“Destined by God, My Journey of Embracing a Life of Service“
16 is an impressionable age. At the age of 16, I was selected for National Defence Academy (NDA), the prestigious institution which trains army, nave and air force cadets in the same compound. Established in 1949, the NDA was set up to provide comprehensive military training to young cadets from the army, navy, and air force within a single institution. The primary goal was to foster inter-service camaraderie and understanding, ensuring that future officers could collaborate effectively in joint operations. The academy aimed to instil a unified sense of purpose and discipline, which would be critical for national security and defence. As of recent reports, the NDA’s strength has significantly increased now from 1500 during my time (1965 to 68), accommodating approximately 2000 cadets, including the pioneering induction of women cadets who contribute to the diverse and dynamic environment of the academy as well as the armed forces and proving that women are second to none in Indian armed forces.
The NDA’s motto, “service before self” was ingrained in us for three years before we were to implement the Chetwode Motto of Indian Military Academy (IMA), “The safety, honour and welfare of your country come first, always and every time. The honour, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next. Your own ease, comfort and safety come last, always and every time.” As I transitioned to post-retirement life in 1995, the values instilled within me by these mottos became guiding principles that shaped my actions and decisions.
Helping People. Impacting Lives
When I look back at my second innings which commenced on 4 July 1995 after I shed my uniform and hung my boots, what has helped me these 30 years is my learnings from the Indian army, not forgetting my alma mater NDA, IMA, School of Artillery, Defence Services Staff College, Army War College etc. If NDA taught me the importance of service before self, IMA went one step further to instil in me that ‘my ease, comfort and safety came last’ We are all puppets in the hands of God. What we do is because of God and what we do not is also because of Him. My own life showcases the acts of God whenever I did anything good.
After retiring from the army in 1995, we settled down in our home in Kovaipudur, Coimbatore. Kovaipudur is the suburb of Coimbatore about 12 kms from the city on the National Highway 47 to Palakkad. It had a large number of colleges and private schools. My initiation into real estate development in 19995 was in Kovaipudur and our first gated community was Paripoorana Estates, spread over 18 acres! The belt from Kovaipudur to Palakkad has a large number of Engineering colleges like Ramakrishna Engineering College, Narayana Guru College of Engineering, KG Chavady, Coimbatore and Amrita Deemed University.
Those days, Kovaipudur was considered as “rural area”. It was a neglected suburb with perennial water shortages and garbage strewn all over. Roads were almost non-existent. Some called it “Kuppai Pudur” -kuppai in Tamil means ‘garbage.” Some of us tried to bring in civic sense but we failed as the Panchayat did not support the movement since they had no labour or trucks to clear the garbage. Around Jun- Jul, the whole of Kovaipudur had plastic bags on all plants and trees! But times have changed. Kovaipudur is now part of the Coimbatore Corporation and is a sought-after destination because of social infrastructure. Chat GBT says, “Kovaipudur is a serene township nestled at the foothills of the Western Ghats in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Often referred to as “Little Ooty” due to its cool climate and lush surroundings, it has grown into a thriving residential area with educational institutions, parks, and religious sites. The construction of Shri Venu Gopalaswamy Temple brought in lots of development around the temple and Kovaipudur also became popular on the religious map of Coimbatore. The region enjoys a pleasant breeze thanks to its location near the Palghat Pass, making it a desirable place to live.”
I got into real estate development business. My daughters joined Stanes Higher Secondary School and my wife was the homemaker. I had gone for my annual medicals to KMCH Hospital and met Dr Balasundaram, a Thoracic Surgeon. He pronounced me medically fit and got talking to me. He told me that there are so many poor babies who are born with congenital heart disease and are unable to meet the expenses for the surgery. “I heard that you run a daily digital newspaper called Covai Times and send local news to your readers. Can you appeal to them since most of them are NRI, to contribute some donation for these operations” Thus began my first social project, “Dollar for Heart”
I put up an appeal in the digital newspaper (shut down long ago) that I was running as well as in various groups with a request to circulate it to as many as possible. We opened a joint account and got donations. Dr Balasundaram did not take his fees and KMCH was also kind to charge the basic minimum amount. The first child to be operated was from a Nari Kurava (Narikuravar) family. The girl was about 3 years and born with a heart problem (hole in heart?). She was operated successfully by Dr Balasundaram. I went and saw the child with their family in the hospital. After a few weeks, a number of Nari Kurava came to my house and I got worried. I saw the girl walking and smiling. They wanted to thank me and gifted me with a partridge. My wife told them that we are vegetarians and to leave the bird free. They laughed and told her the difficulty they had to hunt this partridge and wanted her to cook it for me to eat! I thanked them for their kindness but did not accept their gift given to show their gratitude. They spent some time with us and left with the partridge. I never saw them again as they lead a nomadic life. We got donations for a few more operations, but the Nari Kurava remained etched in my mind. Of course, the partridge which did not get its freedom!
