The speaker introduces himself, thanks the Dallas Tamil organizations, and discusses the founding of their company in 1991, highlighting the need for expansion to other states for mining.

Introduction and Company History

He highlights their commitment to education and healthcare, recounts engaging in protests, and emphasizes community responsibility and Tamil identity.

Community Contributions and Involvement in Protests

An anecdote about meeting former President Abdul Kalam in Indonesia, emphasizing the connection to Tamil culture.

Meeting with Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

The speaker discusses the importance of Tamil workers in their company, pledges financial support to community efforts, and concludes with acknowledgments to individuals and organizations involved in the event.

Tamil Workforce and Acknowledgments

# Dallas Tamil Organizations Event: Celebrating Success and Community Impact

## A Heartfelt Thank You

We would like to extend our gratitude to the Dallas Tamil organizations for the opportunity to speak before such an esteemed audience in America. It was an honor to share our journey and vision with all of you.

## Our Journey: From Salem to Success

- **First-Generation Entrepreneurs**: My brother and I embarked on our business journey in 1991, celebrating 25 years of operations last year.
- **Expanding Horizons**: Initially based in Salem, we faced limited opportunities in mining. This prompted us to explore other states like Orissa and Jharkhand, where we could grow our operations.
- **Leadership Structure**: My brother serves as the Managing Director, while I hold the position of Executive Director.

## Giving Back to Our Roots

Our success has inspired us to give back to the communities that nurtured us. We prioritize education and healthcare by:

- **Establishing Schools**: We are proud to run nearly 25 schools.
- **Building Hospitals**: Our organization has also set up 15 hospitals to serve the community.

## A Call to Action

During my time in Tamil Nadu, we engaged with local leaders like Mr. Saravanan, an IPS officer, who encouraged us to take action during a protest. This led us to make a commitment to support our community further.

## Building Connections

- **Networking for Growth**: We recognized the importance of connecting with business people, government officials, and other stakeholders to amplify our efforts.
- **Personal Experiences**: Reflecting on my experiences abroad, I remember a pivotal moment in Indonesia when I sought an appointment with the Indian Ambassador. Despite initial challenges, I was able to connect with Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, which reaffirmed my commitment to our Tamil heritage.

## A Legacy of Tamil Support

- **Tamil Workforce**: Our company employs 7,500 workers, with at least 3,500 Tamil speakers. This reflects our commitment to supporting our community.
- **Pledging Support**: I am proud to pledge $100,000 to our ongoing efforts, emphasizing the importance of our collective mission.

## Acknowledgments

We would like to recognize the 22 organizations that came together to support this initiative. Your passion and dedication have made a significant impact, and we are grateful for your support.

### Special Guests

We were delighted to have Karthikeyan and Chandrabalu Naidu join us for this event. Their stories and contributions add to the rich tapestry of our community.

Thank you for being a part of this journey. Together, we can continue to uplift our communities and create lasting change.

"Celebrating Community Impact: Join Us in Uplifting Our Tamil Heritage!"

- Speaker expresses gratitude to Dallas Tamil organizations for the opportunity to speak.
- Co-founded a mining company in 1991 with his brother, celebrating 25 years in business.
- The company operates in various states due to limited mining opportunities in Salem.
- Focus on giving back to the community through education and healthcare, running 25 schools and 15 hospitals.
- Discusses the importance of Tamil identity and connections in business.
- Shares a personal experience with former Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in Indonesia.
- Highlights the significant role of Tamil workers in their company, employing around 3,500 Tamil-speaking workers out of 7,500 total employees.
- Pledges $100,000 to support Tamil community efforts and thanks the organizers for their work.

wanted to thank the Dallas Tamil organizations who gave me the

Apart from from the volunteers and individual sponsors.

Actually, we are first generation business people.

Me and my brother started this company in 1991.

But there was less chance of mining in Salem.

My brother is the managing director of our company.

We have the opportunity to do so because we were not aware of the mining technology.

That is why we needed to help the villages.

We gave a lot of importance to education.

We are running almost 25 schools and 15 hospitals.

We want to give back to the people who gave us the opportunity.

When we were in Tamil Nadu, we were doing a lot of small things.

Saravanan, an IPS officer, was the chief security officer for the present president.

He has resigned and joined our organization.

He said, there is a protest going on, why shouldn't we do it?

I thought about it and said, we will definitely do it.

