Who we are: India
Read more about our team in India.
Vijayalakshmi (Viji)
Biography
Vijayalakshmi (Viji) is the Manager at Jacob’s and married to Sekar. Viji is a Hindu but studied at St Joseph’s Convent, an English medium school in Coonor. It was very unusual at that time to be able to study in English medium, and Viji was a star pupil. She went on to become the Principal of a well known English medium school near Ooty in the Nilgiris. Viji’s gentle considerate manner does much to encourage the harmonious family atmosphere at Jacob’s. Several of the residents call her their daughter – she is loved by everyone.
Gunasekaran (Sekar)
Biography
Gunasekaran (Sekar) is in charge of the Outreach Project. He is married to Viji and they have two daughters, both of whom now live in Chennai – one recently married. Sekar comes from the Nilgiris area where he has a small farm. He was the Assistant Director of the Udagamandalam (Ooty) Social Service Society, which runs projects for hill tribe and village people in the Nilgiris. Sekar was also much in demand as a mediator by his local communities, and his skills as a communicator and negotiator are of great benefit to Jacob’s.
Santhanam
Biography
Santhanam is the Cashier at Jacob’s. He is retired from his position of Assistant Director of the Fingerprint Department of the Tamil Nadu Police and started work at Jacob’s in 2008. Santhanam is a real asset to Jacob’s – he is very conscientious and insists on accounting for every paise!
Vasanthi
Biography
Vasanthi is the full time nurse at Jacob’s, and joined soon after it was established. She has a son and a lovely little daughter who was born in 2008. She brought baby to work every day and the residents looked after her until recently, becoming doting grandmothers and grandfathers. Vasanthi originally trained as a Psychiatric Nurse and her all round experience has been very useful for Jacob’s. The residents respect her assertive manner and take their medicine without complaint! Vasanthi is multi- talented; she turns her hand to all sorts and helps with everything that needs doing.
Robert
Biography
Robert started work at Jacob’s when it was founded, as an occasional contract driver. He has now become the other half of the Outreach team with Sekar, as well as maintenance man, carer and everything else necessary! Robert is married with a beautiful 6 year old daughter named Ritika Evangeline. He is gentle and softly spoken and a completely dependable member of the team.
Devi
Biography
Devi has lived with her mother since her husband deserted her when she was a young wife. She was married at 13 and has an adult daughter who now lives with Devi’s sister. She worked in a College canteen before starting work at Jacob’s and she sometimes helps Ruckmani in the kitchen. Devi is the most recent addition to the Jacob’s staff, and already popular with the residents for her kind respectful manner.
Ruckmani
Biography
Ruckmani is the cook at Jacob’s. She is a widow with two sons and a daughter. Sometimes Keerthana, one of her six grand- children, comes to Jacob’s with her, she is a penpal with one of Jen’s grand-daughters in England. Ruckmani lives in the village with her married daughter but prefers to stay at Jacob’s most of the time. She has lived locally all her life and knows all the latest village gossip! Ruckmani thinks nothing of cooking 400 meals at one time and provides quantity with quality!
Chitra
Biography
Chitra is a very capable hard working carer. She has two children, one still at College, and a grand-daughter. She has done all kinds of work in the past, including tea picking on an estate, coolie on a building site and cook in a College canteen. Chitra has been at Jacob’s from the start, and can always be relied upon to do the jobs no-one else really wants to do!
Margaret Mary
Biography
Margaret Mary is another carer who has been at Jacob’s since the beginning. She was a housemaid before working at Jacob’s and although she has a few difficulties Viji’s supervision and a little tolerance by the other workers and residents make Mary a delightful addition to the staff. Mary is married with two children, who much to the residents’ delight, sometimes accompany her to Jacob’s.
Maruthamuthu
Biography
Maruthamuthu comes to Jacob’s four times a week as the Yoga Master. However he is so much more than that; he varies the sessions and always makes them fun and interesting. He teaches meditation and relaxation as well as yoga and can often be found reading the newspaper to the residents and telling them stories. They love his visits and because of Maruthamuthu several can now walk without using a walker, and are physically much stronger. He also organises the celebrations, the decorations and the games for festivals such as Divali and Independence Day.
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