“If You Want To Make Your Footprints On The Sands Of Time
Don’t Drag Your Feet”- APJ Abdul Kalam
It is the general belief that the politicians are the people who take the nation forward but then they have proved that they are nothing but a worthless lot. What the nation needs is a leader, another Gandhi who is a visionary for the people around him and a selfless personality who can lead his folks to greater heights of growth.
Here is one story of a young man who is no less than a Gandhi for his people. His name is Senthil and here is the reason why he is hailed so much. Apparently, about five years ago, Senthil was one among the many Indians in the US who chase the dollar dreams. He had a premium job which fetched him Rs 2 lakhs per month. But more than that, he had a dream as a child – to serve his village.
True to his dream, Senthil who is 36 years now is currently based in Thennur village near Trichy in Tamilnadu. He is known as the ‘Illam Gandhi’ (Young Gandhi) by the villagers. The talented youngster invested Rs 40 lakhs and built a community health center in Thennur along with an informal learning center. Later, he started an NGO called ‘Payir’ which looks after the needs of the village. Senthil has also roped in five members from the village and has appointed them as staff. Their job is to teach English to the schools in their vicinity.
To top it all, Senthil has gone ahead and set up an IT company in the village. This has got a staff of 4 people and they are graduates who are from the same village. Currently, the company is working on a project for a US client and its estimate is said to be $ 2500. The interesting bit is, the IT company is situated in the middle of a coconut farm. While all this is on the work and people front, Senthil has not let down his family as well and as per his mother’s wishes, he saved some money by working hard and he has built a big house for his parents in the temple town of Srirangam. As for Senthil, he lives in a small hut in Thennur.
When asked about his livelihood, Senthil was humble enough to reveal that the ‘Payir’ trust (click www.payir.org) provides him daily food. He has built his own hut, so accommodation no problem. He has three sets of shirts and Vesti (dhoti) which can be used for the next two years. Senthil smiles and adds that he keeps getting dresses as gifts from his friends once in a while so what more does he need in life. As for his health, Senthil says that government hospital is there to take care of him.
The above is a real life example of what it means to chase one’s own dreams and dreams that create a world of difference. If only the country had more of such Senthils, then this would have been a completely different place altogether. You can be like him, if you have the will and heart to do it.
