SHARAN - TOWARDS MUTUAL SUPPORT

The number of senior citizens with children settled abroad and those living alone because of the breakdown of the joint family system has multiplied manyfold. Correspondingly, the number of Senior Citizen Homes (SCHs) with excellent infrastructure and services for senior citizens has also grown. But what about those who cannot afford such expensive SCHs or those not in a position to move to an SCH for several reasons? Many of them lead an insecure and lonely life. What kind of support system do they have?

This is where informal groups of friends come together in many cities to provide help and support in times of need to such people. This story is about “Sharan”, started by a few friends in the Adyar neighbourhood in South Madras in 2008. Reflecting on its origin, Shri R.Shanker, one of the two founders with children living abroad, has this to say:

“During my walk in Indira Nagar, Adyar, one day, someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was my friend T S Venkataraman, whose children also live abroad. He talked about the need for a few friends living alone in the neighbourhood to come together to form an informal support system –to support the elders in their own homes, particularly during health emergencies, apart from offering any other help they need.”

Both friends decided to act on the idea with a few more friends. The result was the birth of Sharan, an association of senior citizens, which was registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Act in 2010 with the primary objective of providing ‘Mutual Support’ to its members.

T S Venkataraman adds, “We initially faced difficulties in enrolling members, as many were sceptical about the need for one more association. Two well-written articles about Sharan in The Hindu supplement “Downtown” and a report in “Adyar Times” catalyzed to create more awareness about Sharan among residents of Adyar and adjoining areas. What differentiates Sharan from the other associations is its aim to promote among its members is, the spirit of mutual support; a desire and mindset in every member to help others in the group in times of need to the extent possible.

An ex-Sharanite, Hariharan, with help from his designer son, helped design the Sharan logo. The visual of multiple stretched hands represents the motto of Sharan: “Towards Mutual Support”. Another Sharanite, Dakshinamurthy @ Kavignar Thenmugan, wrote the lyrics for a special Sharan Anthem, which was set to music by Sharanites Radha Shanker and Usha Sethuraman.

Every meeting of Sharan starts with this anthem sung by a couple of Sharanites. Sharan is managed by a committee consisting of the President, Secretary, Treasurer and six members who are elected by the members and hold office for a period of two years. The first President of Sharan was Prof. V.Narasimhan. He was followed by T.R.Gopalan, R.S.Bakshi, and Dr.H.Raman. Since the beginning, Sharan has seen the Presidents and their Secretaries with the active support of the Management Committee members, doing a commendable job.

In order to provide opportunities for members to bond, Sharan regularly organises cultural and social activities. Within ten years since Sharan started, scores of activities covering lectures, visits to old age homes, outstation trips both within the country and abroad, Temple visits, celebration of all important festivals, musical evenings, workshops on health-related subjects and many other activities which would help members bond, were held regularly. On the personal level, any appeal or help sought by members through telephone calls or messages in the Sharan WhatsApp group was promptly addressed by members living close to the affected person.

Like all other associations, the COVID pandemic made Sharan go online. It was in July 2021, when the pandemic was at its peak, that K. Vishwakumar took over as the fifth President of Sharan with Raji Venkatesh as his secretary for a second term.

Raji says, “We conducted virtual meetings with Sharan members month after month during the first 7 months, from Aug 2021 to Feb 2022. In May 2021, the chanting of the Dhanwantri Mantra by a group of dedicated Sharanites was started for the good health of all members. I am glad to say that this online chanting is continuing even now every day without a break.”

It is interesting to note that a Dhanvantri big homam was performed on 17.12.25 at Viswakumar’s residence for the well-being and prosperity of all members and mankind.

When the physical meetings started again, Vishwakumar offered the air-conditioned meeting hall on the second floor of KOKILADVANI in Valmiki Nagar, which he owns, for FREE to Sharan to conduct all its meetings. He has also provided a basic sound system and a screen for use in meetings.

