How A Drug-Afflicted Tamil Nadu Village Changed Its Fortune To Bring Education, Roads For All

More than 30 years ago, in a tiny village in Tamil Nadu’s Kancheepuram, a bunch of 10-year-olds decided to make a new evening game out of renaming the streets — from their caste-demarcated ones to those inspired from their favourite icons.

Thiruvalluvar offered L R Shankar, Ambedkar said Manivanan, and M Kannan and Gnanasekaran suggested MGR.

Down the years, as their adolescence gave them the insight to reflect on their own revolutionary streaks, the boys went on to create and become forerunners of Netaji Welfare Movement (NWM), an undertaking that has turned the fate of Lattur — from a failing, alcohol-afflicted village, to a citizen-driven model community.

The latest milestone in their struggle is a new community learning centre and library, where village kids gather every evening for after-school tuitions and night classes, learn computers and play games.

The centre has been funded by Star Health as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

“We believe in doing our best in healthcare to the financially weaker section in India. Apart from financial support, we work towards creating impact in the lives of our customers by addressing the gaps in the healthcare eco-system,” said V Jagannathan, CMD of Star Health.