A Forgotten Legend, Humanitarian, Founder of the I E L C School for the Blind at Bargur and Deaf School at Ambur Etc, Honorary Doctorate Degree Awardee for Community Services , Nonagenerian Ms Dr. Esther Cornelius . Part Final

Esther Admitted her Children in Boarding Schools at different Places    :  Even in a helpless and terrific situation  Ms Esther obeyed to the inner call of God  and took a firm determination to serve the cause of the visual impaired and other physically challenged children  and people.  none could distract  Ms Dr. Esther from her firm decision . Naturally  she was aware of her responsibility towards the education of her 9 children and as Ms Esther had  connections with some other Christian missions, apart from I.E.L.C, within no time Esther admitted her children in different Christian Boarding Schools in Tamil Nadu and mentally prepared herself for full time social service 

                                                              Ms . Dr. Esther Cornelius 

The Institutions founded by Ms Esther for the cause of the Physically Challenged     After making necessary arrangement  for the education of her children , Ms Esther resigned her Govt  High School Teacher job  and underwent formal Training session to teach the visual impaired; in Victory School and Training Centre for the Blind in Chennai and founded the IELC School for the Blind in Bargur in 1972  with the support  of IELC missionary Rev Manns, amidst hard opposition from the local people of Bargur.  She assumed  charge as the first Head Mistress of the School for the Blind at Bargur and  Esther wanted to extend her area and field of  social service  and so  on the advice of Mr Stein of the Christoffel Blinden Mission , underwent an additional  Training in  Bensheim Germany. Christoffel Blinden Mission came forward to build a School and Home for the Blind [81]at Bargur and now it is one of the biggest schools for the Blind in India  . 

In tune with her vision Ms Esther Cornelius founded the following Service Institutions :- [1] IELC School for the Deaf in Ambur , [2] Oli Illam at the Bargur Blind School , [3] IELC School for the Mentally Retarded at Pernambut. [4] Hostel for the Polio - Physically Challenged at Krishnagiri..[5] Lutheran School - Home for the Deaf and Deaf & Blind at Vellore ,[6]  The Happy Home at KGF, etc,  In addition to starting Schools , Homes and Hostels for the physically and mentally challenged children  Ms Esther Cornelius  introduced and availed the help and support of  Donors  namely [1] Christoffel Blinder Mission, [2]KNH, [3] Compassion International , [4]CASA, [5]World Vision , Etc,.

Ms Esther Cornelius was Honored with a Honorary Doctorate Degree :  Ms Esther Cornelius was honored with a honorary Doctorate  degree for her " Community Service and Development of the less fortunate  in India "  by the authority of  POWER OF FAITH PENTECOSTAL MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL in association with DR. STERLING  THEOLOGICAL [UNIVERSITY ] SEMINARIES CANADA ,  on the 13th  day of November 2010.

Ms.Dr, Esther  Cornelius and  The Mission to the Blind,  India     :  It was Ms Esther who galvanized late Mr Sam R. Thanaseelan to start the Mission to the Blind, India and the Mission to the Blind came into being in June 1992, . Ms Jeya Dhanaseelan the National Executive Director of the Mission to the blind India says , "Gradually Esther Akka  became a part of our ministry .She was President of the Board for three years until she had to go to the United States in order to be with her Children"  Moreover Ms Dr. Esther Cornelius gave her daughter late Ms Benedicta's house at Madhavaram in Chennai  to the Mission to the Blind to start a Home for the Young Blind Women and this Home for the Young Blind Women was named after Dr, Esther's demised daughter Ms Jovanna  as per Ms Esther's wish as  "The  Jovanna Home for the Young Blind Women. " Now Mission to the Blind India  is doing spectacular service for the cause of the visual impaired people 

Conclusion    Ms Dr. Esther Cornelius Akka  is a legendary and unassuming woman  living with us . In the institutions founded by Dr. Esther  Cornelius, the underprivileged  children became the privileged ones to be nurtured in Christian Values and faith . Dr Esther Cornelius  Akka stands apart in the world  because she conquered all the obstacles that  boggled and blocked  her way by her firm faith in God  .Dr. Rodney  R. Rynearson , Counselor for .Blind and Deaf Ministries with the Synod [LCMS} for mission services says that . " She [Esther ] is very tenacious, very creative in terms of looking for resources and she is very determined. She will not give up ,you cannot talk Esther out of something she wants to do "   The testimonies given with gratitude by Ms. Dr Esther's former physically challenged students namely Ms Elizabeth, Mr Moses, Mr P.S. Srinivasan, Mr. Mahalingam , Mr. Ravichandran and many others speak and portray, the scale, magnitude and magnanimity of Esther Akka's self less social service for the cause of the physically challenged people . It is not at all possible to cover all aspects of Ms Dr, Esther Cornelius' glowing and fruitful life  in this Article . . Ms. Dr. Esther Cornelius  really deserves  greater honor and recognition from the public and Government  and  the Government of India should  come forward  to honor Ms Dr. Esther Cornealius with  Padma Sri  Award . I salute the living Mother Theresa of IELC .

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By. P. Babu Manoharan , M.A [ All rights are reserved. This Article will be enlarged, modified or corrected later if needed ].