A Techie Who Welcomes Girl Babies With Gifts and Gala

In the sterile corridors of a government hospital, a quiet scene caught R Balaji's eyes as he waited anxiously during his wife's pregnancy—a mother silently leaving the hospital with her newborn daughter unnoticed and unsupported.

- P THIRUSELVEM @Ariyalur

That moment lingered. It planted the seed for something bigger in Balaji's life.

In 2023, the seed blossomed in the form of the 'Kalpana Chawla Girl Child Welfare Scheme' launched by Balaji to change how society welcomes its daughters.

Today, the birth of every girl is met with joy at the Thirumanur Primary Health Centre with gift hampers, tiny clothes, and fresh fruits. As many as 50 newborn girls have left the hospital premises cradled not just in arms—but in celebration.

Hailing from Palayapadi in Ariyalur, Balaji currently works as a software engineer. From a young age, he was deeply inspired by former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. When this 34-year-old came to know about Kalam's demise on July 27, 2015, he felt a personal calling to carry forward the noble soul's legacy. On July 28, 2015, he founded an NGO, 'Anbudan Agni Sirugugal' inspired by Kalam's book 'Agni Siragugal'. He decided to continue the path of service that Kalam had left behind.