This hall can comfortably accommodate about sixty people. Since then, Sharan has had all meetings at this Hall. Only for special meetings like the AGM or the Founders Day celebrations, where the attendance is bigger, are outside venues considered. Expenses related to some of these meetings are sponsored by some members. This has helped Sharan save a considerable amount used for hiring a hall and paying for refreshments.

It was during Vishwakumar's tenure as the President that Sharan brought out a book commemorating the Pearl Anniversary (12th Anniversary) of Sharan. The book gives not only the History of Sharan but also a brief bio of its members. Though Smt Janaki Venkatraman and R. Parameshwaran have succeeded him as President, Vishwakumar, supported by his wife Geetha, continues to be a live wire Past President, extending every possible help to the new teams in their efforts.

Some of the new ideas introduced during the last three years include revival of Sharn E magazine ( a quarterly online magazine edited by Parameshwaran), formation of three distinct Whats App groups covering Sharan News, Sharan Greetings and Sharan entertainment to ensure that important information is not lost in the deluge of responses and forwards by members and the formation of special interest groups like cards, music, share market, chit chat, potluck etc. Besides programmes like `Chai Pe Charcha` and Breakfast meetings in members' homes, the President and Secretary also visit the homes of the new members and others who are having mobility problems, creating better bonding.

Sharan started with just 10 members. As of June 2026, it has 130 members. Interestingly, except for a few singles, most of the members are couples. Ladies take a more active part than men in all the activities. From an informal association of a few friends, Sharan has evolved into a very vibrant group which is run on professional lines while retaining the core principle of `Friendship`& `Mutual support’. It is a fact that in today's digital world, it is friends, more than family, who help in fighting loneliness among elders.

I would like to conclude this article with a quote from a member, Mrs Malthy Sinha,” Good friends are like stars; you don't always see them, but you know they are always there for you.”

(Latest issue of Madras Musings carries this article)

JURY DUTY- People Vs Ananya Sharma

A Crime drama  with a difference ( Review)

I went to see a Crime drama  ( not a murder mystery) this Sunday, primarily because my daughter Sowmya was donning a small role in it. Titled Jury Duty- People Vs Ananya Sharma, it was held at the Crimson restaurant in Broadway Mall in Coimbatore, in front of an audience consisting of friends and relatives of the performing artists. It was an  Immersive Theatre Experience, where the audience became jurors to decide whether the accused is Guilty or Not Guilty! Am told that it was a first-of-its-kind experiment by any theatre group in Coimbatore.

What impressed me was the enormous efforts put in by Director Chanda Katuria and her team to make the whole show feel authentic. Each table with members of the audience acting as jurors had a file containing the case details, with a writing pad & pens to make notes and placards featuring the words guilty, not guilty and not convinced.

 After each of the three acts, when the audience was asked to give their opinion, there was animated and serious discussion among the jurors!
With the prosecutor ( Somy Sridas) and the defence lawyer (Abhirami Ramesh) vigorously arguing the case and questioning the witnesses, there was not a dull moment in the play. All the artists, including Sowmya,  playing the role of a Housekeeper who is the jealous guardian of the murdered Businessman, lived their roles.  However, I would like to single out Mrs Sneha Ramesh ( mother of Abhirami ), who was going on the stage for the first time and gave a convincing performance.​ So also Kshitij Mathur, the lawyer, who had a long piece requiring phenomenal memory. In the film world, he would have got the title `One-take artist`

Though I had sacrificed both my pre and post-lunch siesta on a Sunday, I sat glued to the seat, thoroughly enjoying the ninety-minute show and the delicious lunch that followed. Congratulations to Chanda Katuria, of PLATFORMANCE specialising in  Drama, Theatre and Musicals, who had conceptualised, written & directed the play. Look forward to more such experiments from her.

