The year was 1984, and in the heart of Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, three young women—Amutha, Rani, and Devika—were students at MVM Women’s College, striving hard to complete their education despite overwhelming financial struggles. At the same time, two young men—Meeha, from Presidency College, Madras, and Kennedy, from the Teachers Training School in Batlagundu—were also burdened by poverty, though full of potential.
Desperate for help and determined to continue their education, they were directed to Into Action Ministries, a small but growing effort founded by Ayyanar Rajasekar—later known simply as Shaker.
At that time, Shaker was working quietly but purposefully to support youth in need. With the guidance and support of Teacher Gnana Deva Mani, a respected educator, and Mrs. Annie Jessie Bai, an NCC Officer and faculty member at MVM Women’s College, these five students were personally met and heard. Shaker saw in them not just need—but promise.
He reached out across the globe to Smyrna Home (HMH Sweden), who responded with financial support. Through their partnership, these students received the educational assistance they needed. That single act of help was the spark that lit a lasting flame. From that point on, Into Action Ministries began supporting many more students across the region who lacked access to education due to poverty. What began as one gesture became a mission. Years later, after Teacher Gnana Deva Mani and Mrs. Annie Jessie Bai retired, they rented a small house in Dindigul and began to care for underprivileged children.
Their burden for the vulnerable had only deepened. In 1997, they reconnected with Shaker to take this work further. That same year, with vision and prayer, “Little Roses” was officially born.
Little Roses was created to serve three purposes:
1
Educate and Support needy children
2
Care for abandoned elderly
3
Empower women to stand with dignity and purpose
Shaker, now based in the United States, took on the role of Founder and President, while the others served as trustees, overseeing the daily work. With Shaker’s financial support, land was purchased, buildings were constructed, and the ministry expanded.
Today, though the original trustees have passed on, a new generation of leaders has risen,
handpicked to carry on the vision.
The mission that began with a few struggling students in Dindigul during the mid-80s is still alive—still growing—and still changing lives.
Today, the lives of those first five students stand as living testimony to what compassion and timely support can achieve:
All images used for headshots or individual names in this page are AI‑generated for illustrative purposes and to ensure privacy and safety.
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