An initiative launched in the district in 2023 to foster love, brotherhood and harmony among the school students after Tirunelveli witnessed a few clashes among the students on caste-lines has won the Tamil Nadu Government’s appreciation.

The students’ harmony programme, ‘Anbadum Mundril’, which was launched in October 2023 in the district, has won the Chief Minister’s Best Practices Award as this initiative has done wonders on the school premises.

This initiative, conceived by the then District Collector K. P. Karthikeyan was launched by Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare Udhayanidhi Stalin after a 17-year-old Scheduled Caste boy from Nanguneri and his sister were hacked by a group of teens, also his schoolmates, belonging to an intermediate caste in August 2023.

Since this brutal attack brought to light the deep-rooted hatred even among the teens from different castes, Mr. Karthikeyan, after a lot of discussion, designed ‘Anbadum Mundril’ in Tirunelveli district on a ‘pilot basis’.

Initially, it was introduced in 105 government and government-aided high and higher secondary schools in Tirunelveli district with active participation of representatives from education, police, revenue, local administration, sports and skill development departments and the psychologists and the counsellors from Madurai-based M.S. Chellamuthu Trust and Research Centre.

The programme assessed the skills and psychology of the children first and addressed the issues through scientific approach.

Apart from the children, their parents and teachers were also given counselling by this special team. Teachers of these schools were screened and moulded by the counsellors. The progress made through this initiative at the end of each academic year was evaluated and extended to other schools also wherever this intervention was needed.

This initiative also focuses on guarding the children away from liquor and drug abuse by explaining to them through life examples. After pinpointing their skills, the children are guided properly for strengthening their skills in their area of interest, improving their concentration, career guidance, self-employment etc.

Since these children had to be insulated from caste outfits, due measures were put in place with the police removing the paintings in public places with caste overtones. Any evil force misguiding the children in the name of caste or religion are being dealt appropriately.

“It was a sincere attempt to put an end to the enmity or clashes among the school students through sustained psychological but play-way intervention. With sustained approach, the initiative has won the Chief Minister’s appreciation now,” the then Collector, now Managing Director, ELCOT, said.

The then ASP V. Prasanna Kumar, tahsildar P. Balakrishnan and BDO V. Yamuna played their role effectively in promoting ‘Anbadum Mundril’ in Nanguneri after the attack on the SC teen and his sister and they have been selected for the ‘Chief Minister’s Best Practices Award’ 2025 announced on the eve of Independence Day.