A Home for the golden years ( DD-Aug, 2026)

 My first exposure to an old age home was 20 years ago, when my mother-in-law was admitted to a modest home run by a distant relative located in an independent home in a busy residential colony in the suburbs of Chennai. It was close​ to a popular temple and other facilities that senior citizens require. It also provided home-cooked meals. My mother-in-law, a highly independent woman who died at the ripe age of 89, spent the last six years of her life in that old age home, when there were negative connotations about old age homes. Her NRI son, for his own reasons,  ​​decided to keep her in the Home despite my offer to look after her in my home. Just to make her feel we still cared about her, I would bring her home every month for a week's stay. One day, she told my driver, “I don’t know why my son-in-law brings me here every month. I am getting bored here. I am very happy in my  Home with a lot of new friends to talk to. Here I spend the whole day only watching TV or listening to music. Everybody is so busy. That is the first time I realised the importance of a​ senior citizen home in the life of elders and their need to be with like-minded friends in their old age.

Has anything changed with Senior Citizen Homes over the years? Yes, a lot.  ​​Modern-day homes located in gated communities have all the basic facilities that senior citizens need and much more for those who can afford the price.

 During my visit to Coimbatore in 2022, to get an idea of life in senior citizen homes, I visited a few friends staying in popular Senior Citizens Homes to get feedback on their experiences in the gated communities where they were staying. This was for an article I was writing for an online magazine.​ I found all of them very happy. I did not know then that within two years of writing that article, I would myself move into Nana Nani in Coimbatore.

 I have been staying in Nana Nani for more than two years, leading an independent and happy life without responsibilities.​Based on my own experience living in a Senior Citizen Home and my understanding of how many other senior citizen homes function, I would like to make the following observations and suggestions for the benefit of those who are planning to move into a Senior Citizen Home.

 - Judging by the good times that many of the residents are having in many senior citizen homes, I would say it is an option worth considering by people who have reached the end of their useful lives, have no family responsibilities and who are financially independent, to spend their twilight years in peace and contentment

 - It is no longer a stigma on the children if their parents voluntarily choose to stay in senior citizen homes which provide them the necessary independence, comfort and the company of new friends with similar backgrounds.

 -Once they have decided to move to a Senior Citizen Home, they should visit a few Homes and stay in their guest houses for a few days to get a feel of the place. They also must talk to some residents to find out what they think of the facilities on offer and their satisfaction level before they make up their mind.

 -Many new Senior Citizen Homes offer five-star facilities which may not be used by ​everyone, and such Homes are very expensive. It is important to choose a facility which satisfies one`s basic needs and is available at a reasonable cost.

 -It might be a good idea to retain one's own home for some time and sell it only when one is fully satisfied with the Home being considered.. Most of the Homes keep increasing their maintenance charges and meal charges from time to time because of escalating costs. Residents must be prepared to face this contingency.

 -Food becomes a major issue in the Senior Citizen Homes. One has to be mentally prepared to adjust one's tastes to the menu on offer. Coimbatore, the most popular city for SCHs, where most of them offer only vegetarian meals and that too the South Indian variety. One's choice of food & the city where one wants to settle down can also be determining factors in selecting the Home.

 -Better to go for the facilities offered by well-known groups. They have the resources and commitment to run the facilities efficiently because their reputation is at stake. Homes started by individuals or private parties are generally not reliable.

 -It is very important to ensure that the Home has reliable in-house medical facilities and is in a position to handle any medical emergencies. This is one of the main reasons that elders staying alone,  with their children living abroad, shift to Senior Citizen Homes. Many Homes promise this facility but lack the necessary infrastructure to provide the service. Also check if such homes can help you get full-time or part-time attenders in case of necessity. Such facilities normally come at an extra cost.

  -Senior Citizen Homes with attached hospices or with facilities to take complete care of bedridden patients can be considered by working couples who have old and infirm parents who need constant help and attention. Atulya Senior Care, which has branches in several cities, specialises in this kind of service.