Sometime in 1998, an old lady from a neighbouring village came home accompanied by her middle-aged son. Let us call him John since I have forgotten his name. She said that John needed a heart replacement (not operation) and that he was under the care of Dr KM Cherian from Southern Headquarters Hospital Chennai. He was a famous Heart surgeon who had performed the first heart replacement surgery in 1975. The lady told me that he was her only son and that the operation would cost about Rs 12 lakhs. I told her that I do not have so much money but would try to get some donors. In life we can give hope. If God wills, it will happen.
I managed to collect about Rs 3 lakhs. One day, they came and told me that Dr Cherian has asked them to come to Chennai immediately since they found a heart of a man who was brain dead which matched her son’s heart. I rang up Dr Cherian and told him that I had collected only Rs 3 lakhs by then. He told me transfer the amount to the hospital and that he would take care of the rest. A great Doctor, who unfortunately is no more in this world. The operation was successful and the lady with her son returned to her village, next to my house.
The problem began then! This man had to have medicines which cost over Rs 1000/- every week. That was a princely sum then and we could not afford to buy the medicine to this man, week after week until his lifetime. I tied up with a pharmacy and went back to my donors! Whenever, we could not get any donation, I asked the Pharmacy owner to put it in my account.
He lived for eight months and then died. His distraught mother was old and needed money to survive. I got a small shop (Petti kadai) sponsored by one of the Rotary Clubs and set up the shop for her to earn some money. She ran the shop for about two years and one day, shut the shop and disappeared. I could not trace her. Sad. Was all this trouble worth it? I think so because that was the destiny which God had designed for them and me.
Sundakkamuthur School:
Circa 1999. The New Indian Express had carried a story that the Government High School at Sundakkamuthur near my house in Kovaipudur did not have toilets and the high school girls had to ease themselves on the road. I was aghast and went to the school. I met the principal and he told me that there are no toilets for boys and girls and nor did he have a proper kitchen for midday meal scheme. I felt sorry for the students and the staff but feeling sorry would not solve the problem. God showed me the way. I was developing a gated community named Paripoorana Estates along with (Late) Mr Mani, who built my house as a contractor and the land belonged to Professor Murugesan. That was how I was inducted into real estate development. One of the owners was a gentleman (name withheld) who was a widower without a child and had moved in from the US of A. He had many medical complications. I spoke to him about the school without toilet. He was a philanthropist. He was already taking care of his sister’s family and had donated money for several good cause. He told me that he had a Fixed Deposit of about 13 lakhs which was to mature soon and he would donate the money for the toilets and kitchen. I told him the problem was that there was no land for constructing the toilets and the kitchen! He gave a cheque in favour of Round Table 62. Sadly, he has passed away before we could begin the school.
I was Honorary Tabler with Table 62 of Round Table India and the Tablers contribute a lot for education etc. I told them about this government school and how I had a gentleman willing to donate Rs 13 lakhs but that was not sufficient if we had to build a new school upto class ten, which would also have toilets and kitchen. God was on our side! The Table Chairman told me that there is a matching grant programme from Denmark Round Table and that he would try to get Rs 13 lakhs. Jayakumar Ramdas, the Chairman Round Table no 62 got the matching grant, but the money could not be used for buying land! Now we had Rs 26 lakhs for the building but no land!
You will be surprised to know that Sundakkamuthur has large number of temples (One for each community in the village) but no school with toilets! The villagers offered land which belonged to the temples, but I needed the permission from the Hindu Religious Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department of Government of Tamil Nadu. I had made a small Team of seven to oversee the school project. Five of us went to Chennai to meet the Ministers and Secretary to get their permission to allot the temple land for this Government High School. After three trips and unkept promises, we dropped the idea of temple land for the school. Politicians do not appreciate such projects unless they could get some moolah for themselves. I was shown a piece of land of about 1.5 acres by the villagers, which belonged to a lawyer from that village who had since moved to the city.
