Sevalaya meaning Temple of Service in several Indian languages, is a registered charitable trust headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, with operations across multiple Indian states.[1]
Established in 1988,[2] it provides free education,[3] healthcare,[4] environmental, social welfare and development services,[5] aimed at rural, tribal and underprivileged communities. Inspired by the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, and Mahakavi Bharathiyar,[6] Sevalaya operates schools, hospitals, destitute homes for children and elderly,[7] and community outreach programmes across multiple districts in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states. All its services are rendered free of charges without any discrimination based on caste / creed / religion / language / gender.[8]
History
Sevalaya's Founder V Muralidharan was inspired by the ideals and life of Mahatma Gandhi, Mahakavi Bharathiyar and Swami Vivekananda through exposure to their books at a young age. An alumnus of Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, during his graduation days, he began volunteering along with his friends to provide weekend classes and educational materials to children at Srirampura slum situated close to the campus.[9] By 1988, Muralidharan, then a software professional, along with a group of colleagues formed the charitable trust Sevalaya. Sevalaya's services started on 29 May 1988 with 5 children in a small building at Kasuva village near Chennai, with the aim of providing food, clothing, shelter and education to orphaned destitute children.
Expanding with the support of donors, Sevalaya moved to its own campus spread over nearly 14 acres (57,000 m2) of land at Kasuva Village near Thiruninravur (40km west of Chennai). Today the campus at Kasuva houses a higher secondary school, children's home, elders' home, a skill development centre, a hospital, a gaushala and a staff quarters.[10] Over the years, Sevalaya has also expanded its centres to various locations across South India through skill-development centres, healthcare services, after-school education to children, environmental and rural development projects through individual and corporate partnerships.[11]
Activities
The activities of Sevalaya include Swami Vivekananda Boys Home and Mother Teresa Girls Home- providing shelter to 200 orphan and destitute boys and girls from broken homes, Mahakavi Bharathiyar Higher Secondary School (recognised by Government of Tamil Nadu but unaided) providing free education in vernacular medium to 2500 rural children including the residents of the Homes, Mahatma Gandhiji Medical Centre providing free medical care, Swami Vivekananda Free Library, Kasthurba Craft Centre providing free training in tailoring to rural women, Vinobhaji Goshala sheltering cows, and Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Old Age Home sheltering 150 destitute senior citizens.
Swami Vivekananda Boys & Mother Teresa Girls home
The Home provides the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter to the orphan children. The children are also provided with free education and medical facilities. At present there are 200 children in the home.
Mahakavi Bharathiyar Higher Secondary School
The school provides free education (no fees, free textbooks, free notebooks and 2 sets of free uniforms) to around 2500 children. The 3000 families in the area are made up of mostly landless agricultural labourers and brick kiln workers, and most of the children are first generation school goers. The free school has allowed many of these families to send their children for an education instead of taking them with them to work.
Mahatma Gandhiji Medical Centre
Mahatma Gandhiji Medical Centre run by Sevalaya provides free medical care to residents as well as villagers. This has allowed greater access to healthcare in the remote village as the nearest hospital is 6km away. Minor ailments are treated by the nurse at the centre. Medical camps are arranged almost once a month when teams of specialists from the city visit the institution and conduct check ups for the residents as well as the villagers. With a view to create an awareness about the alternative medical system and nature cure methods, siddha medical camps and nature cure camps are also held.
Swami Vivekananda Library & Reading Room
The library has a collection of over 10,000 books including the complete works of Mahatma Gandhi, Mahakavi Bharathi and Swami Vivekananda as well as many newspaper and magazine subscriptions. The library is open to all Sevalaya residents as well as the villagers for free. A mobile library is also sent to the villages nearby every Saturday to make the books available for reading to all the villagers.
Kasthurba Craft Centre
Craft education is a part of the school curriculum and the students are trained in various crafts like wire bag making, book binding, etc., The centre also conducts a free six months certificate course in tailoring for rural women.
Vinobaji Gaushala
The gaushala (cow protection centre) shelters around 25 cows (both milk yielding and dry cows). The milk is consumed by the residents of the Orphan Home and the Old Age Home and any excess milk is sold in nearby villages, with the marginal generated income being utilised for meeting the expenses of the institution. A Gobar gas Plant has been constructed which meets 90% of the fuel needs of the Old Age Home. Organic manure is produced by vermin compost method. The manure is used in the kitchen garden maintained at Sevalaya and also marketed.
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Old Age Home
The Old Age Home provides shelter to poor and destitute old men and women. The residents are encouraged to involve themselves in simple activities like helping in the kitchen by cutting vegetables, watering the garden, etc.
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