 - If you have children living in other cities, go for a two-bedroom facility so that there is a place for them to stay whenever they visit you.

 -If one wants to enjoy one's stay in Senior Citizen Homes,  it is important to be friendly with other residents. Remember that more than one's own children, it is the friends who make one's life interesting in old age. Besides, if one is friendly with the able-bodied residents in the facility, they become one's support group and caregivers in case of emergencies until the family members come and take over.

 I would like to conclude this article quoting the words of a resident in another popular  Senior Citizen Home in Coimbatore.

 ”The two essential needs of every individual apart from roti, kapda and makhan are freedom and friendship. Both these crucial requirements for healthy and happy living are assured in the life of elders in Senior Citizen Homes”

 

 

A PLATINUM BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE TO PRABHA

My late wife Prabha would have turned 75 today  (27th July,`26). A Platinum Birthday! Prabha's passion for gardening as a hobby is legendary in our family circles. I always used to tease her that her first love was gardening – everything else was secondary.  As a tribute to her memory, I would like to share an article I wrote about her passion for gardening​ some time ago.

.Excerpts from the original article:

Over the last several years that we have been living in our own house, Prabha managed to grow hundreds of flowering plants and other green plants. We have over six varieties of jasmine (Malli): Nithya Malli, Pavala Malli, Mullai,​Jadhi Malli, Adukku Malli, & ​Gundu Malli, and over forty varieties of crotons and scores of colourful Hibiscus, Exora and Arali plants; flowering plants with no fragrance.

We even have fruit-bearing trees – Sapota (chikku), Guava, lemon-sized Japanese oranges (called Kungfat) besides a coconut tree, banana tree, mango tree and even a drumstick tree!

In the absence of a regular gardener, ​Prabha tends to each plant herself. Every morning she would go around the compound checking, trimming, weeding, cleaning and generally looking after the plants. Spending nearly 60  minutes on this particular activity.

Whenever we were travelling, she constantly worried whether the maid had watered the plants or not. Almost akin to how pet owners worry about their pet dogs or cats when they are away on tour.

As soon as we returned from any tour, the first thing she would do is to go round inspecting the plants as if saying “Hey Guys, I am back to look after you!” There is a perceptible difference in the appearance of the plants as well; those drooping suddenly seem to perk up! I wonder if there is any truth in the belief that plants can also communicate with their patrons.

In the morning she would pluck flowers for Puja, and in the evening she would be busy collecting Nithya malli (jasmine) flowers growing on our terrace. Come rain or sunshine, she spends about 60 minutes every day plucking these fragrant flowers (nature's aphrodisiac) and spends another 30 minutes tying them on a string to make a nice ‘maala’ for her hair or for use in the Puja room the next day.

Like all women who are crazy about gardening, when we visited friends and if she found a garden around the host's house, she would go on an inspection tour of the garden before she even said ‘hello’ to the host! But when she tried to pluck saplings from plants in public gardens, where plucking of flowers and saplings was prohibited, I would feel embarrassed.

A week before she passed away, on her request, I took her around her favourite plants in the compound.  She was in a wheelchair. Suddenly, she looked up and asked, “If I die, who will look after all my children?”I was confused. Why was she asking me this question when our children were all married, and we had four grandchildren? She clarified, ​"I am talking about all these plants which I have looked after for the last thirty years like my own children​" I was moved to tears. I assured her that I would look after them as long as I am alive.

PS:

Sorry, Prabha. I was looking after your plants with help from Mythili ( my brother's wife) until both of us moved out of our houses to make way for the redevelopment of our homes. Soon, not only your plants but the whole house would be going under the bulldozer.

