Adding New Dimensions to Selfless Social

Life Story Hari Krishnan

ADDING NEW DIMENSIONS TO SELFLESS SOCIAL SERVICE, STORY OF A CHENNAI YOUTH

Selfless service of a few individuals is a ray of hope for humanity during these pandemic days. Apart from the noble services of doctors, nurses and health care workers, a set of social workers and volunteers in different parts of the country helps to restore the faith in the humanity in this critical times. This is the story of 27 year old Hari Krishnan from Chennai who had been doing and still doing a remarkable job, volunteering to serve the migrant labourers and other destitute in the city of Chennai in India.

All social workers are not born rich. A few are rich with a heart full of kindness to poor. Hari Krishnan belongs to that category. He hails from a middle class family. His father was a daily wager and Hari Krishnan and his sister did their studies mostly in government institutions. “Till Grade 12, my tuition fee per year was Rs.50 in that institute. But sometimes even to make it, we had to struggle. If you fail to pay the fee within the prescribed time, they wouldn’t allow you to sit in the class. Every year, it was ‘customary’ for me to attend the class from outside for a month or so. Yet that helped me to know the value of money. I started to work from Grade 5 onwards to make both ends meet. Also, I didn’t want to disturb my parents in their struggle to run the house. My first job was delivery of newspapers in the early morning. The monthly pay of Rs.150 helped me to buy other things like books, pencil or pen,” he recalls.

Aneesh K.K.

In 2009, he finished his Grade 12 and it was the same time his father lost his job after the shop he worked had to close down. His mother who had certain health issues couldn’t go outside for a job. So, Hari had to take a break from his studies to run the family. He took up a marketing job with an insurance company. His salary was Rs.4500, provided he achieved the target. Out of this income he had to take care of his family and save enough to continue his studies from next year onwards. The struggle for survival

After one year when things at home become a bit more stable, Hari went back

to pursue his education. He joined a private institute for BSc Computer Science. His college timing was from 7AM to 1PM. “From 2PM to 7.30PM I worked with a courier company. From 8.30PM to 11.30PM I went to a parcel office as my second job. By early morning I returned home to get some sleep only to repeat the chain. When my friends say let’s go for a dinner outside or for a stroll in the beach, I had to excuse myself as I had to earn to support my education,” he says.

Soon after completing college, he got a job with a tele marketing company. In a short span of time, he got promoted as a Team Leader. After a year, he joined an IT company as a Business Development Manager Hari Krishnan giving training to social workers to manage Covid-19 in Chennai which was mainly into developing websites. He was just 24 years ment against women. “To be frank, I went for the event only old when he became the Sales Head of the company. Even then he because so many people were going. I thought of posting about had been continuing his job as a newspaper delivery guy because it the social media after clicking a selfie. However at the event he knew the value of money. I realised the intensity of the situation. Harassment against Tryst with Social Service women must not be tolerated. I was also inspired by the people there,” he says.

Hari Krishnan’s first brush of humanitarian service was during the floods of 2015 that severely hit Chennai. By then they had After that Hari began to involve more in social service acshifted to Madipakam from Saidapet as they couldn’t afford the tivities mostly during weekends. He used to participate in achigh rent at the latter. During the flood, the water level reached up tivities like clean up and painting activities of a beach or public to the first floor of their flat in Madipakam and it was some unspaces along with awareness programs. He was a Mime artist known people who came and saved them. and it proved to be a helping hand in creating awareness among the public and in the orphanages. For a brief tenure he was

In 2016, Swathi murder case at Nugambakkam railway station also associated with an NGO. “I realised that even with an had received huge media attention. Weeks later, there was an eventorganisation or NGO for your support, you still have limitaa walk organised to create awareness among people on harass- tions in doing social service. So I focussed on creating leaders who can train people under them to take social service to “We stayed there for almost three more and needy people. Thus I started my journey as an independent social worker in 2017,” he adds. months. Within these three months, I Twists and Turns had put all my savings for the rehabiliBack in 2016, Hari quit his job and started his own business tation process. My business was also suffering as I wasn’t available in Cheventure as a branding and business consultant. In 2018, he launched Hasu Group of Companies- a branding and marketing firm. “We have trained more than 1000’s of entrepreneurs nnai. I realised the fact that you can serve the public only after taking care in Chennai along with 16,000 sales and marketing staffs. We have also developed more than 500+ brands in Chennai,” he says. of your own family. That made me put In 2018, Gaja Cyclone hit Tamil Nadu. Since his team of the attire of an employee again’’. volunteers was operating at Pudhupettai he went to check how they were progressing. But then he realised that several people had lost their lives and that they should help the people

Life Story Hari Krishnan

The arrival of Covid 19 and the subsequent lock down announced by the Prime Minister made Hari to enter social service more enthusiastically. Like everyone, he too stayed indoors initially. His company allowed them to work from home. On March 26, 2020 he got a call from an orphanage. They told him that they were facing some medical emergency issues. Few of the kids were not well. They weren’t able to get medicines now. They shared the prescription online and he bought the medicines which cost around Rs.1500. The lockdown was in place and the only time they could go out was between 7AM1PM for emergency issues.

