Former headmaster donates Rs 5L to Harvard Tamil Chair

TNN | Updated: Nov 20, 2017, 00:42 IST

Madurai: An 83-year-old retired headmaster in Madurai district has contributed Rs 5 lakh towards establishing the Sangam Professorship in Tamil Studies in Harvard University.

The retired headmaster, Ko Ramasamy, has always wanted to do something for the society. When he recently read about the efforts of the Tamil diaspora throughout the world for the noble cause, he contacted the people concerned and expressed his desire to donate.

A team from the Federation of Tamil North American Association (FeTNA), one of the organisations campaigning for the cause, reached the donor's doorsteps at Harveypatti near Tirupparankundram on Sunday. The team was led by FeTNA joint secretary Caldwell Velnambi.

Ramasamy said he had come to know about the cause through a journal run by the Tamil Nadu Teachers' Federation. Ramasamy is not an affluent man but he wanted to do his best towards the cause.

"As the children of mother Tamil, we should contribute towards establishing the Tamil chair in Harvard. It is a duty of Tamils, and I have done mine. Others also should come forward in the same way. I am looking forward to see the chair by the Pongal festival," he said Ramasamy said.

This was not first time Ramasamy has made such a donation. A few years ago he donated Rs 30 lakh towards Periyar Maniammai University in Vallam.

Earlier, the Tamil Nadu government sanctioned Rs 10 crore for the cause. Recently, actor Kamal Haasan donated Rs 20 lakh.