My daughter is now the President of a Rotary Club

I went to Chennai on 8^th July for a week, primarily to witness the installation of my elder daughter, Kavitha Srinivas, as the President of the Rotary Club of Chennai Spotlight, an all-women's club, on 10^th July. The function was held at S Convention Centre in T.Nagar

At 6.30pm sharp, the meeting started with the mandatory Tamil Thai Vazhthu, followed by the National Anthem. The surprise of the evening was R.U. Srinivas, Kavitha's husband, singing the invocation song in Tamil, in his melodious voice that set the tone for the action-filled evening that followed. After the formalities of the outgoing President, Dharanija Ramakrishnan, presenting the report of the activities of the Club during her year and the recognition of the team that made it possible, it was time for my daughter to take over the mantle from her.  It was a proud moment for me, belonging to a family of Rotarians, to see my daughter, who was the Annette of the Rotary Club of Madras South, of which both my younger brother Seshadri and I are Past Presidents, take over as the President of another vibrant club.  After a brief but eloquent introduction of Kavitha by her talented daughter Nila, supported by her son Arul on the graphics, it was over to Kavitha.  In her acceptance speech, Kavitha outlined the four major projects she planned to undertake during her year as the President and made a very passionate appeal for funds. The chief guest of the evening, Rtn. DGE Dr​ Vijayabharathi Rangarajan  was spontaneous in committing Rs I lakh towards the club's projects next year. Apart from the family and friends of Kavitha, including her brother-in-law who had come from Bangalore specially to attend the function, there was a good turnout of Co-Presidents of other clubs and District officials. It was an evening full of “warmth, vibrant energy, laughter, friendship and a sense of purpose”.

Rotary Club of Chennai Spotlight is a dynamic Club with many talented members who get involved in many activities of the club. I am sure Kavitha, a hardworking, committed, people's person, will take the club to greater heights with the support of her wonderful team. Wishing you all the best, Kavitha. God Bless!

 

A DIAMOND BIRTHDAY GREETINGS

 My elder son-in-law, Ranganathan Uppili Srinivas, popularly known as `RU` among friends and `Cheenu` among the family, is turning 60 today, 25thJuly,`26. While welcoming him to the world of senior citizens, nay, Seenagers, my mind travels back in time to when he became a part of my family. He is the only son in his family after four sisters. After completing his CA in India, he went to do his MBA at Oklahoma State University in Boston, USA. He worked in Boston for a couple of years before he returned to India to look after his old parents.

In 1994, I was looking for an alliance for my elder daughter Kavitha, who had turned 21. After getting a gold medal in Fine Arts from Madras University, she was working in my advertising agency as an artist. I came to know about RU through a friend. After all the formalities were over, the wedding took place in `Santha Sundara Mahal` on LB Road in Adyar, where the Eros Cinema was located. It turned out to be a grand society wedding with a large gathering of friends and relatives from both sides attending the wedding. I remember many guests commenting that RU and Kavitha looked like a `Made for Each Other` couple, which they continue to be. Immediately after becoming my son-in-law, RU asked me if he should address me as `Mama' or ' Appa '. He was more comfortable calling me `Appa`. Much to the annoyance of my late wife, my relationship with RU has been more like a friend than a father-in-law.

RU, very intelligent, articulate, caring and tech-savvy, is a people person with a huge network of connections, spread across the country. He is always keen to learn new things and puts his heart and soul into whatever he takes up. Like his entrepreneurial effort in starting `Idli factory`, making ready-to-eat oblong-shaped Idlis coated with gunpowder ( Idli podi), sold in a carton with six Idlis, with tissue paper. It was indeed a very innovative idea as a travel companion.

A man with a golden voice, popular as a singer in social get-togethers, he decided a few years ago to learn Carnatic music while simultaneously honing his skills as a `Karaoke` singer. An early riser, I have found him practising singing (`Sadhakam) every morning, sitting next to the window in his drawing room. He would take a break to give me a hot cup of filter coffee as soon as I came out of my room after my morning ablutions, whenever I was staying at his house.