When he went to deliver the medicine, he found out that they had scarcity of grocery items too. Immediately he went out and purchased few grocery and provisions for them. They

were very happy. Now his thought was about people who had no means to support themselves or their families especially those of differently abled persons. He contacted a few organisations and made a list of families that hadn’t received any help since the lock down began. From April 2020 onwards, he adopted some 254 families and supported them with his own savings. He still continues it even though it means he has to take a loan pledging his jewellery or spending his entire savings set apart for his marriage. Hari Krishnan had also wrote letters seeking attention of government officials for taking care of the people who Hari Krishnan on Covid-19 duty during lock down period lost jobs during the lock down especially people who are difwith the rehabilitation process. “We stayed there for almost n’t take care of all. The letters got the attention of the government three months. Within these three months, I had put all my officials and they asked if he could volunteer to help the migrant savings for the rehabilitation process. My business was also labourers in the Chennai city. Hari Krishnan was more thanhappy suffering as I wasn’t available in Chennai. I realised the fact to do so and he was given one Zone of Chennai Corporation to that you can serve the public only after taking care of your own completely take care of. Within three days a volunteer team of 25 family. That made me put the attire of an employee again. This under Hari Krishnan distributed 890 government kits to the mitime it was a real estate portal and my designation was Senior grant labourers and families. Earlier the government officials could Manager for Chennai region. I still work with them and it helped distribute only 1000 kits that too taking a time of one month. So me to get a house of my own at my locality Saidapet. Although government officials asked me if he could take up the responsthe burden of housing loan still lingers on my head, I was ibility of all 15 zones of Chennai Corporation. “Thus I was appointed happy to get a home at my native place itself. I also began to as Chennai District Volunteer Coordinator. I could help more than save money for my marriage,” says Hari. 10,000 of migrant workers in Chennai during the lock down apart The Challenging Days of Covid-19 from the 2000 Tamil families,” says Hari brimming with proud.

ferently abled since he couldAnother challenge they faced was the issue of migrant families who tried to walk to their home towns after the trains were cancelled due to lock down. Hari and his team rescued more than 4000 migrant workers who were trying to walk home during the lock down and provided them with shelter and food.

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AGAPPE DIAGNOSTICS SALUTE ALL THE COVID WARRIORS We, Agappe Diagnostics, salute public health workers who are playing an important role in responding to this pandemic. We appreciate essential frontline workers, including doctors, lab technicians and ASHA workers, who have been at the forefront of the battle against the coronavirus disease and the members from the police force that played a crucial role in the enforcement of lockdown restrictions and individuals from different organs of the public departments and the people keeping services like sanitation, food service, public transit, online schooling and many more, for their efforts in curbing the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

Another challenge they faced was the issue of migrant families who tried to walk to their home towns after the trains were cancelled due to lock down. Hari and his team rescued more than 4000 migrant workers who were trying to walk home during the lock down and provided them with shelter and food. Along with the Chennai Corporation, they were later able to send 1,40,000 migrant labourers back to their respective home towns in Shramik trains.

It is estimated that more than 37,500 tonnes of rice and other provisional materials were distributed by Hari Krishnan and his volunteers in the 15 zones of Chennai Corporation to migrant families and needy people. This is also the first time the govern

ment has appointed an individual for doing so. Usually NGO’s are given these kinds of responsibilities. “Our distribution was well appreciated by government officials after they had done a re-check on those who took the kits. Our mission including the coordination of sending them back in trains was hailed as a huge success. Deputy Commissioner congratulated me for my work. I was given a letter of appreciation from the government for my service. During all these time, in every 15 days I underwent Covid 19 test to make sure that I don’t spread the virus. I insisted my team of volunteers also to do the same,” he says. Support of Family and Employer When asked about how his parents support his social service activities, he says: “no parents will support if their son is spending his savings to help the poor. My family had no idea that I had a wedding savings and I had spent it on my ‘adopted’ families. They are worried about me but I believe they are equally proud of my work. A few times they had come up with requests to help people around our neighbourhood during the lock down.” He is also quick to note the support provided by his company. “My current employer has been a huge blessing. Without their support, I wouldn’t have been to do any of these.”

Hari Krishnan on Covid -19 duty during lock down period

Hari Krishnan wants to continue his social service activities in the future too. He doesn’t want to start a NGO for it. “I will continue to do independent social work until I could,” quips him in before signing off.