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| Dr.M.S.Sunil, Azhoor Kripa, Pathanamthitta |
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Dr.Sunil is the winner of Nari Shakti Puraskar for 2017. That should put to rest any name-gender confusion about her identity. The simple story is that her father had wanted a son, and so when she was born, he had bestowed her with a supposedly male name.
But name is not the only thing that makes her memorable. She is the one-woman catalyst for the construction of 156 houses for the needy.
It all started when she was teaching at Catholicate College, Pathanamthitta. For years, her life had centered around class room and home. But that world changed when she became the Programme Officer of National Service Scheme. As part of the programme, it was decided to build house for the needy. The search for benefactor then zeroed in on one of her students.
This girl and her grandmother were living in a shack whose main door was her churidar. The same day the work for building them a proper house began. With voluntary work by students and contributions from others, the house was completed for ₹1.17 lakhs.
In 2016, she retired from College. By then she had been instrumental in the construction of 48 houses. She then immersed herself in humanitarian activities with the active support of her husband Thomas and son Prince. Her tasks involve finding sponsors, selecting deserving benefactors, supervising construction etc.
Her model house of 600 square feet consists of two rooms, hall, kitchen, bathroom and a small sitout. Roofing is with GI sheet. Walls are not plastered. Later, the occupants may plaster the walls or convert the roof to concrete or even build one more story above it.
She has no contractor or engineer to back her efforts. The experience of 15 years is her expertise.
Her main sponsors are American Malayali organisations. For the last three years, her work has diversified. It now includes monthly food kits, self-employment for women, training for students etc. All under the tag of Dr.M.S.Sunil Foundation.
