Arunai Friends Association
By 1970 there were around 40 families in Chennai, belonging to Panta Reddiar community who came from the 48 villages, surrounding Tiruvannamalai in Tamilnadu, in which the community was found. The need for the members to meet periodically as a social group was felt by a few with foresight. There is a saying – “Coming Together is Bginning; Keeping Together is Pprogress; Working Together is Success”
Members of our community met on 10th Nov. 1974 in Chennai and Arunai Association was formed under the Presidentship of dynamic and able leader late.Sri.K. Sivaramakrishnan, the then Deputy Director of Agriculture (click here to view the list of Founder members met on that day). It was the initiative and effort of Sri. V.Kumarasamy, Sri.K.G. Bashyam, Sri.V. Panneerselvam and late Sri. S. Jayakumar S/o.K. Sivaramakrishnan ably supported by late. Sri.V.S. Duraiswamy, enterprising and benevolent business persons together with late. Sri.A.T.K. Narayanasamy Reddiar, Sri.B. Duraisamy Reddiar of Modern Cafe that the Association was able to successfully conduct benefit performance and contribute Rs.15,000/- to the Tiruvannamalai Panta Reddiar Chathira Nirvaga Sangam (now known as TPRA) for construction of Meenakshi Kalyana Mandapam.
Life Members
Families in Chennai
AFA Growth
Arunai Association functioned as unregistered Association for five years and it arranged meetings of Members at least once in three months. Sri.N. Seetharaman (Who was called Sarkaria since he was a member of Sarkaria Commission) is notable for Simplicity, Humility, Commitment and Deep Interest in the welfare of our community. He was always a silent worker who never bothered about positions or power – really a noble person. It was under the leadership of such men that the Finances of the Association were sound. It is placed on record the distinguished services of Sri.K.Sivaramakrishnan, Sri.V.S. Duraiswamy, Sri.N. Seetharaman, Sri.K.G. Bashyam, Sri.B. Arunachalam, and Sri.V. Kumarasamy for the growth of the Association.
SILVER JUBILEE 1974-1999: AFA celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 1999 at its Vandalur land. It was resolved to help TPRs living in other cities like Bangalore, Coimbatore, Pondichery, Cuddalore, Vellore etc. to form AFA. Thanks to then President Mr.V.Kumarasamy and team for raising funds to build a Silver Jubilee Building at the site. With great efforts the land was fenced and in the next year the present Bulding was built.
n August 2010, AFA Chennai took the lead and tried its best and requested Bangalore TPRs to come together and it was on 5th Sep. 2010 AFA-Bangalore Family Meet was organised splendidly. Then at Singapore Mr.S.Kumar (son of late Mr.N. Seetharaman, Mekkalur) spearheaded and organised a AFA Get-together on 3rd Oct. 2010. “Kongu AFA Familiy Meet was held on 17th Oct. 2010 at Coimbatore. The highlight of the day was the Kongu AFA formally formed and office bearers elected.
In the year 2003, AFA took the initiative and started group e-mail communication facility dedicated to Arunai Charitable Trust activity promotion. It has an elite group of about 500 members as on 1st Nov 2020 (it is not active). Interestingly Most TPRs, over 900, are active in Facebook Panta Reddiars Group. Arunai Friends Associan webpage is in Facebook too. Technological changes made us to start AcTprAfa group in WhatsApp.