President's Message
Dear friends,

It gives me great pleasure in writing the Presidential message to the newly created website of the South Indian Cultural Association, very popularly and fondly known as “SICA”. This may be taken as the history of SICA, in brief, rather than a message.

Before the era of Independence, a few families from South India (who were known as “Dravids”) had reached Indore. They were Patronized by the rulers of the State “Holkars”. Very popular and famous among the Holkers was Rani Ahilyabai, after whose name the Indore City is called as “Ahilyanagar”.

After attaining the Independence, in early 1950’s, some more persons belonging to all communities of Southern Part of India reached Indore who were mainly engaged in Textile Industries. In those days, Indore was leading in Textile Industry and the city was next only to Ahmadabad and Coimbatore. To make available a common platform to meet and to know each other of those who came to Indore in connection with business, employment, etc. they have formed an Association informally during the year 1953-54. As the years passed by, the population of South Indian Communities increased and the Association started functioning with broader outlook to work for promotion of South Indian Culture through music, arts and dance, etc., and thereby bringing the people of south and north together and thus to promote national integration. The first Governing body of the formally constituted Association was elected in 1956 having Shri. Hanumantha Rao and Shri. S. Krishnamoorthy as founder President and founder Secretary respectively.

As the city further developed, arrival of number of persons belonging to different parts of Southern States of India had also increased. With a view to cater, more effectively, to the needs of the people of different Southern States living in Indore, various Association viz, Kerala Samaj, Andhra Samaj, Karnataka Sangh, etc., came into existence. However, our Association, continues its identity as South Indian Cultural Association and functions, ad-hearing to its basic aims and objects till date, without any discrimination of caste, region and language. Presently SICA has about 250 members.

In 1964-65, during the Presidentship of Late. Sri. Y. Subramaniam, the Association purchased a piece of land at 14, Sanghi Colony and after some years constructed an asbestos roofed hall (in 1967-68) where all the cultural activities were carried out.

Association celebrates all important festivals, stages dramas with participation of its members and their wards, creates a platform to exhibit the talents of the members and their wards. To keep in touch with their mother-tongue Debates, Pattimandram, Drama, etc., are conducted where the members and their wards participate. Periodically, Blood Donation camp and General Medical checkup camps are arranged for the benefit of the SICA members and the public of Indore.

To encourage the upcoming artists, we do arrange Music, Drama and Dance concerts by them as well as by the professional artists to entertain the people of Indore. Association celebrates all important National Festivals like Independence Day and Republic Day, important festivals like Deepavali, Pongal, Ramnavami, Bharathiar Day, etc., every year.

Ramnavami is celebrated as SICA Day, since Ramnavami was the only function which was celebrated even before formation of the Association. On this day we felicitate one member of the Association with spouse to acknowledge their contribution to the Association.

With a view to make still better use of the Hall and to cater to the needs of the people of Indore with quality education an idea of opening of an English Medium School was conceived by the Trio. S.S.Mani, V.S. Mani(UBI) and Balasubramanian (Balu) and a proposal was submitted to the President Mr.R. Srinivasan. With enormous efforts, funds were accumulated through various fund raising shows like Carnatic Music (Vocal and Instrumental), Bharat Natyam etc, by great experts. The present SICA School was started in 1973-74 under the President-ship of Sri. P.N.Rangan . The school was managed by a school managing committee under the parent body of SICA. Professor P. Viswanatham and Mr. V.S. Mani (UBI) were the founder Chairman and founder Secretary respectively, of the school. The school was started with KG.I, KG.II and class I consisting one section in each class. Every year one more class was added. Though there were many difficulties in the beginning like shortage of funds, space and students, subsequently the encouragement from the people of Indore was tremendous. To cope up with the demands, under the president-ship of Late. Shri.N.Krishnamoorthy, SICA purchased a land in Scheme no.54 from Indore Development Authority (IDA). (I should place on records, at this juncture, the help rendered by Sri. Suresh Seth and Sri. K.V.K.Gopal in getting this land). After constructing few rooms, the school consisting class 1st onwards started functioning at scheme no.54 premises. Over some years the school building was completed with all basic requirements and amenities and was functioning as a full fledged school, affiliated to M.P.State Board of Education.

Initially the school was affiliated to the state board and switched over to CBSE in 1993. With a view to effectively, independently and uninterruptedly manage the affairs of the school, a Public Charitable Trust known as SICA Educational Trust was formed by the Association in 1984 under the Chairmanship of Mr. N. Krishnamoorthy. While the trustees, presently 4 in number, are being nominated by the executive body (managing committee) of the Association, the President elected by the General Body of the Association, functions as the Ex-officio Chairman of the Trust. The tenure of a Trustee is 3 years and the Trustees are nominated in rotation. The Trust appoints a School Managing Committee to help the Trustees to manage the school. The Trust manages two schools, both affiliated to CBSE consisting of classes from Nursery to Class XII. Both the schools find their places in the list of top ranking schools of Indore. Apart from curricular, co-curricular and extra curricular activities, the school management pays specific attention to cultivate and practice good character, ethics, moral and tradition. The fee structure is most affordable by the common man. Every year many students bring laurels to the school by winning medals, trophies, certificates at Inter-school, State and National level competitions in sports as well as academic events. Surplus funds are ploughed back in the system for further development of education. In view of these, the demand for new admission is increasing year after year and the management finds it difficult to meet out the demands. The student strength of the school is over to 6000 and over 300 teaching and non-teaching staff are rendering their devoted services.

