A Cut Above The Rest

For the past ten years, a humble salon owner has been giving free haircuts to govt school students

- SUBASHINI VIJAYAKUMAR @Chennai

ONG before the school bell starts ringing again, homes are buzzing with last-minute preparations. From freshly stitched uniforms to crisply covered notebooks, and neatly combed haircuts to polished shoes, parents are racing against the clock to ensure their children are ready to walk back through those school gates. After all, no one wants their child caught in the crosshairs of a sharp-eyed PT master for a crooked collar or an unruly fringe.

Ever since schools reopened this year, the three branches of Dhanush Salon have been buzzing with young customers. But it's not just a seasonal rush or a flashy back-to-school offer. It's the quiet kindness of 46-year-old K Thanigaivel that's behind the buzz. For the past ten years, this humble salon owner has been offering free haircuts to government school students, giving them a neat start to the new academic year.

"I've seen how difficult it can be for families to manage school expenses. A haircut may seem like a small thing, but it can make a big difference," Thanigaivel says as he gently evens out a boy's hairline.