Today The Hindu newspaper's Tiruchirapalli edition reported about the new VKC

Dear Friends,

Today The Hindu newspaper's Tiruchirapalli edition reported about the new VKC(Village Knowledge Center) inauguration in Kalikuppam. It has been set up jointly by the people of Kalikuppam and the New Earth Welfare Association, an alumnus body of Pondicherry Engineering College with the support of M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and the Karaikal District administration.Earlier it was reported in Thinathanthi,Thinamalar and a Local TV channel.

Here is the like web link http://www.thehindu.com/2010/01/14/stories/2010011451490300.htm

NEWA meaning New Earth Welfare Association is a Pondicherry Engineering college alumnus body.

Now that inauguration work is complete, this new VKC has to deliver its promises to the people of Kalikuppam. 

I am sure the knowledge workers of the VKC and NEWA will deliver the results.

Thank you all for your continuous support and encouragement.

Looking forward for greater partnership for the VKC's success.

Happy new year and Pongal from all of us at newearthteam.

Hectic work apace in Kalikuppam for 7th Jan Inauguraton

Last minute works like more charts, books, computer repair, decoration, buying red ribbon, doormat, repainting cupboard, buying massive national tricolor, designing new flag for "Knowledge revolution", speech prep for knwldg wrks.............

Lot to do...draft inivitation, invite our supporters, cleaning work, Kuthu vilaku, children for singing prayer song /Nat.Anthem etc etc

People are demanding more computers, books, info pamphlets etc..

Hope villagers will get a fully equipped VKC on 7th.

See draft Logo for NEWA and VKC, any suggestion let me know

VKC Logo in which VKC is written in Tamil

 NEWA Logo

Meghala joins as new Knowledge Worker

Mrs.Meghala joined as new Knowledge Worker. She got initial day training from me. I paid the panchayatars the salary amount NEWA has decided to pay to the Knowledge Workers.


During the training Mrs.Meghala said "It seems the future of our village is in our(Knowledge Workers) hands". These words filled me with joy.My job is now already half done. I told them that they are like mothers of all children in this village.

First meeting of Kalikuppam Youth to revamp VOC Youth Club

On 2nd Jan the first formal meeting of the youth of Kalikuppam was conducted. I explained to them about their responsibilities and about the opportunities lying in front of them. They showed keen in intrest in revamping and rejuvenating VOC youth club.

They selected 7 office bearers for the VOC Youth club.

Children learning few Physical exercises in Kalikuppam VKC

Children learning few Physical exercises in Kalikuppam VKC

Children cleaning VKC's surroundings

Children cleaning VKC's surroundings

Knowledge Worker Writing Notice Board in Kalikuppam

Library Section of VKC starts in Kalikuppam

VOC youth club in Kalikuppam to be rejuvenated

Today (28th Dec) met 20 odd youth of Kalikuppam village. Motivated them to restart the dormant VOC youth club. They have nominated Mr.Arul and Mr.Sathish as their youth contact person for me in the village. They were apprehensive that they are notgetting enough help from fovenrment for their youth club. I informed them about the recent developments in various youth cub. I told them in detail about Bharathidasan youth club of Agalangannu.

They have now decided to do the following 3 things.
1. Relocate and refurbish the Kalikuppam children's park.
2. Clear the electric poles of tree branches
3. Clean the new settlements drain

They are also planning to facilitate the follwoing 3 things in the village
1. Create a speed breaker in the villages main street
2. Get regular power supply for the street lights
3. Clear and deepen the canal which connects sea with tiny backwaters

They will meet on 2nd Jan by 4.00PM at TV Hut(Kottagai) and formally re-register as members and elect the governing body of the youth club. They will also constitute the youth club advisory body too.

Unless the above all really happens the goal is distant. We are hopeful that we can do all these as planned.

Kalikuppam Panchayatars meeting

Tata NVA fellow Ramesh's Convocation Photos

Tata NVA fellow Ramesh's Convocation Photos

Just after receiving the Fellowship

With Bruce Alberts (Editor: Science) and Dr.Suchit Nanda (World renowned Photographer)

With Chilean fellows

With Director of IEC in MSSRF

With his fellow fellows from Karaikal region.

Fellows from Karaikal region.

VKC Notice Board and Charts

Chiildern watching educational CD's

Chart explaining all registers maintained by VKW's

Chart explaining the services provided by VKW'

Notice Board with useful clippings from Newspapers

Tata NVA fellow Ramesh(fisherman) visited Kalikuppam VKC

Tata NVA fellow Ramesh(fisherman) visited Kalikuppam VKC & explanined the people about VKC & the benefits they would get from it.25 people attended. He brought 2 CD full of photos to explain to them his journey from 10th fail to Jamshetji Tata National Virtual Academy.

He was born and brought up in Kalikuppam itself, but after the demise of his father and mother some 8 years back he went on to stay in his uncle home in Akarapettai in Nagapattinam. After Tsunami, Tata Relief Committe in collabration with MSSRF started a VKC in his village, he slowly got involved in it. He soon become its Village knowledge Worker. He got in touch with various technologies, agencies and learned lot by seeing and doing.

