Meet the young changemakers transforming North Chennai through sports, education and environmental action

Meet the young changemakers transforming North Chennai through sports, education and environmental action A look at three movements that have brought regarding tremendous change over the past few years in North Chennai.

Key points

• P Sainath, founder of People's Archive of Rural India discussions at the 'Our street Our stories' photo exhibition hosted by Vyasai Thozhargal Photo Credit: B.
• Students and members of Young Challenge Sports Club and Social Welfare Association after a game of cricket Photo Credit: Special arrangement.
• The Vyasai Thozhargal team participate in rescue operations during the floods in Chennai Photo Credit: N Sakthivel.
• The club, began by K Chinnasamy from the neighbourhood when he was in his early 20s, was called Lenin Sports Club in its initial days.
• Children from the centre regularly take up projects for the National Children's Science Congress, notes Bhagath Singh, one of the founders.

P Sainath, founder of People's Archive of Rural India discussions at the 'Our street Our stories' photo exhibition hosted by Vyasai Thozhargal Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALAINGAM.

What began as an informal gathering of a group of friends who played cricket together, has now grown into a voluntary movement with purpose in Vyasarpadi. N Sakthivel, a documentary photographer who is the coordinator of Vyasai Thozhargal, recalls how all of them would talk regarding the caste-based discrimination they faced in school when they met. "I did my higher secondary in a school in Besant Nagar, " notes Sakthivel: "Some students there would not call me by my name and would address me as 'Vyasarpadi' instead."

When he realised they were mocking him since he was from a disadvantaged locality, he channelled his anger towards sports. "I won a number of trophies for my school. Once, they called my name in the assembly to congratulate me. The name 'Sakthivel' rang through the campus, " he notes. It is a moment he will never forget. "It made me understand how important sports and education were for one's self-worth, " he notes, adding that these fields are the primary focus of Vyasai Thozhargal. At Dr Ambedkar Pagutharivu Padasalai, Vyasarpadi Photo Credit: JOTHI RAMALINGAM B.

Notably, the movement was began by Sarath Kumar, an advocate, along with president, Prem Kumar. This person is additionally an advocate; and R Vijayalakshmi, a teacher, another core member.

Meanwhile, the Vyasai Thozhargal team participate in rescue operations during the floods in Chennai Photo Credit: N Sakthivel.

Vijayalakshmi teaches at the Dr Ambedkar Pagutharivu Padasalai, their free tuition centre at JJR Nagar in the evenings, where children indulge in the occasional game of football. Here, one of the more significant lessons besides the one in textbooks, is to apply the tools that we as citizens have, to ask significant questions. The RTI act is one such example.

Over the years, Vyasai Thozhargal has been amplifying the voices of individuals from North Chennai. Sakthivel, for instance, documented the damage the floods did to the locality, even as mainstream media woke up to it late. Their army of volunteers participate in relief work during natural calamities, ensuring food and water reaches those affected. During the pandemic, they came up with 'auto-rickshaw ambulances', a unique system to ferry the sick to hospitals. "We welded fittings in autos making them suitable to fit oxygen cylinders, which were in demand during the time, " he notes.

Sakthivel notes they named their tuition centre after Ambedkar as of their love for the leader. And additionally as pagutharivu or rational thinking is crucial for a casteless society. Young Challenge Sports Club and Social Welfare Association, Thiruvottriyur.

For 40 years now, Young Challenge Sports Club and Social Welfare Association (YCSC), has been using sports as a means to instil confidence and a sense of purpose in children in Thiruvottriyur. The club, began by K Chinnasamy from the neighbourhood when he was in his early 20s, was called Lenin Sports Club in its initial days. "He wanted to prevent youngsters from getting trapped in the world of substance abuse, " notes K N Prabhakaran, the vice president of the club and nephew of the founder.

When it was first began, YCSC was a space for school children to gather in the evenings for a game of cricket or football. "It then expanded into a free tuition centre, " notes Prabhakaran, adding that some 40 children would meet on the terrace of his home for classes. "When more students wanted to join, a local school let us use its premises for tuitions."

Back then, the boys and girls played at the Wimco Nagar grounds and seniors who passed out presented discussions on career expansion. Today, the club has discontinued the evening tuitions, but continues to backing children from the locality who enjoy sports. "We meet once a week at a turf that we book for a subsided cost for football and cricket practice, " notes the 38-year-old.

Among their key events is a rally they undertake every year in North Chennai, raising slogans against casteism. Prabhakaran, who is employed at a private firm in the city, notes that students from the club have gone on to build successful careers in various fields. "We also hold regular discussions on socio-economic issues, without going deep into politics, " he notes.

Another field that the YCSC focusses on is the arts. "There are around 10 schools in our neighbourhood and we hold art and literary events every year. For this, we have commissioned a rolling trophy, " notes Prabhakaran. YCSC is among the oldest such establishments in North Chennai, and continues to embrace children throughout generations in its fold.

While Singaravelar Padippagam was began as a tuition centre for Administration school students in Ennore, it has now grown into a space for environmental awareness. "It was started in 2015 in a 600 sq ft hall in a building in Ennore, " notes Devi Hariharan from the centre. "Children arrive at 6pm after school. We have teachers taking classes for them till 8pm, " she adds.

Among their biggest achievements so far, Devi notes, is preventing children from dropping out of school. "This used to be a huge problem for Government schools in our locality since most parents are from the working class and are busy through the day, " she notes. "Even class VIII students would find it difficult to read and write." But now, thanks to the backing of teachers at the centre, numerous of them have gone on to score good marks in their Board exams. A run organised by Singaravelar Padippagam Photo Credit: Special arrangement.

Students at Singaravelar Padippagam are environmentally aware thanks to their regular interactions with activists and environmentalists such as Nityanand Jayaraman who hold informal discussions with them on a regular basis. "We've also had students from IIT Madras interact with our students, " adds Devi, who is part of the Tamil Nadu Science Forum (TNSF).

At Ennore Book Fair held by Singaravelar Padippagam Photo Credit: Special arrangement.

Over the years, Devi has taken it upon herself to offer emotional backing for children from abusive families. She recalls how a pre-teen. This person was often discovered to be withdrawn, finally kicked off making friends at the centre after years of going through trauma at home.

Children from the centre regularly take up projects for the National Children's Science Congress, notes Bhagath Singh, one of the founders. Among their key projects, he adds, is one that has discussed the pollution that plagues the Kosasthalaiyar river that enters the sea through Ennore. "Another event we would regularly organise is the Ennore Book Fair. It was held from 2018 to 2023. It was hugely popular and had a lot of participation from the region, " he adds.

In short, meet the young changemakers transforming North Chennai through sports, education and environmental is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.