Our ‘delegation’ went to meet him. I told him that we wanted that land parcel, which belonged to him. He agreed to sell it for Rs. 3 lakhs. I told him that we had only Rs 1 lakh and in memory of his grandfather, he may kindly sell it for Rs 1 lakh only. He agreed. Since we could not use any money for land, the villagers collected the money from among themselves to pay for the land. We got the land registered (gift deed) in the name of the Education Department of Government of Tamil Nadu. Plans were made in my office, approvals obtained from the Panchayat. The Panchayat President Shri SP Velumani, who later on became a minister in TN Government, gave us water and electricity connection in 24 hours. The Bhoomi Pooja was done on an auspicious day with the Round Tablers and the entire village was present. The Sundakkamuthur High School will now become a reality!
The Planning was done in my office. The supervision was by one of my civil engineers and the Village Committee (VC), one of whom was also the storekeeper. Every evening the VC, Site Engineer, storekeeper, the contractor and I met under the tree where the village Panchayat usually meet. I was not allowed to sit next to the Panchayat President and members but on a chair placed opposite to them. This is because I was not living in that village! We took stock of progress of construction, material management, labour etc. The VC nominated two young men in rotation as Security staff. I got school furniture, lights, fans, black boards, kitchen, dining room, store room for the kitchen, labs, library, furniture for the Principal’s office and the Staff room etc. We got 150 sets of plates, spoons, kitchen utensils, stoves, uniform for staff, staff room with toilet, large spacious toilets for boys and girls, computer, administration room, sports equipment etc. We also got books for the library – some donated and some from a US NGO! Finally, the day came for inauguration of the school, about one year from the date of Bhoomi Pooja.
The school was decked up with buntings, kolams, huge lamp for lighting, flags, Thoranams, flowers etc! The entire village came dressed up in their best clothes. Children were excited. Colourful Shamianas were filled with people. There was a great feeling of having “OUR” school in OUR village! The villagers had invited two Ministers from TN Government, the District Collector, Panchayat President, the Principal and faculty members of the school, etc. Members of Round Table 62 with their families also came in large number. The Ministers arrived and the programme began with singing of Prayer (Tamizh Thai Vazthu). The programme was presided over by the Chairman of Round Table India (Table 62). The VCs were in attendance and the senior most VC welcomed all. The project report was read out by another VC and the Principal of the school thanked the Round Tablers for their generosity. The Panchayat President said that this was the best Government High School in Coimbatore District.
Then the two ministers spoke, one after the other. They heaped praise on the then Chief Minister (popularly known as “Amma”) who had supposedly arranged the land and the building for the school from the Round Table. They spoke about her vision and passion for rural education etc. Most of what they spoke were untrue. I took the mike and asked a series of questions to the villagers to discredit the deeds attributed to Amma by her two loyal ministers. The villagers answered each of my question by “yes” or “No.”
Suddenly, one of the minsters came towards me with a shawl in his hands to honour me and make me quiet! I asked him to “wait” and asked the villagers, “if we should ask Amma through the Ministers to upgrade the high school to higher secondary school?” The villagers shouted. “yes.” I asked the ministers if they would make it happen with the blessings of Amma? They publicly said that they would. I told them that this could not be empty promise since the entire village was present and the minister’s word of honour would be questioned. They took the mike and promised to get the money sanctioned and upgrade the high school to higher secondary school.
Amma ((Late) Ms J Jayalalithaa) and her ministers kept their promise. Government High School, Sundakkamuthur became a Higher Secondary School in the next two years! So many children studied in this school and are doing well today. Our milkman’s son got scholarship and did Computer Engineering and went away to the US! I am sure that many more would have done well in their lives.
Balwadi:
One day, he asked me to come to his village and see the Balwadi. It was a building poorly maintained and I saw goats and dogs taking rest along with the babies or toddlers, whose mothers leave the children in the Balwadi and work nearby. Most of them were working as construction workers. There was a kitchen in the Balwadi and the food was cooked using choolas. The small kitchen was dark and full of smoke. I could see some lizards on the walls. It was pathetic, to say the least.
