India: Man Gets New House as a Diwali Gift From Classmates, 30 years After Leaving School

By Surabhi Sudarsan, Social Media Reporter

"If you chance upon a friend who is in distress, please help them out,” says Nagendran

Making a new friend is just the beginning of the journey. And we know our best friendships are made in school. To validate it, this one tale of a beautiful friendship is enough. A 44-year-old Muthu Kumar, who was living in a hut damaged by cyclone Gaja, received a new house as a Diwali gift from his school friends. The incident happened in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu when one of his schoolmates came to visit him.

Kumar who is a truck driver has been going through severe financial constraints ever since the coronavirus lockdown hit India and has barely been able to make ends meet. His monthly earning of Rs 15,000 (Dh741) a month was reduced to just Rs2,000 (Dh98) or so during the pandemic, causing severe problems for him and his family.

According to Indian news outlets, his home was in a terrible shape because of the Gaja cyclone that hit the state a couple of years ago and had destroyed portions of it, causing discomfort to Kumar's family.

K Nagendran, who was Kumar’s school friend, met him a few months back at a school reunion at one of their school teacher's house, upon which the latter invited Nagendran to his house, reportedly.

When he visited, Nagendran was shocked and felt heartbroken to see his school friend's house in such a bad condition. The cyclone destroyed the trees around the house, and even the roof was broken, making the entire place unlivable for anyone. He decided to do something to try to alleviate some of the pain his friend was going through. He created a WhatsApp group where he included many of their school friends and told them the good cause for which he required their help.

The friends pitched in a total of Rs 150,000(Dh7,417) to build a new home for Kumar and his family in just three months. The friends then gifted the house to him as a Diwali gift.

While talking to the media, Nagendran said: "Even though we weren't in touch, school friends are special. We must all help our friends in need. Many have suffered during the lockdown. If you chance upon a friend who is in distress, please do something to help them out."

Originally Published at : https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/india-man-gets-new-house-as-a-diwali-gift-from-classmates-30-years-after-leaving-school-1.1605789905741