Greetings from VAMA Charitable Trust! We are delighted to share the success of the 112th week of the Saturday Sangamam event, held on 21st September. This week, we celebrated Teachers’ Day — a meaningful occasion where both elders and educators reflected on the enduring value of education and the profound sacrifices teachers have made throughout history.

Over 120 elders participated in the event, alongside esteemed guests including Mr. Arima Barathy K. Kannan, Treasurer of Ambai Tamil Elakkiya Peravai, Mr. Sundaram, Trustee of VAMA Charitable Trust, Mr. Muthukumarasamy, Managing Trustee of VAMA Trust, Mr. Lakshmanan, Secretary of Ambai Tamil Elakkiya Peravai, Mrs. Malathy, HM, Mr. Madasamy, Retired HM, and Mr. Senthil, Professor of TV College.

The speeches delivered by Mr. Arima Barathy K. Kannan and Mrs. Usha Malathy were truly inspiring, shedding light on the significance of education, the importance of government schools, and the profound impact teachers have on shaping the lives of their students. It was especially moving to hear elders reminisce about their own teachers, with many becoming emotional as they recalled the invaluable contributions of their educators.

Mr. Lakshmanan spoke about the dedication and value of teachers, while Mr. Madasamy highlighted their sacrifices and the lasting impact they have on society.

The interaction between the Papanasam college students and the elders was both engaging and thought-provoking, creating a meaningful bridge between past and present educational experiences. Honoring the teachers, sharing a traditional meal, and participating in enjoyable activities — riddles, songs, and dancing — made this event memorable for all. Mr. Sundaram expressed his gratitude to everyone who participated and helped make the event meaningful.

He recollected the origin of celebrating and honouring teachers. He mentioned in 2020 when Covid lock down was imposed and students were not able to come out of their home and lost school atmosphere and some teachers became jobless as they were on temporary jobs, Vama engaged with them through its program called “Resilience “. Teachers were encouraged to engage locally with children in temple, community centre, etc. Vama started honouring such teachers to encourage and motivate them during their difficult times. Once started it should be continued consistently is the practice of value of Vama hence the celebration with teachers that too retired teachers for the past four years.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the VAMA Charitable Trust team for organizing such a successful and heartwarming event that paid tribute to the noble profession of teaching, while bringing joy to both elders and students alike.