RU is a typical Corporate Honcho who loves partying. A great conversationalist, he is a person who loves to argue. Sometimes, I feel that he does it for the sake of arguing, but all the same, he is delightful company. He has done well in life and is a much-respected professional in his field, and is very popular among friends.

I am also happy that he has given full freedom to my talented daughter Kavitha to indulge in her passions and supports her in every way. They blessed me with Arul, my first grandchild and later Nila, both very intelligent and talented, like their parents. Both kids are very mature and have their heads on their shoulders, and are doing well. God bless them

On this day when he celebrates his landmark birthday, I pray god to bestow good health and happiness on RU and help him realise all his unfulfilled dreams in life

 

TWO IMPORTANT EVENTS IN ONE EVENING

 I went to Chennai on 8^th July for a week, primarily to witness the installation of my elder daughter, Kavitha Srinivas, as the President of the Rotary Club of Chennai Spotlight, an all-women's club, on 10^th July. The function was held at S Convention Centre in T.Nagar and was scheduled to start at 6.30 pm.

 Just a couple of days before leaving for Chennai, I received an invitation to attend the Prize distribution function for the winners of the mega short-story competition in Tamil, conducted by Raya Chellappa in memory of his late mother Swarnambal. There were 325 entries and 35 prize winners. I got one of the ten second prizes of Rs 2000/-. The venue was Anna Centenary Library, and the function was to start at 5.00 pm. I was in a dilemma: whether to stay until I ​received the prize from the hands of Tiruppur Krishnan, the chief guest, or leave at 6.00 pm to be in time for my daughter’s function. I chose the second option and missed receiving a prize in a short story competition I had participated in for the first time in my life.

 When Chellappa knew that I might not be staying back, he decided to honour me with a Ponnadai (Shawl) for my association with the Tamil literary world through Prabha Rajan Talent Foundation. The meticulously planned event also witnessed the release of a book containing all 35 prize-winning stories by the chief guest. Though I collected the certificate about the Prize later, I ​managed to get the two copies of the book which were given to all prize winners​ before leaving the venue. Chellappa had ensured that all the prize winners had received their cash prizes through G Pay on the morning of the event. Kudos to Chellappa and all his family members who ensured that the programme was conducted in a grand manner befitting the occasion.

At 6.00 pm, I rushed to my daughter's function. Within a few minutes of reaching the Convention Centre, the meeting started with the mandatory Tamil Thai Vazhthu, followed by the National anthem. The surprise of the evening was R.U. Srinivas, Kavitha's husband, singing the invocation song in Tamil, in his melodious voice that set the tone for the action-filled evening that followed. After the formalities of the outgoing President, Dharanija Ramakrishnan, presenting the report of the activities of the Club during her year as the President and the recognition of the team that made it possible, it was time for my daughter to take over the mantle from her.  It was a proud moment for me, belonging to a family of Rotarians, to see my daughter, who was the Annette of the Rotary Club of Madras South, of which both my younger brother Seshadri and I are Past Presidents, take over as the President of another vibrant club.  After a brief but eloquent introduction of Kavitha by her talented daughter Nila, supported by her son Arul on the graphics, it was over to Kavitha.  In her acceptance speech, Kavitha outlined the four major projects she planned to undertake during her year as the President and made a very passionate appeal for funds. The chief guest of the evening, Rtn. DGE Dr​ Vijayabharathi Rangarajan, during her speech, was spontaneous in committing Rs I lakh towards the club's projects next year. Apart from the family and friends of Kavitha, including her brother-in-law who had come from Bangalore specially to attend the function, there was a good turnout of Co-Presidents of other clubs and District officials. It was an evening full of “warmth, vibrant energy, laughter, friendship and a sense of purpose”.

Rotary Club of Chennai Spotlight is a dynamic Club with many talented members who get involved in many activities of the club. I am sure Kavitha, a hardworking, committed, people's person, will take the club to greater heights with the support of her wonderful team. Wishing you all the best, Kavitha. God Bless!