and mental health naturally, without spending extra money. The elders appreciated his guidance and expressed that the session was highly useful for leading a healthier and more conscious lifestyle. We were also delighted to have our well-wisher Mr. Venkadesh join the Sangamam along with his family. They spent quality time interacting with our elders and wholeheartedly volunteered in serving lunch with warmth, love, and respect. Their compassionate involvement created a joyful atmosphere, making the elders feel valued and cared for After the awareness sessions, everyone enjoyed a delicious and nutritious lunch consisting of Sodhi Kulambu, Potato Poriyal, Sambar, Rasam, Mor, Payasam, Appalam, and Vadai. The elders appreciated the meal and enjoyed dining together in a warm and caring atmosphere.

We are delighted to share the report of the 185th Week of Sangamam, held on 25th July at Ramanathi Dam, near Thalaimalai Sastha Temple. This week's Sangamam was organized to enable our senior citizens to participate in the Varuna Jebam (Prayer for Rain). More than 45 elders from various locations joined the spiritual gathering. VAMA Charitable Trust arranged transportation facilities to ensure that all participants could comfortably attend the event. The programme was organized by Mr. Suresh, and our well-wisher Mr. Neelakandan warmly invited our elders to participate in this special prayer seeking timely rainfall and the well-being of the farming community. Our senior citizens enthusiastically accepted the invitation and actively took part in the prayers.

We are happy to share the report of the 184th Week of Sangamam, which was held on 18th at the VAMA Campus, Sivasailam. This week's Sangamam brought together elders from VK Puram and Mannarkoil, with more than 60 senior citizens actively participating in the gathering. The main focus of the session was an interactive discussion on the next level of development of VAMA and the role of senior citizens in supporting the organization. The participants shared valuable suggestions on creating employment opportunities for elders at the Sivasailam campus. A detailed discussion was held on the various opportunities available at the campus and how the experience and skills of senior citizens could be effectively utilized. Our well-wisher, Mr. Neelakandan, addressed the gathering and spoke about the importance of senior citizens' welfare, healthy ageing, and their valuable contribution to society. He also shared information about the renaming of Chatram Bharathi School as Chellammal Bharathi Girls Higher Secondary School and cordially invited all the elders to participate in the inauguration ceremony scheduled for the 23rd.

183rd Week Sangamam We are delighted to share the highlights of the 183rd Week Sangamam, held at our Sailam Campus with the inspiring theme "Connecting Generations." The programme was designed to strengthen the bond between young people and senior citizens through meaningful interaction, learning, and mutual care. This week, 13 young volunteers spent the entire day with our elders. They actively interacted with them, shared stories, played together, and created a warm and joyful atmosphere. The youngsters also conducted an engaging session on the use of technology, explaining how mobile phones can be used safely and effectively for communication, accessing information, and staying connected with family members. The elders were eager to learn and appreciated the guidance provided by the volunteers. As the programme coincided with the birth anniversary of Perunthalaivar K. Kamarajar, we paid tribute to the great leader by remembering his remarkable contributions to education and society. Some of our elders shared inspiring memories and spoke about Kamarajar's simple lifestyle, leadership, and service to the nation. Adding to the celebration, our talented elder Mrs. Pushpam beautifully sang a song in honour of Kamarajar, and her melodious voice touched everyone's hearts.

182th Week Sangamam We are delighted to share the highlights of the 182nd Week Sangamam, held on 11th July 2026 at the VAMA Charitable Trust campus, Sivasailam. This week's Sangamam was made even more special by the presence of our well-wisher Mr. Gopal Raman and his family, from ADF Company, Chennai. They spent the entire day with our elders, actively participating in the celebrations and bringing great joy to everyone. More than 90 elders from Pappakudi, Mannarkoil, VK Puram, Kalyanipuram, Ambasamudram, and Thirumalaipuram gathered to take part in the program. The event began with a series of fun-filled physical activities that encouraged movement, laughter, and teamwork. Our elders enthusiastically participated in ball games, Kolattam, and the traditional game "Kola Kolaya Mundhirikka." Their energy and excitement filled the campus with happiness. One of the most enjoyable activities of the day was the "Action Message Game." We had prepared slips of paper containing different actions and placed them in a box. Each elder picked a slip and performed the action written on it. The performances brought endless laughter and smiles, making the activity one of the highlights of the day. It encouraged confidence, creativity, and active participation among the elders. After the morning games, everyone enjoyed tea and snacks, followed by more interactive activities that strengthened friendship and togetherness among the participants. A delicious and nutritious lunch was then served, consisting of rice, sambar, raw banana (vazhakkai) kootu, carrot poriyal, pumpkin poriyal, rasam, buttermilk, and pickles. The elders appreciated the lovingly prepared meal and enjoyed dining together.

181th Week Sangamam We are happy to share the report of the 181st Week of Sangamam, held on 4th July. As part of this week's program, we organized a spiritual visit to the Pandurenga Temple located near our VAMA Charitable Trust. Mr. Padmanaban and Mrs. Narmadha Padmanaban who conducted the worship of Lord Pandurenga at Ravanasamudram warmly invited our elders to participate in the Rukmini Kalyanam (Marriage Ceremony of Lord Pandurenga and Goddess Rukmini) organized at the temple. Around 40 elders who wished to participate joined the temple visit. The elders were very happy to witness the traditional marriage ceremony and experienced the spiritual atmosphere with great devotion. They were served a delicious wedding feast with a variety of traditional dishes. The Pandurenga team also shared inspiring stories from the life of Lord Krishna, which brought joy and spiritual enrichment to all the participants. After lunch, we returned to VAMA Charitable Trust, where we had the privilege of welcoming the team from Vallalar Karunai Ullam Sevai Arakkattalai, Vasudevanallur Unit. Mr. Muruganantha Swamigal, Mrs. Kalaichitra, and Mrs. Rudravani interacted warmly with our elders.

180th Week Sangamam We are happy to share the successful completion of the 180th week of Sangamam, along with the celebration of the 35th wedding anniversary of our well-wishers, Mr. Mohan and Mrs. Neela from Tirunelveli. The couple wished to celebrate their special day with our elders, and we were delighted to organize this memorable event. To make the occasion unique, we recreated a traditional wedding atmosphere by arranging the “Pen Veettar” and “Mappillai Veettar” ceremony with the support of our elders. The couple exchanged garlands, reliving the beautiful memories of their wedding that took place 35 years ago. During the garland exchange, the elders joyfully performed the traditional kulavai, making the celebration even more vibrant and emotional. More than 80 elders from various locations participated in the event, and everyone enjoyed the celebration wholeheartedly. Mr. Mohan shared that the event brought back wonderful memories of his wedding day and expressed his happiness and gratitude. The highlight of the event was the presence of our well-wishers Mr. Neelakandan and Bharadwaj, the renowned music director, who participated in the program and blessed the couple. Bharadwaj Sir sang the beautiful song Avaravar Vaazhkaiyil, which added great joy to the occasion. All the elders thoroughly enjoyed his song and inspiring words.