Since I was into real estate development, we had lots of dealings with Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) and, many of our clients had availed housing loan from the HDFC. I went and met their Senior Manager Mr Ramesh, who was also my friend and our children studied in the same school. I told him about this Balwadi and requested him to come with me and see its hopeless condition. Ramesh obliged and we visited the Balwadi the same week. Ramesh asked me to put up a Project Report with costings etc. and promised to try and get some grant from the HDFC. I put up the project report and asked for Rs 1.60 lakhs to do up the Balwadi and the kitchen. Ramesh got me the grant!
With labour and an engineer from my Company, I got the Balwadi done up completely, including fence with a gate to prevent goats and dogs from entering! The villagers were very happy and they invited the District Collector for the Opening Ceremony along with Ramesh and a few of his colleagues from the HDFC. The Collector appreciated the effort and I told him that the benevolence came from the HDFC through Ramesh.
Government High School, Kulathupalayam:
The news spread about the school and Balwadi. There is another Government High School in Kulathupalayam village in Kovaipudur. The principal spoke to me about toilets and some additional classes to be built as the number of students in each class were more than the capacity. I approached Ladies Circle India, an organisation by the wives of Round Tablers. I put up a proposal for three class (with board, table, chair and benches) on the first floor of the school, a kitchen with store and two toilets. They had a budget of Rs 3 lakhs for the project and I assured them that any shortfall would be met by me. With my team and the school Principal, we got this project completed.
With this all the Government schools in Kovaipudur had class rooms, kitchen and toilets. Of course, the towering glory was the Higher Secondary School at Sundakkamuthur. God showed me the way and I could do the work with the cooperation of villagers, donors and my team from CovaiCare.
In 2001 my company Covai Property Centre (India) Private Limited (Covai) was incorporated with the Registrar of Companies. While my team and I did a number of real estate projects including constructing houses on contract, apartments, gated communities, commercial complexes etc., I also ran a Reliance Petrol Pump for two years! In the past two decades, Covai has become CovaiCare, a registered brand specialising in senior living and care. Since our retirement communities depend on services from the local populace, we adopt the villages near our community. Children of CovaiCare staff are encouraged to pursue higher education. Residents of our retirement communities take active interest in teaching the children. “Summer Magic” was a special programme run by our residents in Coimbatore for the children of the staff. New You is a club formed by our children during the COVID 19 pandemic and is mentored by Smt. Raji Subbarayan, one of our esteemed residents.
Between 2010 and 2013, Covai created a gated community named Gem Nirmaalayam in Ganapathy, Coimbatore. Spread over 13 acres, it has 93 villas and 48 apartments, a club of 30,000 sq ft with indoor swimming pool, an open space reservation of 1.3 acres with trees and park and a tennis court with artificial turf. It is considered as one of the finest gated community in Coimbatore.
I had set up a labour colony and also ran a school cum creche for the children of our construction workers. I hired a school teacher and an Ayyah, who would go get the mother of the baby to feed the baby. The teacher managed the children of different age by teaching them and kept them occupied. I collected money by selling scrap, paint tin, cement bags etc., and with that money employed a lady doctor who used to visit the site and see children and lady patients. The money for the medicine also came from the ‘Welfare Fund” collected from sale of scrap!
One day a group of residents from nearby colonies came and told me that they do not have a ration shop and whether I can gift them with one. I told them that I do not have land as the approval for Gem Nirmaalayam has not left any open space for the ration shop. They said that they have a community land the ration shop can be constructed there. They brought the local Councillor who assured me of getting necessary approval. We volunteered and constructed a nice ration shop. The Mayor of Coimbatore came for its inauguration and told me that this was the best ration shop in Coimbatore! It cost my Company Rs 2 lakhs but the joy that it brought to so many families who could get their ration from Ganapathy instead of going to Gandhipuram was immense.
Conclusion
Adopting the NDA motto “Service Before Self” in my post-retirement life has been a journey of continuous learning, giving, and growing. It has provided a framework for making impactful contributions and leading a life of purpose and fulfilment. By embracing this motto, I have found joy in serving others. Perhaps it was that motto, which made Covai launch the first senior living community in 2004 and we have been fortunate to create more than 20 senior living communities in many cities in South India. Destiny or fate, it had blessings of God!
By
Col Achal Sridharan
MD & Founder
CovaiCare Retirement Communities