The Mahalingam – Mariammal Manivizha Charitable Trust was constituted in the
year 1983 at the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Buildings, Coimbatore.
Under the aegis of this trust and with the guidance
of Arutchelver, Dr.N.Mahalingam a number of
charitable institutions are been run and looked
after by Dr.M.Manickam, Vice Chairman &
Managing Director, Sakthi Sugars Limited and
Mrs.Gowri Manickam.
True to the Gandhian Ideals the Institutions
situated inside the Kasturba National Memorial
Trust are reaching out to more people every day,
extending their help to destitute women, children
and the socially neglected and down-trodden individuals.
The following establishments are being run by the Trust:
Kasturba Gandhi Oral School for the Hearing Impaired, Varadarajapuram, Coimbatore
The Kasturba Oral School for the Hearing
Impaired was started on the Gandhi
Jayanthi day 2nd of October 1996.
Dr.M.Manickam, Vice Chairman and
Managing Director, Sakthi Sugars Limited
and Mrs.Gowri Manickam together have
taken up this initiative for children for
whom the school has given a new ray of
hope in life. The unique feature of this school is that teaching is done by Oral
Method wherein much importance is given to speech and lip-reading.
In the year 1996 the school was started with a modest strength of 3 boys and 2
girls. At present the strength of the school is 74 students (with 34 boys and 40
girls), studying up to 10th Standard. In April 2008, 4 students passed out of the
school with 93% marks in the SSLC Board Examination i.e. a 100% result which
holds due significance considering their inherent difficulty in learning. The Tamil
Nadu Government has granted recognition for the school for classes from Pre
KG, Ist to 10th Standard.
On the 2nd of February 2002 a beautiful new building inside the school campus
was inaugurated by Thiru. Muruganandam, The honorable Collector of Coimbatore District. Built within an area of 4000 Sft. the building has 11 class
rooms /office rooms.
Pursuing its distinct feat of care and supportive learning, today the Kasturba
Gandhi Oral School is functioning as a dedicated day school for the Hearing
Impaired with 10 teachers and 4 non-teaching staff. The school also uses a
learning software called 'You can voice' which supports lip reading in 8 regional
Indian languages to teach the children.
Dr.M.Manickam has provided the "Behind the Ear Model" – hearing aids for 27
students of the school. The school also provides hearing aids to selected set of
students every year.
Kasturba Gandhi Memorial De-addiction and Rehabilitation and Research
Centre, Coimbatore
The De-addiction Centre was started in the year 1994. Nearly 80% of the
patients who underwent the De-addiction program have given up their drinking
habit and turned a new leaf in their lives. Presently the center has 25 beds and a
full- fledged medical team of, Medical Officer, Psychologists, nurses and other
supporting staff operating under an Honorary Medical Director.
The medical team attached to the centre is also visiting Industrial
Establishments, Colleges and rural areas for creating awareness about drug
abuse.
Kasturba Gandhi Memorial Siddha Hospital and Research Institute,
Varadarajapuram, Coimbatore.
For those who seek nature cure, better recuperation and a surrounding that will
help them heal quickly the Kasturba Gandhi Memorial Siddha Hospital and
Research Institute was started in the year 1991. The Hospital has been built with
adequate facilities and is located in a serene environment amidst abundance of
nature wealth. It also has another center in the foothills of Siruvani. A great
variety of medicinal herbs have been planted around the hospital and Siddha
doctors visit the hospital daily to treat the patients.
At present 3 doctors are working and about 150 varieties of medicines are being
prepared here under the Siddha Medicinal System using herbs, foliages and
other natural ingredients.
The hospital attracts people seeking alternate ways of medicine and also those
who seek cure for treating various common ailments. There is fairly good
response for the treatment given in the hospital. The hospital runs extension
centers in and around Coimbatore and an herbal plantation at Siruvani for
growing rare genre of medicinal plants and herbs.
Mahatma Gandhi Museum
The Museum was inaugurated on the 14th of November, 1993. The museum has
a thematic visual biography of Gandhiji portrayed enchantingly using historic
photographs and paintings, thought-provoking quotations and vintage replicas of
the articles used by Gandhiji.
The hall located at the centre of the Museum is used for conducting important
meetings and prayers. Days of National importance like Republic Day,
Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanthi and other National events are being
celebrated here in a grand manner with the participation of Gandhian Scholars
and Eminent Personalities.
The Museum also hosts an exclusive library with more than 700 books on
Gandhiji and his teachings. These handpicked collections of books provide facts
on history, inspiring real life stories and knowledge that are ever useful to general
visitors, researchers and scholars.
Suicide Prevention Counselling Centre
No misery lasts forever. In moments of despair all we need is the right wisdom,
courage to face life, a hand of support and words of reassurance. It will calm
one's mind and avert impulsive decisions. Even those in the brink of perishing
their lives can still be saved by timely counseling and support.
The Suicide Prevention Counseling Centre helps those who need counseling and
remedies to reject suicidal thoughts. Counseling is given by phone to persons
seeking guidance. The Telecom Department has allotted a Special phone
number – 106 –for this purpose. Even research students from various colleges
are visiting the De-addiction Centre and the Suicide Prevention Counseling
Centre for research purposes.
Sakthi Thiranalayam (Sakthi Skills Development Centre)
With the motto of "Disabled is differentially Abled', Mrs.Gowri Manickam, wife of
Dr.M.Manickam took up the cause of the 'differently-abled' by starting Sakthi
Thiranalayam in the year 1987. The centre which was started with training now
provides both employment and training for blind women. It engages them in tasks
they can take up and help themselves. Here they make Agar Bathis, Phenyl,
Envelopes and Wire Knitting to chairs. Seemingly simple, the tasks give them the
much needed assurance in life that they too are capable of earning their
livelihood.The center currently employs 15 differently-abled individuals.