CHENNAI: Dr P. Uthayamalar, a sexagenarian, lost her mother two hours after the former was born and her father when she was barely 12. Having faced troubles with family and society, she decided to provide for orphans and thus started her orphanage. Her orphanage, Bharath Mata Illam, in Nandiambakkam, near Minjur, is home to 50 orphans today. Started by her 17 years ago, she ensured that these kids had access to schools and also enrolled a number of them for higher education.
A single lady, with no one to call family, she became the family to many orphans when she started her first orphanage in Tiruchy 40 years back. After moving to Chennai, she started her first orphanage, which had to be closed because of misappropriation by trustees, she said. “We run on public donations and on my savings. I started doing service in Tiruchy when I saw kids without families having no access to food or education. Initially, I wasn’t able to do a lot but played my part by helping in food distribution and service to the blind,” she said.
Today, the four buildings of the Illam house not only orphans but destitute women and physically abused children. Now the orphanage is in shambles but Dr Uthayamalar takes pride in the fact that three of the girls from her home are about to finish their graduation and one of the boys has been enrolled for engineering. A Siddha doctor by profession, she took voluntary retirement a few years ago.
“Some of my kids are able to get jobs at a few manufacturing companies near Minjur and Ennore,” she said. Recently she was awarded by the Rotary Club of East Madras for the work done by her. A number of children rescued by District Child Protection Committees, Child Welfare Committees, and social workers are brought to the home. Dr Uthayamalar can be contacted at 9600766451.
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