Penned By Board Member Ms. Alo Pal
Hariharan
I was born in the coastal town of Pondicherry. The sea has been intrinsic to my life, as have the moist sea breeze and sunrises over the horizon. We bathed, body surfed, played beach volley, and rushed to the waters in the middle of the night to witness the brilliant cascading flash of bioluminescence light up the fringe of breaking waves. And yet, I will be the first to tell you that the sea is not my friend. The sea, especially the Bay of Bengal, isn’t kind to recreational swimmers. We were taught to respect its power, understand the tides and currents, and that fighting against the power of those waters was a dangerous lost battle.
Like me, Hariharan too is a child of the coast, but little did Hariharan know that one afternoon, when he saw his older brother and his friends leave home for a sea swim, it was the last time he would ever see his brother again. One moment, waist deep in water, they were five boys holding hands diving into a wave, and the next moment, his brother was gone. Never to be seen again. Hariharan and his parents did not get closure. His body never washed ashore. For months, his father convinced his older son was still alive, went with his picture posters to villages along the littoral, asking if anyone had seen him. His mother, in shock and depression, could not work.
Both the children were part of Sharana’s Back to School (BTS) program. Now, it was up to Hariharan to keep his focus on his education and unburden his parents of their financial load. His father had developed a chronic problem with his neck and could not pursue his profession as a carpenter. His mother earned a minimal income working in an NGO that operated self-help groups. It was not easy for Hariharan to keep focus. Sharana and Ravianand, therefore, mean much more to Hariharan than just sponsors. Ravi has been his guide and mentor, and Sharana, an overarching care and confidence giver.
– If you knew your parents needed money badly, why didn’t you pursue vocational training after your 10th or 12th
– My father wanted me to get a college education. With the help of relatives and Sharana’s support, I completed my course.
– Did you not feel the pressure to start to earn?
– No, but when I could, I did part-time work to support my family
How important, far-sighted, and unselfish was his father’s wish cannot be exaggerated.
Today, Hariharan has a job with HDFC in the loans department. After his probation, his contribution to the family income will improve significantly. Life meted out to his family the most cruel of blows. He was but a boy, and it had hit him hard and made him an introvert, friendless. Sharana extended to him a hand of mentorship, support, and friendship, and Sharana also accompanied him in his education, from the 7th standard through college.
