Spend more time, not more money, on your children

Coimbatore Builders and Contractors Association (CEBACA) organized CEBACA Day celebrations on 11.10.2019 in The Residency Towers. V.G.Sakthikumar, MD, Schwing Stetter India was the Chief Guest while A.Kaliyamurthy IPS (Retd) participated as the Guest Speaker.

The association honored the Managing Trustee of Thozhar Trust P.Shanthakumar with the CEBACA’s Excellence Award.  The recipient is a well known selfless son of Coimbatore who along with his friends run Thozhar Trust- a non-profit organization that takes upon itself the responsibility of performing the last rites of abandoned corpses in Coimbatore for 15 years.

Accepting the honor, P.Shanthakumar narrated how the decision to dignify the dead who are unclaimed originated. During a visit to the Government Hospital in Coimbatore back in 2004 for a personal reason, P.Shanthakumar found terrible odour in mortuary side and questioned about it to some people. When a staff answered that that’s due to unclaimed and abandoned dead bodies, it moved his and his friends’ hearts to give the dead their rightful last respects.

Under the guiding of P.Shanthakumar, Thozhar Trust was formed and for the last 15 years, the trust has been dignifying the unclaimed departed souls, after obtaining proper permission from the cops and corporation. So far 3000 such abandoned dead bodies have been given a respectful funeral.

Thozhar Trust joins with interested colleges and seeks the help of college students  to remind them that they should always be there for their parents and not abandon them in their old-age. The trust also seeks women’s help mostly in performing, to prove that women are strong enough to take such a benevolent task. Beside this, the trust also does blood donation , and so far has given 18,000 units of blood to Covai. For the outstanding service rendered to humanity, CEBACA honored P.Shanthakumar with the Excellence Award and handed over a cheque of Rs. 1,25,000.

The Chief Guest, delivered a speech on the topic – Dynamics of Economy. “Unpredictable is our economy even by bigger industries, as there are so many issue affecting it”, he said.  He said the  Construction & Infrastructure Sector had a nice percentage of business occuring in 2010-11 but then it slowed down gradually.

He listed Trade War between US- China, NPAs of Banks, Changes in Manufacturing Industry, Lack of Agricultural growth and consumer sentiments as possible reasons for the lowering of business in Construction & Infrastructure sector.  With the other nations’ economy also on a slow mode, the chief guest assured that we have higher chances of bouncing back to our former state than any other country.

“The construction industry’s business level, like how it was in 2010-11, could recur, if every industry could achieve the target given to them  by the Govt of India that focuses on becoming a 5 Trillon USD economy”.  He said real estate industry’s value will elevate once more if the intended investment in infrastructure (Sagar mala Project, inter-linking of rivers, expansion of airports, metro rail and many other projects depend on Construction Industry) is made by the government also.

So when all these are made, the areas around it will also see the value of real estate go up, opined the Chief Guest. Logistics points, commercial parks, hospitals and institutions are all going on despite the slowdown of the economy. He said “Newness in products and value addition, lowering production cost without hindering with the quality and making use of IoT and Cloud Technology could boost industries in general. Market is high for things that show newness in it”.

During the event, CEBACA Times Magazine was released by the Chief Guest and it was received by the Special Guest Speaker.

A.Kaliyamurthy I.P.S. (Retd) delivered a special lecture to mark the momentous occasion. His speech touched 3 themes – Language, How to come up in Life and About Feelings and Relationships. He said Tamil civilization are the elders to experts of construction industry, and referred Keezhadi Excavation and Archeological Findings beside other archetectural marvels like Tanjore Temple built by Raja Raja Chozhan as sources. He raised the question what makes it hard for people of Tamil Nadu to celebrate Tamil while Tamilans, Tamil Origins and Tamil Lovers living in different parts of the world take pride in doing so!

Coming to the second part, he said to come up in life, one needs to have positive thoughts. Conveying that powerful thoughts can do powerful things to one; he referred Swani Vivekanda’s words “We are what our thoughts have made us”; and Paulo Coelho’s words ” When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

On the last part- Feelings & Relationships, he said ” Mothers are the change bringers in children’s life”. He said all our scriptures, philosophy, literature and culture ask us to honor our mothers.   “Your crown in your head became possible because of the sweats of your parents; honor them”, he asked every youngster in attendance.

He asked the parents to show their children the struggles they take to make their living; and warned them that when children aren’t made known of their parents’ hardships, they would develop an unaccountable attitude. “Spending More time is important than spending more money on your children”, he advised.  He urged them to not leave fortunes as their legacy but leave them a lifestyle that doesn’t demand fortunes to find success and remain happy in life.

Talking about Husband-Wife Relationship, he said the one who wants his/her voice to be the last in the dispute will be the first to create a rift in the relationship. “As long as we agree to disagree, and learn to lower ourselves in times of arguments; we can always keep our relationships steady”, he opined.

He said we dont understand a person’s value before we get them and fail to understand till we lose them. He stated that manliness is not just about a man giving a woman, a child but keeping her happy like a child throughout their life; that is where manliness lies.

Post the event, when The Covai Mail spoke to  S.G.Swaminathan, Hon.Secretary and R.Karunanidhe, President, CEBACA; they told its a momentous occasion for them and their association is actively involved in not just construction industry’s development but takes part in constructing values, educating the youth and doing charity.