Indian charity helps 107 poor tie the knot

More than 100 girls from economically backward families in the south Indian state of Kerala tied the knot recently thanks to a charitable organisation promoted by a Gulf-based Indian businessman.

The Ravi Pillai Foundation, founded by Dr Ravi Pillai, Managing Director of Nasser S Al Haji Corporation of Saudi Arabia, funded the marriage.

The 107 couples belonged to Hindu, Muslim and Christian religions and the marriages were conducted in tune with the couples’ traditional rituals.

Pillai, who is based in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, met the marriage expenses and has promised either of the couple jobs in his vast business empire spanning Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and India.

The Ravi Pillai Foundation also donated five sovereigns of gold and Rs25,000 as a token gift to the couples. The money will be deposited in a bank fixed deposit.

If someone does not want the job, the financial assistance would be provided to them to start a small business.
The couples were selected from applications the foundation received from families of weaker sections of the society.

The couples were selected after a screening process which was first recommended by the local legislator.
The mass marriage in Kollam was attended by hundreds of people and dignitaries, including state and central ministers, celebrities and religious leaders.

Union Heavy Industries Minister Vilas Rao Deshmukh and Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi, Kerala Water Resources Minister NK Premachandran, Education Minister MA Baby, Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Oommen Chandy, and state Congress president Ramesh Chennithala besides more than a dozen legislators and a few Lok Sabha members were present on the occasion.

Pillai, who was bestowed upon the Padma Sri award last year, has several business interests, including oil and gas, petrochemicals, hotels and gold retail chains.

Hailing from Kollam, the city that hosted the mass marriage, Pillai employs more than 25,000 Indians in his Nasser S Al Hajri Corporation, which is headquartered in Bahrain. Last year he started an oil-related project in the UAE.

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