Last week I shared with our members about Fr.Gabriel Beisser, the great benefactor of Divyodaya. Today I want to speak about another benefactor, Dr.N.Mahalingam. For Tamil people he needs no introduction. When Dr.Vanavarayar, his son in law presented to us the photo of Dr.NM, which we have displayed in the reception room I suggested to Fr.Jose Paul to write his name under the photo. Jose Paul said,”It is not necessary. Everyone knows him.”
In 1983 there was a big demonstration in Coimbatore organized by Hindu Munnani in which they had presented NM as their patron. When I read about it in papers I thought we should make him interested in Divyodaya.In 1987 I invited him for a function. That was his first visit. In1989 with a group of our members I visited him to request him to sponsor the meditation room. I showed him the plan of the building. He asked,how much it would cost. I told him, Rs.42,000.He asked the secretary to give 50,000. His name is written at the entrance of the meditation room.
In 1995 when I was honoured by Bharatiya Vidyabhavan with Kulapathi Munshi Award Fr. Thomas Cheeran, director organized a function at Divyodaya to honour me, for which Dr.NM was the chief guest.
In 2012 when I had come from Germany for holidays Fr.Kalliath was director. NM invited a group of Divyodaya members for a dinner at Sakti Sugars to celebrate his Navathi. Vanavarayar also was present. When Dr.NM left this world on October 2, 2014 with Fr.Kalliath I visited his family at Pollachi Mahalingapuram to offer our
condolences. He was a great Gandhian and philanthropist.
I consider our contact with Dr.NM as the work of Divine Providence. Otherwise who am I to get people like NM to get interested in our mission! When Divyodaya remembers it’s Ruby Jubilee I thought it necessary to introduce him to our members.
