'Our Children' NGO founder S Ramachandran passes away

S Ramachandran, 79, one of the most low-profile social workers of Mumbai, passed away recently.

Years ago, he was at a restaurant in Sion when a beggar boy asked for food. The owner got wild at the child and pushed him away. This incident deeply moved Mr Ramachandran, who then decided to do something for poor kids, and the organisation ‘Our Children’ was born.

Mr Ramachandran, who was then working for a firm in Powai, gathered a few street children and started teaching them in the open at Five Gardens at Dadar after office hours. Later, he rented a classroom at Amulakh Amichand School, Wadala, and started a night school for slum children.

Over the years, ‘Our Children’ grew into a giant organisation touching the lives of thousands of poor children. Many of these became doctors and engineers. Every May 1, Mr Ramachandran organised a cultural programme for orphanages at the Shanmukhananda Hall.

The chief guest invariably was an orphan since Mr Ramachandran had a healthy dislike for netas. For several years, Larsen & Toubro used to give its fleet of yellow buses to ferry kids to the hall and take them back. To mark the social activist’s passing, a prayer meet will be held at Seva Sadan, Gamdevi, today between 4pm and 7pm. Om Shanti!