To spread the South Indian Culture among the people of Indore and to inculcate habit of worship, a Temple was constructed in the year 1992, having Lord Murugan (Bala Subramaniam) as leading deity.

1. The first Kumbhabhishekam was performed on 09.06.1993.
2. By installing more of Vigraham like Navgraha and Dhakshinamoorthy second Kumbhabhishekam was performed on 01.06.1998.
3. Further, more Vigraham of God of knowledge, Haiyagreevar and Lord Balaji etc, were installed and third Kumbhabhishekam was performed on 02.02.2006.

Selected photos of these events are given in the web site.

Sports day is being celebrated every year. All major events including Indoor as well as Outdoor games are included. Cricket, Badminton, Table-tennis, Chess, Shot-put, apart from other sports and games are arranged for the ladies as well. Prizes and certificates are arranged to the winners, runner up and all participants.

SICA also has its club for cricket players duly registered with IDCA, Indore. Our club has produced some of very good players who have found their name under 14 and under 19 age group and one Mr. Anand Rajan has recently been selected for playing IPL Tournament for Deccan Chargers. He is also a Ranji Trophy player and represents MP State.

Association also runs a Tamil class for the benefit of those members and their wards who do not know to read and write Tamil (their mother tongue) Mr. V. R. Subramaniam renders his service for teaching Tamil.

Presently living condition of the South Indian, more specifically tamilian, at Indore is such that though they come here to earn their livelihood through service / business, they do not think of going back to their native place and they settle down at Indore itself making it as their home town because of the facilities available such as:
1. SICA for entertainment
2. SICA School to take care of the Educational needs
3. Temple which consists of all leading God and Goddess for worship.
4. Priest available at the Temple to take care of the religious and ritual works.
5. Library available to pass time usefully and to improve the knowledge.
6. Opportunity available to render social service through above organization.
7. Co-operative and coordinating nature of the people of Indore in general, SICA members in particular.

At this juncture I, in my Personal capacity and as the representative of all the members of SICA (as its President) sincerely and whole heartedly thank all the past Presidents, Secretaries (whose names are given some where else in the web site) other office bears and the committee members for the selfless and dedicated services rendered by them.

I shall be failed in my duties if I do not make a special mention of :

1. The founder members of the Association, the first President Mr. Hanumanth Rao and Mr.Y.Subramanian for their vision and dream of having own building for SICA and efforts taken by them to achieve the goal.
2. Mr.R.Srinivasan and Mr.P.N.Rangan for encouraging to start a school.
3. Professor P. Vishvanatham Mr. N.K. Kamath with the undersigned for doing spade work to start the school.
4. Mr. M.P. Venkatraman for his ability in fund raising.
5. Mr. N. Krishnamoorthy (Patron) in whose time the school progressed steadily, SICA Educational Trust was formed and land at Scheme no.54 was acquired from IDA.
6. Mr. S.S.Mani in whose time the school expanded.
7. Mr. V.Raghavan and Mr.S.N.Anant in whose time the expansion of school building and SICA Hall took place.

I should also make a special mention of Mr. S.Krishnamoorthy (founder Secretary) Mr.C.K.Narayana Swamy, Mr. A.S.I.K. Sharma, Mr.O.M Chellappa, Mr. S. Narayana Iyer, Mr.P.S. Balasubramanian, Mr.T.N. Unni, Mr. K. Ramachandran, Mr. B.Narasimhan, Mr.Rajam Iyengar, Mr.V.S. Kumar Iyer, Mr.V.S.Mani (ACC), Mr.S.R.Venkatesh, Mr.K.Srinivasan, Mr.S.B.S.Iyer, Mr. P. Babuji, Mr. V. Natarajan, Mr.S.M.Ranganath, Mrs. P.V.Viswanatham, Dr.V.Ganesan, Dr. Shantaram for their services to the Association and the school through the Trust and SMC. Likewise there are many more persons without whom the Association could not have progressed and reached this level. For want of space I am compelled not to mention their name individually.

I also place on records the support rendered by the citizen of Indore, without which SICA could not have found a place in the map of Indore, the Principals and their team of Staff for their dedicated services. Above all the members of SICA for their co-ordination, co-operative attitude and extending their helping hands always in all ways.

Future Plans of SICA:-

1. To start a Montessori Teachers Training Institute.
2. To start a centre to train children of speech impired.
3. To start Gym for young and old as well.

At the end I feel proud, privileged and honoured to associate myself in various capacity at different times with the Association, School and the Temple.

May long live SICA!
Indore
17.02.2011                         		Yours affectionately, 

V.S.Mani
President
For and on behalf of SICA Managing Committee