Meet A. Irudayaraj who has been helping prisoners on their road to redemption
A.Irudayaraj is Madurai’s Kiran Bedi who believes a
prison can be a reformation centre. Two decades ago he launched himself
on a self-assigned mission of “correcting” the inmates of Madurai
central prison.
“I was confident,” says this friend of prisoners, “that they could all lead a new life.”
“You
can blame it on my school,” he smiles when asked what made him quit his
teaching job after finishing Masters in Social Work. To reach Britto
School, he had to daily go past the Madurai central prison and the sight
of handcuffed prisoners walking meekly with policemen disturbed him.
“I
have no explanation,” says Irudayaraj, “my mind only wondered about
their disrupted family life and what made them commit the crime.”
So
driven was he by the thought that in 1991 he set up the Akhil Bharath
Organisation for Development and Education (ABODE) Trust to reach out to
the offenders and their kin.
“Imprisonment disrupts families and there
is very little support for children who have a parent in prison,” points
out Irudayaraj, who also realised the importance of incarcerated
individuals staying connected with their children and families.
So
he started reaching out to them, first on occasions like any festival
or New Year eve. The more he interacted with them and heard their life
story, he felt the need to lift their spirits. The litany of offenses,
says Irudayaraj, ranged from thefts to brawls and murders or drug
possession and concealing weapons. But it was the emotional battering
that needed a repair.
It did not take long for
Irudayaraj to become “a brother” to thousands of prisoners over the
years. “Past is past” – is what he ingrained in them to revive their
confidence and boost their morale. He conducted small, big and
one-to-one meetings with the prisoners to understand their minds and
aspirations. With a few exceptions, majority wanted to return to their
families and reintegrate into society honourably.
But
Irudayaraj was saddened by peoples’ thinking that a prisoner is unfit
to live in a society. He was further shocked to see how families had
turned hostile to the prisoner for bringing shame on them.
While
organising crash courses in art, craft and computer for the prisoners
and prepare them for a life after their sentence, Irudayaraj interfaced
with their families too. He initiated family meetings to help both sides
understand each other better and fight their respective loneliness and
isolation.
During home visits, he met several
children of prisoners who needed to be cared for equally. He started the
Precious Children Home in 1998 with 11 kids whose parents were lodged
in Madurai jail. Today, he has 60 children of not only prisoners but
also separated, ailing or runaway parents and victimised families. In
his home, these children between five to 15 years have got a new lease
of life growing up on a happy dose of food and knowledge, fun and
laughter. While one of them has become a teacher, many others nurture an
ambition of becoming doctors, scientists and police officers.
Irudayaraj
dreams of establishing a crimeless society by promoting community
responsibility. He knows there are many more out there requiring help.
Advancing age and a heart surgery have impacted his visits to the prison
now but his enthusiasm and commitment for the children is amazing. He
refuses donations but relies on faith and peoples’ support.
“There are dark days,” he admits, “when a child falls sick or we fall short of food or in maintenance of the building.”
“But
God,” he adds, “always sends school and college students, good
Samaritans and volunteers, doctors and care givers to our doorstep to
tide over the crisis.”
“They come with clothes,
food, uniforms, books and notebooks, soap, oil, shampoo, mats, pillows,
school bag or they come for guiding and counselling, taking tuitions or
simply entertaining the children. In their act of spontaneity the love
they shower on these children lasts forever.”
Irudayaraj
also warns against the biggest challenge – that offenders of crime and
their families do not become statistics. “It is the responsibility of
every citizen to connect and help the affected go through the transition
into the community.”
An inner belief keeps
Irudayaraj going along with the help and support of his family, friends,
acquaintances, neighbours, well wishers and even strangers.
“Once
we feel for a person who is down and hurt and understand that he or she
needs compassion not rebuttal, all we need to do is to promote
happiness,” he makes it sound so simple.
Source: http://to.ly/me7S
