"When you educate a girl, you empower a nation" - Queen Rania of Jordan
Inspiration
Shrimathi Thangamma Aiyangar, our beloved Mother was fondly known as “ThangManni" or "ThangChitty” in her family circle, and “Ammavare” in Kollegal, lived a pious life following all conservative rules of orthodoxy.
Born in Sagara, a city of Karnataka, Located in the western ghats range of India, she grew up in Gorur, located in Hassan, Karnataka, where her father Krishnaswamy Iyengar and mother Shallamma raised their family. She was one of the 5 siblings and loved her sisters and brother immensely. She was a darling golden “Thanga” for her parents, siblings and cousins. Married at the age of 14, she managed a big household with strength and courage! She quickly adjusted to her married life at the young age and fondly became “Manni” to all the youngsters in her new family. She became a mother at the age of 20 and brought 8 of us to this world and taught us how to be fine individuals and strive for knowledge, do service to the society and to have total devotion to the almighty. All that we are and ever will be, we owe to our mother. That was our mother!
Smt Thangamma, our mother, had one regret and it was that she did not get to study beyond 3rd grade while her brother, whom she loved the most was allowed to study further. At that time, education of girls in schools was a taboo in Indian households, where she grew up. Her passion was to learn English as an adult and she took it as a challenge and was drawn to learn English by herself after she got married. When we were in school, she would take our books and ask for our assistance to read and understand. She immigrated to America in 1978 and a few years later she joined an adult English learning school in USA and completed the courses. She was able to answer all questions in English when she took the US citizenship interview. She continued to surprise us all with her passion to learn and hence became a role model for all of us. She encouraged her daughters, sons and grand children to continue their education as long as they could. She facilitated learning, growth, and creativity with her granddaughters too. Being a traditional woman, she had a modern and open thinking that she wanted a woman president in US and she followed American politics closely ever since Reagan won Presidential Election. Our mother was a democrat and would have been very involved if she were alive during 2016 Presidential Election in US. She was also fascinated by the Queen Elizabeth and her British Royalty. She followed all TV coverings of the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana with great excitement. That was our mother!
Smt Thangamma, our mother, was our guru of compassion, love and fearlessness. Her heart was a deep abyss, at the bottom of which we always found forgiveness. She never harbored a grudge against anyone in her entire life. She took the place of all others for us, but whose place no one else could take. Our mother was without a doubt the most important person in our lives and the most complete individual we know. We have always taken pride in the appearance of our mother as she was a very beautiful lady and very knowledgeable too, made a variety of home remedies to help take care of any illness we would have as children. Her motherly love also extended to the animals and the trees at our home in Kollegal, especially the Dogs, the Cows. the Jackfruit Tree, the Mango Trees and The Coconut Trees. Our mother was a great cook who always left us looking forward to the next meal. She knew how to mix the right ingredients to end up with a very delicious meal that often left us licking our fingers. Just the memory of the foods that she prepared for us makes us salivate to this present day, especially variety of pickles and crispy Sajjappas. She always made time to connect with her extended family from both her side and her husband's side. And of course all her uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews. She was the glue who kept us all together. She blessed her grandchildren by becoming their “Pati” and ‘Thanga Pati.’ When she became a Great Grand Mother, her Great Grand Children would call her “Cow Pati” for "Koll Pati”.She was actually, “What You See is What You Get” type of a straight shooter! That was our mother!
Smt Thangamma’s perseverance in learning continued until her last breadth on April 29th of 2013. Her last wish was to help young girls achieve their goals through higher education. She had instilled in us the values of pursuing equal access to education for girls and boys. She wanted us to take an active role in empowering girls and women to achieve their dreams in her hometown of Kollegal. We are thrilled to be her ambassadors to empower needy girls to pursue their educational dreams.
Shree Vrittamani Srinivsa Aiyangar, our beloved father was fondly known as “Nanjangud Vakilru”, in Kollegal, lived a life of principles and Orthodoxy. He excelled in the defense of his clients charged in the criminal and civil courts and pleaded effectively to achieve the intended results "Not Guilty". For brevity in address he was known as V S. Aiyangar in Kollegal. Born in Mavattur a village of Shivamogga District, grew up in Nanjangud where his father, Shree Venkatakrishna Iyengar, had achieved fame as a Pleader. He was a sibling of 9 children. After graduating from Metriculation in the city of Mysore, his college education continued in Mangalore, Kumbhakonam, and Varanasi, where he graduated with the degree in law, LLB. His law practice started in Nanjangud, where he assisted his father. When his younger brother, Shree V.K. Narayana Iyengar, also registered as a Pleader in Nanjangud, Shree V.S.Aiyangar moved his practice to Kollegal, where he had already established some clientele. His practice required him to travel to Coimbatore and Madras to plead his appeals at the District Courts and the State High Courts. After the reorganization of the States in 1956, he had to travel to Mysore and Bangalore as well
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His day began at dawn everyday, 7 days a week, and his bed time was well into the night beyond 10 PM. The daily routine included prayers three times a day, a short period of 3hrs in his Office, a full 6 hrs in the Magistrates Court in Kollegal, and another 3 to 4 hrs in the evening in his Office. Among this busy schedule, he gave time for the general public in Kollegal spearheading a Co-Operative Society and leading the local chapter of Political Organization during Pre-Independence years and also in the Post Independence years. He was a staunch follower of Lokamanya Tilak, Mahatma Gandhi, Shyamprasad Mukherjee and Shubhashchandra Bose and a host of other leaders of the Country.
He was instrumental in drafting the formation of Municipality in Kollegal. He worked as a legal counsel for the Municipality and several banks in town. He maintained his faith in the Hindu Religion following the lead of Ramanuja Acharya and was instrumental in establishing the Ramakrishna Vedanta Society and patronizing the Temples in town.
As a pillar of the society, he worked with the town fathers and state officials in improving the education system in town from the Elementary to High School educational facilities. He was very much in support of increasing the facilities for educating Girls, Women, and People in and round the town.
He worked with all sections of life towards integrating the entire society. As an advocate and a pillar of the society, he would reject any idea based on caste, race and social status of his clients. He believed all are equal. He worked for the betterment of all in town as he believed in the phrase "Sarve Janah Sukhino Bhavanthu !".
He had a dream to see people from Kollegal evolve into being reknowned all over the Country and the World in all fields of life. His dream is in the making. May his vision continue to guide people of Kollegal Region and make his dream come True!
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