All the Vidyamritam beneficiaries are dressed alike today – white and grey striped shirts and grey pants for boys and skirts for girls. The clothes fit each of them perfectly and everyone seems happy with the new set of clothes that they have received.

67.5 lakhs, one full year of systematic hard work, a source of income for rural tailors in various districts –the free clothes distribution for the 10,000 odd Vidyamritam scholars has many  facets to it that are hardly known to the recipients, the volunteers distributing the clothes or the casual observers who see the children walking around the ASE grounds in their uniforms.

Br. Prakash, who is in-charge of the Vidyamritam clothes distributions scheme, said that it was Amma’s idea to distribute free clothes to the children. “Amma has also asked us to keep 5000 additional clothes so as to give it to children whose measurements have not been taken and have not been enrolled.” said Br. Prakash.  He added that all instructions for the conduct of the scheme were given by Amma herself.

Each set of dress costs around Rs. 450, Amma wanted it planned perfect to the smallest detail. So, Br. Prakash and his team started work almost a year ago. Their first and biggest task was to get the measurements of every child, for which they sought the help of district coordinators of the Vidyamritam programme.  Later, the material for the stitching of the uniforms was given to the tailors from villages of Kollam, Allepey and Idukki.

Their efforts seem to have paid off. Says Hari, a beneficiary from Clappana, Kollam I gave the measurements almost a year back. I was worried that the clothes would not fit me. But, they do and I am very happy with it.” says Hari, showing his dress with a wide smile on his face. Not just Hari, but the other students are also happy with the clothes that they have got as a part of the Vidyamritam scheme.

The distribution of the clothes at the programme venue has also been planned to the last detail. Stalls which distributed the clothes to the children had been divided village wise. Students from the Bangalore campus of the Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham have been given the responsibility of distributing the uniforms to the children. Each volunteer will check the name of the student with that on a list, give a way the uniforms only after fitting the student for correct measurement. Any student who finds a uniform a size big or small has also been promised with replacements tomorrow, before they leave for their homes in the afternoon.

– Gokul Eknath and Rajesh P G