The 47th annual celebration of the Sri Sivakumar Educational Trust was held at the Agaram Foundation office in T. Nagar, Chennai.
The trust was started in 1979 with the aim of helping students by investing the full salary of Rs. 25,000 that actor Sivakumar received for his 100th film, ‘Rosappu Ravikkaikari,’ in a bank and using the interest earned from it. Initially, prizes were given to students, and later scholarships were provided from actor Sivakumar’s personal funds. Since 2006, the 'Agaram Foundation' has fully taken over the responsibility of this trust and has been providing scholarships and awards every year.
At the 47th annual celebration held today, financial assistance was awarded to 25 students who have completed Plus Two and joined college, along with financial support and an award for a senior artist, and financial assistance was also given to three key organizations that have been selflessly working for the educational advancement of marginalized communities.
Award for artist Jeevanandhan:
In addition to encouraging outstanding students in education, the Sivakumar Educational Trust Award is presented every year with a prize of Rs. 1 lakh to honor senior artists who have made distinguished contributions to the field of painting over a long period. So far, painters Ambulimama Shankar, Ramu, Jeyaraj, Maya, and Maniam Selvan have received it. At this 47th annual celebration, painter Jeevanandhan, an outstanding artist and a notable figure in the arts, was honored with the award and a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh.
Educational scholarships for 25 students:
Overcoming economic challenges and various obstacles, 25 students who scored excellent marks in the Plus Two public examination and have joined college were each given Rs. 10,000, for a total of Rs. 2,50,000, as educational encouragement grants. Certificates were also presented to appreciate the students’ achievements and further motivate them.
Following this, financial assistance was provided on behalf of Agaram Foundation in recognition of the selfless service of the following three organizations working for the education of underprivileged students:
1. Financial assistance of Rs. 6,28,000/- to Tindivanam ‘Thai Tamil School’:
The school operating in the Rosanai area of Tindivanam for the past 25 years with the noble vision that “mother-tongue education is the best system of education” is ‘Thai Tamil Primary School’. This school provides students with free education as well as a midday meal scheme. For the past 16 years, Agaram has been supporting the school’s dedicated work. Continuing this support, a commitment letter was handed over to the administrators of Thai Tamil School to provide Rs. 6,28,000/- toward the monthly salary contribution of the teachers working there in the 2026–2027 academic year.
2. Financial assistance of Rs. 2,00,000/- to Erode ‘Sudar’ organization:
'Sudar' is an organization that has been working for the educational advancement of tribal children in Erode district for the past 20 years. They are running 25 evening study centers in the Sathyamangalam and Bargur hill regions to bring school dropouts back to school and bridge learning gaps. As a small part of the financial support needed for these good works, a cheque for Rs. 2,00,000/- was handed over to Natarajan, the founder of the Sudar organization.
3. Financial assistance of Rs. 3,00,000/- to the 'Vaazhai' organization:
The 'Vaazhai' organization, started by former students of Chennai State College, has been carrying out mentoring work for government school students in districts including Dharmapuri and Villupuram. Currently, they are advancing educational development efforts by appointing teachers in 7 government primary and middle schools located in the Ayyur forest area of Krishnagiri district. In support of their volunteer work, a commitment letter was handed over to the volunteers of the Vaazhai organization for providing Rs. 3,00,000/- as this year's contribution at the rate of Rs. 25,000/- per month.
Speaking at the event and praising the students, actor Sivakumar said, “The one thing I tell students is this: if you have education and discipline, you can achieve anything, anywhere in the world. That is the foundation. Whether you were born to poor parents, whether you are a child who has lost your parents, whether you were born in a village — do not worry about any of that. If you have education and discipline, understand in your heart that you can go anywhere in the world and succeed. I am a small, very small example of that.
When we were studying, there was no such thing as a school, no school building, and not many teachers either. Everything was a private school, a private teacher. “Kalangal” is exactly four furlongs from our village. That is the native place of G.D. Naidu. In the middle of that village there is a roofless mandapam, a hall 30 feet by 60 feet. The floor of that hall would be covered with dust. When we came from the village, there would be cow dung on the way. We would collect all that dung, put it in a basket, put it in a pan, mix it well, and smear that dung on the floor; otherwise dust would fly around inside. After smearing it, that was where I sat and studied. On the sides, in case someone might peek in for fun, we would set up bamboo screens and cover around the three bamboo screens.
Our teacher was Kalyanaswamy Naidu. He was the one who secured second place in the state in mathematics in the 1940s. He was a great man in arithmetic in the 1940s. He ran a private school. For first grade, the fee was Rs. 1; for second grade, Rs. 2; for third grade, Rs. 3; for fourth grade, Rs. 4. That was the monthly fee. I was studying in second grade, and my elder sister was in third grade. When we were studying, one sovereign of gold cost 12 rupees. So then, for my sister it was 3 rupees and for me 2 rupees—5 rupees in all, which was almost half the price of a sovereign. My father died when I was a 10-month-old baby. All my life, I have seen my mother only in a white sari. My father had left behind a parched piece of land after struggling on our dry, barren fields. It was through that hard labor that my mother educated us. So, since they could not spend 5 rupees a month, they stopped my sister after third grade.
I know very well how much hardship students face in order to pursue education when they are born and raised in poor families in rural areas. I have also personally experienced how much education can improve one’s quality of life. Like me, I feel deeply fulfilled in doing whatever help I can for students who come from poor family backgrounds and are determined to study well and move forward. Every success they achieve by overcoming obstacles will become a new beginning in their lives. This is only the first success you have achieved on this journey. The road ahead is still long. Students must remain steadfast in their goals, stay disciplined, avoid distractions, and continue working hard to progress in life. They should make full use of the opportunities education provides and bring pride to themselves, their families, and society. “Keep working hard without distraction and bring pride to society,” he said.