If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants — Isaac Newton
Men who inspire us are rare and few. Especially those who have managed to leave an impression in our hearts that continues to shape us, long after they have passed on from this world to the next. When that leader happens to be in your close family, you are the luckiest person on earth. I am talking about my grandpa, a man whose foot steps I follow to this very day, learning from him today, long after he’s gone. This is about him, Albert Arul Selvam – A man who taught me that success is not about material gains. That its about not selling your soul but fighting for your integrity till they bury it with you.
About Albert Arul Selvam
He was a practicing lawyer between 1957–2003 at Madras High Court. He was straight to the face, hardly made money the priority, stuck his neck out for his clients and fought for their plight with conviction and moral responsibility. He never allowed the dangers and the risks of holding on to his values, bend him. Infact, he was so uncompromising in his proceedings that involved a high level minister, even at the cost of losing out on becoming the Judge of Madras High Court for not taking a easy way up. He didn’t regret enduring the consequences one bit. He lived and died with integrity and that to me was the greatest lesson. He pushed and inspired me to pursue Law- To speak for those who can’t speak for themselves. He was also a silent philanthropist. Helping countless kids to pursue and complete education and secretly supporting several NGOs. It is his instruction to me that I must follow his footsteps in giving a hand to those who want to study.
Announcing the ‘A.A.Selvam-IDIA Scholarship’
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime
It is only befitting that I honor my mentor who taught me well to make a meaningful impact in this world. What other way to honor the man than to send a few deserving yet underprivileged kids to Law school. Having seen Dr Shamnad Basheer carry that same burden with such elegance through IDIA, we are happy to announce A.A Selvam-IDIA Scholarship — 2015. As you will learn by checking out IDIA’s website, they are doing a phenomenally good job in identifying deserving and underprivileged kids who are passionate about law and coach them to get admission in law schools. Their arm around these kids’ shoulders continues long after they get admission. The mentoring continues till these kids raise up to become community leaders themselves. These kids are identified from all over the country and their success rates are extraordinary. We will share their burden by sponsoring Rupees One lakh for one scholar each year. We certainly hope to deepen our hand for this cause in future years.
May his light shine through the lives of these kids!
If you feel encouraged to join hands with us in sponsoring for this urgent cause, we welcome you with open arms. Hit us up at rselvam@selvamandselvam.in and show us the light in you! 🙂
