Today, November 14, is Children’s Day – established in 1954 by the U.N. to promote international togetherness and improve children’s welfare.
But, that’s not all this day stands for. Today, November 14, also is the birthday of India’s first prime minister.
Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964), a central figure in India during the mid-20th century as a principal leader of the Indian nationalist movement. Nehru promoted parliamentary democracy, secularism, and science and technology during the 1950s, powerfully influencing India's arc as a modern nation. A beloved leader and father figure, he was fondly called Chacha (uncle) Nehru by children.
But even that is not all this day stands for.
What this day really means to me is it is the birthday of my father, Samuel Koilpillai, who, born in 1928, left this earth - and me – last April. On this day I remember and honor a social entrepreneur who, after a 30+-year career in international public health with WHO, left his adopted country of the U.S. to return to his home country of India to start an entirely new organization and life. The organization he founded, Anantha Ashram, operated a home for abandoned and orphaned children, community health programs focused on women and children, and a medical clinic to offer care in a rural community that had no other.
My father loved children, and he led teams of doctors, nurses, educators, business professionals, marketers; and rallied a new community around his organization, which he only stopped leading when his life ended. He always saw the next thing, the thing no one said he could do, the thing people said he shouldn’t do, the thing he couldn’t afford or the thing that was unpopular. These naysayers didn’t bother him; he calmly moved forward anyway.
I served as COO for the fundraising arm of Anantha Ashram (a U.S. charity), and on the Board of Trustees in India; involved in the details and the strategy. This taught and inspired me to always hold a mission beyond career and profession, and to contribute beyond what is necessary. He inspired me to start ROSES, Inc., and in his honor, I will make it succeed.
My father loved children. He loved me, my daughter, the hundreds of children who came to him for care and found their way to loving families under his watch. Every year, World Children’s Day is celebrated at Anantha Ashram, where they hold formal programs with local officials, adoptive parents and families, children, staff and supporters – and we honor my father for creating families, for saving lives, for supporting minds not just bodies, for his sacrifices, for his never-ending love and for his transformative vision.
Today, this year, I honor my father, Samuel Koilpillai. I invite you to, also.
What an inspiring story! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for sharing this. I love how you connected this day to honor your father.
Thank you for sharing his story, very inspiring!
This was a great article!
This was a great read! Thank you for sharing his story.