Today at the age of 26, he is the 3rd best fisherman in one of the Tamil Nadu's biggest fishing village. He use GPS( Global Positioning System), satellite communication, Tata Indicom/DoCoMo's advanced fisher friendly mobile application, under water temperature finding gadgets, hydralic net winding machine, sophisticated freezing techniques etc. He is today a master trainer (Trainer of Trainers) in this aspects.


Today he lives with his only surviving family member his younger sister and leading a very happy life. He got Microsoft Unlimited Potential Programme certification. He became meber of MPEDA ( a Union govt agency to get all its support). He has conducted numerous trainng programme, has put his hard earned money into various welfare programmes for his villagemen.


I cant type all his good qulities and success. He is seen wih awe by one and all. He spoke in the Jamshetji Tata National Virtual Academy convocation on behalf of all fisherman. His name got mentioned in the next day 'The Hindu' newspaper. He is being life has captured by eminent international photograohers 2 voulme book on 20 years of MSSRF.


Teh listners in our VKC were spell bound. He promissed to take the cause of our VKC to MSSRF and others. He promissed to give all training to Kalikuppam fisherman.


I have no words to thank him, he has made my job very very easy.


Thank you Ramesh!!! Let many more come under your loving shade, you are an big banyan tree, under its shade so many are living happily.

Village Traditional Panchayatars honored him with shawl. I too made a small gesture.

Our knowledge workers arranged for the interative session.

He gave 3 children CD's for the VKC. He didn't bring the NVA Fellow scarf, we have asked him to bring it next time. Also today many women didn't participate, we are planning to arrange a separate session for them.

Tamil Pamphlet to introduce VKC concept to villagers. Will use this in street corner meetings.

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Sellamuthu my colleague who appeared in this years IAS Main exam visited Kalikuppam VKC

Sellamuthu is an engineer by professional. He is currently preparing for IAS interview. We are preparing together for the interview, He came back to karaikal recently. So we visited Kalikuppam together today.

We went there at 4.30pm as in the morning I was busy preparing a Tamil Pamphlet (to introduce VKC to the villagers). We helped the Knowledge Workers in broadcasting todays news. Luckily the cyclone Ward has moved away from Nagapattinam and Karaikal region.

Later we explained to them the Pamphlet. We have advised them to conduct street level awareness camps about the VKC. May be I will join them tomorrow if the weather turns out to be better.

When we were inside the VKC, suddenly strong winds started blowing, weather got cahnged suddenly. Heavy downpour started for some time. Seeing all this in the beachfront was little scary.

We gave them stationeries to prepare 2 charts ( 1.to list the services we provide and 2. the registers we maintain) by tomorrow. We are expecting our block commissioner (Saravana's  uncle) to visit our VKC.

Later we met 3 of the 5 Panchayatars. We discussed about the various responsibilities of each of us. We all are planning to meet the Commissioner and Fisheries department officials tomorrow.

Then we visited the new settlement. We checked out sites for the permanent location for the VKC. It was already dark. I have to check it again tomorrow.

I hope Sellamuthu's presence will make my job easy. With his knowledge about the problems of the people we can serve the people better. We discussed about various aspects of the VKC and the communities problem.

Premnath Visited our VKC at Kalikuppam

He got detailed briefing on the working of the VKC.  We also visited new settlement, met some school children, visited school block, fisheries training school etc. Weather was not conducive to stay longer as Cyclone 'Ward' was raging nearby. He was confident that that our efforts will be a success and we can expect greater developmental spinoff for Kalikuppam.

We enjoyed the ride to Kalikuppam, took some photos with cyclonic storm and violent beachfront behind.

We discussed about Child labour practice in karaikal. He also explained his work in Community Service Centre( An Corporate Socoal Responsibility initiative of HCL). He was unhappy about the inability of CSC to effectively rehabiliate and educate the rescued children. I informed him about the service provided in this regard by Governments Sarva Siksha Abhyan.

Training for both the Knowledge Workers on.

Today in the Kalikuppam we started the formal training programme for the both the knowledge workers. We introduced them to the concept of VKC, its founding by M.S.Swaminathan in Embalam,Puducherry.

Transalated all Register entries in English to Tamil. Also explained to them the usage of all registers.

We provided them with todays relevant news for the fishing community.

Mrs.Vasantha raised 2 qustions like 'What does Level 1 cyclone alert?' and 'she also suggested that handwriting training is needed for school choldren'

Also taught them about basic of computers and the need for password protection for the computers.Still lot more needs to be taught to them. Also interviewed some of the villagers regarding their experience with Village Knowledge Center. They wanted increase in the volume of the broadcast.

Small begining Made in Kalikuppam Today

Mrs.Vasantha, our Village Knowledge Worker in Kalikuppam used the Govt.'s Public address system to read out our Village Knowledge Centers News Bulletin.

We also collected news from Newpapers and MSSRF's Village Resource Center Nagapattinam to write our first Notice at the VKC Notice Board. Unfortunately, we were the first to tell them that one of their fellow fisherman from nearby village Karaikalmedu has expired in an freak accident while fishing.

Mr.Vijay can be said as our first visitor, he saw a vedio training programme on Crab production.

We have created all the 15 registers needed for the VKC.

Now few more works are there, we are on Track, can formally inaugurate the VKC b4 26th December.