ஆயிரம் தடைக்கற்கள் போட்டு தடுத்து நிறுத்தப்பட்ட கல்வியை நாம் அடைய பசிப்பிணி வேலி ஆகக்கூடாதென நீதிக்கட்சிக் காலத்தில் வெள்ளுடை வேந்தர் பிட்டி...

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin paid rich tribute to Justice Party leader Sir Pitti Theagaraya Chetty for instituting the historic midday meal scheme in Chennai municipal schools more than a century ago. Stalin recalled that when institutional and social barriers systematically blocked marginalized masses from accessing formal education, Theagaraya Chetty recognized that childhood hunger could not be permitted to obstruct the path of learning.

The Chief Minister highlighted how the initial school meal intervention in Thousand Lights initiated a historic revolution in public education, gradually evolving through visionary administrators across subsequent decades into a massive statewide welfare network. He noted that feeding school children not only boosted daily attendance and classroom attentiveness but also struck a decisive blow against rigid caste prejudices by seating students of all social backgrounds together.

Stalin affirmed that the Dravidian model of governance remains anchored in this proud lineage of inclusive social engineering. He emphasized that the DMK administration is advancing this legacy by introducing hot breakfast programs in government elementary schools. Concluding his remarks, Stalin declared that providing wholesome nutrition alongside quality education represents the most fundamental commitment of the state toward empowering every child across Tamil Nadu.