Differently-abled athlete to get a home

MADURAI:  For R Veerayi (29), Monday dawned on a happy note as during the Grievances Redressal Day, District Collector U Sagayam took initiative to check with the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board authorities regarding availability of a house under their preview.   It may be recalled that Express had published a story, on Monday, titled ‘Differently Abled has many awards but no home’.  The story was about  Veerayi, who has won 46 medals at the district, state, national and international level sports events but is a homeless destitute.According to  District Differently Abled Welfare Officer KM Kanagaraj, as an immediate reaction to the article, the Collector has initiated steps to provide a house for Veerayi.As Veerayi is also the sole-supporting family member for her sightless mother, Kanagaraj said that private companies are organising a job mela where she will be given priority. In all, she will have a permanent house and a job in a month.Meanwhile, the Collector has stressed the District Differently Abled Welfare Department to set Veerayi’s case as ‘top priority’.“I am happy to see how quickly the government reacted to my prayer,” Veerayi said.Her caretaker Madhusoodanan, who also presides over the Udhaya Trust for Destitutes, which is Veerayi’s temporary abode, said, “From the day she started staying here, I have only seen her in tears. But, today she is all smiles. She is happy that she is about to become a working woman.”