Muruganathan and Mahesh, Chitra Mahesh, Mahesh is my college mate.

When Mahesh said, I said, you must try to know outside.

Otherwise, our policy is to not know what to do outside.

You are coming from India, your friends may be questioned, business associates may be questioned.

This is a way to increase the income for the rest of the people.

come from India, ask your friends, business associates, etc.

When Mahesh and others came, I could see that they came.

When I came out of my hometown, I could see how important you are to Tamil Nadu.

When I was in Telangana or Tamil Nadu, I didn't see any importance.

I want to go with a great responsibility.

I will definitely try to reach out to the business people, business houses, government, and all of them and finish your efforts within the next year as Mr.

I would like to say an attachment to Tamil that happened in my childhood.

As a first generation business, there is no big support when we started our business.

Even now, we have developed our business by relying on our team, not using any other influence.

In Indonesia, to start coal mines, my brother sent me to start it 7 years ago.

She was not aware of the company's situation in Indonesia.

So we came to her today and the next day we asked for an appointment with the Indian Ambassador.

I cannot give an appointment because very important person is coming tomorrow.

I asked her, because madam, we have asked for 5 minutes only, I asked in the first council general, she said, no, madam is coming tomorrow, very important VIP from India is coming, I am accompanying her.

When we heard, she said, we are there, everyone has interest to see him, an

interest to talk, I was accompanied by them.

I was very interested in the person who came.

When I heard about him, I thought that all of us have an interest in him.

I went to Ariyaram and asked him if I could give him 10 minutes to give him the time.

He said, this is my first time in Indonesia.

I didn't get an appointment from the embassy.

I was asked if I could go and ask for an appointment from the guest.

Then 2 or 3 people I knew were in the office.

They found out which function the guest was going to.

We didn't know where he was going to sit in that function.

But we didn't know him well in that place.

We went to the back row and sat in the back row.

We sat there for half an hour before he came.

He came in, turned around and said, Tamil or not?

He said, I'll talk to you after the function, then I'll spend time with you.

So, that was the time when I had a connection with Tamil.

That was the time when I was in Indian Abbas.

So, after that, in fact, it was a very big experience.

In fact, he came there as a former president.

First function after he relinquished the office.

He took my car saying that he won't even ride the official car he came.

Similarly, in Indonesia, when we started mines, I wanted to make a person who had faith

There were many bankers and people who knew about it.

Because we have to keep our minds in their name.

Because as a foreigner, we can't own our minds for the law.

We have to choose a Tamilian for every person.

We have to choose a Tamilian who is a madan.

He was very confident and Then they changed the policies in the government and we took over.

Tamil has a huge share in our company's growth.

Even today, we have 7, 500 workers and at least 3, 500

Today, there are 7, 500 people working here, and at least

I take this occasion of pledging 100, 000 US dollars to this effort of yours.

To buy this castle, we are requesting all the organizers, 22 organizations that have established this building, to come to the stage.

Can you see how many cities are gathered?

And their passion, funded many different programs, and have been like an organization Heroes of the Evening.

Thank you to all of you for this opportunity.

Karthikeyan has come with us today to join us in this program.

Chandrabalu Naidu has left the meeting with him and has come with us today.

He told a beautiful story about how he started the company.

His friend Dhinagar read an article about his talent and asked his friend Mahesh if he could help him in this organization.

He has grown from there and he has loved him.

So, thank you very much for joining us today.


Speaker 0: I

Speaker 1: wanted to thank the Dallas Tamil organizations who gave me the

Speaker 0: opportunity to speak in front of

Speaker 1: an elite audience like this in America. Apart from from the volunteers and individual sponsors. Actually, we are first generation business people. We are from Salem. Me and my brother started this company in 1991.

So it's 25 years. Actually, we celebrated 25 years. It's been exactly 1 year. We started this company in Salem. But there was less chance of mining in Salem.

So we had to go to other states. Orissa, Jharkhand. We work in many cities. Mining usually happens in remote areas. My brother is the managing director of our company.

I am the executive director. We have the opportunity to do so because we were not aware of the mining technology. We decided to return to our village. That is why we needed to help the villages. We gave a lot of importance to education.

We are running almost 25 schools and 15 hospitals. We want to give back. We want to give back to the people who gave us the opportunity. When we were in Tamil Nadu, we were doing a lot of small things. Mr.

