5 decades ago, this day, an anxious family took a big step of shifting its base from a tiny village in rural Tamil Nadu to a big city, Chennai.  An apprehensive, yet determined older brother willing to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders for his family, two teenage and pre-teen sisters, a much younger little brother and an elderly mother begun their journey 50 years ago. The life they led, the hardship they endured at every stage serves as a true lesson. The sacrifices the older brother had to make, now that he had assumed the role of a father figure was matchless. There were mouths to feed, clothes, shelter and most importantly, education to be provided. Each family member strived and gave their best. There were both tough and sunny days. What remained a constant was faith and hope for a better tomorrow.  And a better tomorrow did come.

Today, we are thankful for that one brother, Mohan Raj’s bold decision to take the big step in the year 1966 and following it through. If not for him, each one of them would’ve been scattered in that little village like seeds that are aimlessly sown. We are grateful for the older sister, Jaya’s silent determination, the youngest one, Usha’s strength of mind to come up in life, the little brother, Ashok’s willingness to accept reality and above all, the mother, Gomathi ammal’s perseverance to instill strength of character in each of her children.

Determination. Perseverance. Hope. We salute you all!