Award-winning singer can’t afford kids’ school fees

Madurai: Two years ago, when he won the National award for playback singing for his first ever song in a feature film, Sundarayyar thought his life will change. It did not. He went on to sing a song for AR Rahman too, but chances were hard to come by.

The street play artiste from a non-descript village in Dharmapuri district who won the award for his song, "Love you, Jasmine" in the 2016 Tamil movie, Joker moved to Chennai six months ago in search of opportunities.

However, his children, studying Class VI and LKG had to drop out of the private school near Vandalur, after they were ostracized from their classrooms recently and made to sit in the office room for not paying fee due of Rs15,000

“My children joined only in November and I had already paid over Rs 47,000. I explained my position and sought time to pay the next term fees. They agreed during the admission. However, the school management took my children off from their classrooms for nonpayment of fees and made them sit in the office two weeks ago,” Sundarayyar said.

Agonized over the treatment to his children, he questioned the school authorities and asked them to return the fee already paid, to which they replied in the negative. “I would put my children in a Government school. If they return the money, I would be able to run the family for the next few months,” Sundarayyar told ToI

Sundarayyar filed a complaint with the Kancheepuram district Chief Educational Officer on February 27 seeking action against the treatment to his children and to direct the school management to return the money.

When TOI contacted the phone number listed in the school website, a representative said “The parent did not pay the fee for months” and added that they have not received any notice from the Education department and they would answer only to them.

It is not the lack of money, however that hurts the 42-year-old. “After learning my position and the recent turn of events, well-wishers came forward to help monetarily. But, What I need is opportunities,” Sundarayyar said.

He is associated with Manal Magudi theater troupe and does gigs in short films for now to manage his young family, while approaching musicians for chances. Lack of money has always never been a problem for Sundarayyar, for all his life, he had punched above his weight.

He was a part time teacher at a government school in Dharmapuri district until recently. The job paid him Rs 7000 a month. Youngest in a family of six siblings, Sundarayyar started performing in street plays at Vellisandhai village in Palacode taluk since he was ten years old.

When he completed school, his father was against his decision to pursue degree at the Government music college in Chennai. "Would music bring food onto your plate?" his father had chided him."I came back and set up an eatery in my village. I was also performing in street plays whenever opportunity came up," he said.

When he won the national award, Sundarayyar was ecstatic that the award also carried a cash reward with it. He wanted to hear his song in a good music system. He listens music and his song in a mobile phone his relative gifted him. “I had to settle debts with the cash reward. I still hear music only in my phone,” Sundarayyar said.



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