Saravanan, an IPS officer, was the chief security officer for the present president. He has resigned and joined our organization. He said, there is a protest going on, why shouldn't we do it? I thought about it and said, we will definitely do it. We took that decision and did it.

Mr. Muruganathan and Mahesh, Chitra Mahesh, Mahesh is my college mate. When Mahesh said, I said, you must try to know outside. Otherwise, our policy is to not know what to do outside. No, no, you said it, it is a...

It is a... We have to increase the rent. You are coming from India, your friends may be questioned, business associates may be questioned. So you

Speaker 0: come there. This is a way to increase the income for the rest of the people. You can

Speaker 1: come from India, ask your friends, business associates, etc. So you should come. When Mahesh and others came, I could see that they came. When I came out of my hometown, I could see how important you are to Tamil Nadu. When I was in Telangana or Tamil Nadu, I didn't see any importance.

I want to go with a great responsibility. I will definitely try to reach out to the business people, business houses, government, and all of them and finish your efforts within the next year as Mr. Ayya said. I would like to say an attachment to Tamil that happened in my childhood. As a first generation business, there is no big support when we started our business.

Even now, we have developed our business by relying on our team, not using any other influence. In Indonesia, to start coal mines, my brother sent me to start it 7 years ago. My brother was very busy in Orissa. So I went to meet the Indian Ambassador. There was a madam.

She was not aware of the company's situation in Indonesia. So we came to her today and the next day we asked for an appointment with the Indian Ambassador. She said, It is very difficult. I cannot give an appointment because very important person is coming tomorrow. I asked her, because madam, we have asked for 5 minutes only, I asked in the first council general, she said, no, madam is coming tomorrow, very important VIP from India is coming, I am accompanying her.

So, I asked her, who has come? When we heard, she said, we are there, everyone has interest to see him, an

Speaker 0: interest to talk, I was accompanied by them. I was very interested in the person who came. When I heard about him, I thought that all of us have an interest in him.

Speaker 1: I wanted to talk to him. I was very interested in him. I went to Ariyaram and asked him if I could give him 10 minutes to give him the time. He smiled. He said, this is my first time in Indonesia.

I didn't get an appointment from the embassy. I was asked if I could go and ask for an appointment from the guest. They said okay. They said they won't give it to me. Then 2 or 3 people I knew were in the office.

They knew through my friends. They found out which function the guest was going to. We didn't know where he was going to sit in that function. But we didn't know him well in that place. We went to the back row and sat in the back row.

It happened. We sat there for half an hour before he came. We had to find a place to sit. He came in, turned around and said, Tamil or not? I said yes.

He said, I'll talk to you after the function, then I'll spend time with you. Who else? Abdul Kalam, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. So, that was the time when I had a connection with Tamil.

That was the time when I was in Indian Abbas. I was like, how did this person come? So, after that, in fact, it was a very big experience. He stayed with me till the end. In fact, he came there as a former president.

First function after he relinquished the office. He took my car saying that he won't even ride the official car he came. So that Tamil Connect was that far. Similarly, in Indonesia, when we started mines, I wanted to make a person who had faith

Speaker 0: a nominee director.

Speaker 1: There were many bankers and people who knew about it. Because we have to keep our minds in their name. Because as a foreigner, we can't own our minds for the law. We have to choose a Tamilian for every person. We have to choose a Tamilian who is a madan.

He was very confident and Then they changed the policies in the government and we took over. Tamil has a huge share in our company's growth. Even today, we have 7, 500 workers and at least 3, 500

Speaker 0: Tamil workers. Today, there are 7, 500 people working here, and at least

Speaker 1: 3, 500 people are Tamil-speaking. I take this occasion of pledging 100, 000 US dollars to this effort of yours.

Speaker 2: Can I give another round of applause? To buy this castle, we are requesting all the organizers, 22 organizations that have established this building, to come to the stage. Can you see how many cities are gathered? And their passion, funded many different programs, and have been like an organization Heroes of the Evening. Thank you to all of you for this opportunity.

Let's

Speaker 0: welcome Karthikeyan.

Speaker 2: Your friends have joined us. Karthikeyan has come with us today to join us in this program. Chandrabalu Naidu has left the meeting with him and has come with us today. He told a beautiful story about how he started the company. In fact, another small story.

His friend Dhinagar read an article about his talent and asked his friend Mahesh if he could help him in this organization. He has grown from there and he has loved him. So, thank you very much for joining us today.

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