Gita Ramachandran (1978)
President, RECCA SEWA Charitable Society
What happens when engineering precision meets human compassion?
You do not just build a structure… You build possibility.
Santhwanam 5 – the Social Study Centre at Laha–Manjathodu Tribal Colony in Pathanamthitta – stands today as living proof of what NITC alumni can create when competence is guided by conscience.
Founded nearly two decades ago by alumni of NIT Calicut, RECCA SEWA Charitable Society has quietly completed over 60 initiatives : scholarships, medical aid, disaster rehabilitation, festival outreach, tribal assistance.
But this project marked a defining shift. This was our first CSR-sponsored infrastructure initiative. And one of our first focused Tribal Welfare project of this scale.
The Need That Could Not Be Ignored
The Centre will serve 109 Malampandaram tribal families, among the most socio-educationally vulnerable communities in Kerala.
During our discussions, the District Administration shared a sobering reality: Many tribal children discontinue schooling because their daily earnings support the family. Even after Class XII, parents hesitate to send children away for higher education due to economic pressures and social constraints.
A structured study space within the community was not just desirable; it was a necessity.
From Vision to Execution
- Expression of Interest: December 2023
- Statutory clearances obtained from Tribal Welfare, Forest Department & Panchayat
- Foundation Stone laid: 12 May 2025
- Handover: 20 February 2026
- Completion Period: 9 Months
- Project Cost: ~₹24 Lakhs
The 1110 sq. ft. Social Study Centre includes a multipurpose hall, office room, toilets, verandah and lobby designed to support education, literacy initiatives, health outreach and community activities.
Through disciplined monitoring, Executive Committee site visits by rotation, transparent documentation, regular updates to website with photographs of status and collaborative execution, the project was completed within time and budget without major cost escalations.
Cooperation. Collaboration. Compassion.
Santhwanam 5 was not an isolated effort. It was a convergence of 3 Cs.
Collaboration between District Administration, Government departments, SEWA EC, CSR sponsors, The Panchayat, Forest Officials and the tribal community.
Cooperation to execute the project under stringent clearances, terrain challenges, budget constraints and timelines.
Compassion that transformed CSR intent into measurable, sustainable impact.
This Centre became a bridge between CSR vision and ground reality; between SEWA members’ engineering expertise and administrative leadership; between Aspiration and Access.
We place on record our sincere gratitude to:
- Cochin Shipyard Limited
• CII Guardian International Limited
• RECCA Club
• Canara Bank
• Benevolent donors, Sewa Members and NITCa alumni
Santhwanam 5 stands as SEWA’s 5th consecutive infrastructure project and our first CSR-led initiative of this magnitude.
The Moment of Handover
On 20 February 2026, the project was formally handed over to the District Administration of Pattanamthitta. The District Collector Mr Prem Krishnan appreciated the efforts of SEWA and expressed confidence that the Centre would nurture confidence among tribal youth, promote continued education and complement Kerala’s Tribal Welfare initiatives.
For us, it was not merely a ceremonial key exchange. It was the completion of a promise.
A Collective Responsibility
To our fellow alumni and well-wishers, this is more than an invitation to join SEWA. It is an invitation to think bigger.
If you are part of organisations with CSR mandates, consider suggesting partnerships like this. SEWA has demonstrated that it can serve as a credible, transparent, professionally managed bridge for impactful execution.
Because when engineers step beyond personal success and into collective responsibility, infrastructure becomes transformation.
For us, SEWA is not just a name.
It is an acronym I had the privilege of coining: Serve Eternally With Altruism.
We build with bricks. We build with belief. And above all, we build with heart.
Please visit:
RECAA SEWA Website https://reccasewa.com
Project Santhwanam 5 https://reccasewa.com/building-hope-community-welfare-social-study-centre-manjathodu-tribal-colony/
Santhwanam 5 Handing over https://reccasewa.com/santhwanam-5-tribal-welfare-initiative-project-by-recca-sewa-charitable-society-recca-sewa/