Vedaratnam Appakutti | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Other names | Vedaratnam Appakutti Pillai |
| Occupation | Social worker |
| Parent | A. Vedaratnam Pillai |
| Awards | Padma Shri |
Vedaratnam Appakutti Pillai was an Indian freedom fighter, social worker and the co-founder of Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust, a non profit non governmental organization working for the welfare of women in the rural areas of Indian state of Tamil Nadu. [1]
Born into a family of salt merchants in the state of Tamil Nadu to A. Vedaratnam, a freedom activist, he contributed to the efforts of his father to found Kasturba Gandhi Kanya Gurukulam, a rural residential school for girls from financially challenged families, at Vedaranyam, in Nagapattinam district of the state. [2] [3] The establishment has grown over the years to house a printing school, electronics and computer training school and an incense manufacturing unit. [4] The Government of India awarded him the fourth highest civilian honour of Padma Shri in 1989. [5]
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