The Tamil Nadu 100-YO School Behind Midday Meals

Initially established to provide education to the Saurahtrians of South India who migrated from the Lata region of Gujarat, the primary goal of the school has always been towards social good.

The community is a linguistic minority composed largely of poor handloom weavers. Education was never an option for them, since children who, after seven years or less, go to work with their parents. For them, this was the only way to make a living. We wanted to change that perspective, and that's how the school opened, said M N Sankaran, President of the Sourashtra High School Council.

The school administration began the midday meal program as an incentive for parents to send their children to school.

Therefore, in 1911, several trustees and philanthropists initiated one of the oldest noon schemes employed in a school in India, says M N Sankaran.

In 1954, during our golden wedding celebrations, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, K Kamaraj, had visited the school. The midday meal program impressed him a lot. He soon sent Dr. N D Sundaravadivelu, Director of Public Instruction, to review the service at our school, "Sankaran reports.

Sundaravadivelu, after the review, continued recommending this practice to the government. The state government implemented the scheme throughout the state.

Soon his success story came to the Center, and now the whole nation follows the scheme. And that's why Sundaravadivelu is known as the architect of the plan for school-age children, adds Sankaran.

Although the menu changes daily, some items such as rice, sambar, rasam, pickle and whey are always constant. He added that they make sure to serve nutrient-rich foods, as well as tasty treats like payasam or kesari on special occasions. The school has been serving a healthy and delicious three-course meal for almost a century for millions of students, and that's also free.

The school obtains all its funds from members of the board of directors, private donors and alumni.

Our main goal was to provide education and nutrition to children who could not afford a single meal a day, and we are proud to say that we were able to continue with that for so long. In return, we have a stellar legacy of students, an unimaginable amount of love and respect. What more can a man ask for in his life? , The 81-year-old boy happily exclaims.

By: Preeti Narula