Raindropss
Raindropss is an Indian youth-based social organization located in Chennai. It was founded in 2011 by Aravind Jayabal. It concentrates mainly on delivering social awareness messages to the public in the form of short movies and theme songs through entertainment and media.
Raindropss is the first organization in India to spread social awareness messages to the public through theme songs and short films.
Aravind Jayabal, the founder and creative head of Raindropss, received a medal and a record certificate from the officials of the India Book of Records on 14 April 2013 at a grand Record Breakers Fest held at MGM Dizee World.
Playback singer A. R. Reihana (A.R.Rahman's sister) is the music director and brand ambassador of Raindropss.
Raindropss inaugurated its new office at Saligramam in Chennai. The opening ceremony was held on 25th May 2014. The office was inaugurated by "Little Nightingale of South India" Chinna Kuyil Dr K.S.Chithra in the presence of Raindropss family members.
Team
Founder & Creative Head
Aravind Jayabal
Co-Founder & Operations Head
Balaji Vasudevan
Trustees
Arun Loganthan
Balaji Duraisamy
Vivek R Nair
Karthik Srinivas
Projects
Short films and songs
Raindropss' first project was on the theme Eye Donation, short film and theme song, Vizhigal, which won the prestigious Silver Eye Award at The National Talent Fest organised by Antardrishti, an organisation for social development. The theme song was intended to give a simple, straightforward message to the public and it was written by Niranjan Bharathi, the great grandson of poet Subramanya Bharathi. Vizhigal urges people to donate their eyes.
The second project was a theme song for World Disability Day, the lyrics for which were penned by lyricist Madhan Karky and sung by Priya Himesh and M K Balaji.
The third project of Raindropss, Educate a child, was a theme song penned by Niranjan Bharathi with music by Girinandh. The song featured 11 leading playback singers including A. R. Reihana, Priya Himesh, Srinivas, Nikhil Mathew, M. L. R. Karthikeyan, Suchith Suresan, V. V. Prasanna, Saindhavi, Vandhana and Super Singer star Sakthi Loganthan. Raindropss also supported the education of 51 underprivileged children (Aruwe, New life Center, Good Life Center) for the year 2012-2013.
The fourth project, Isai Thamizha was dedicated to A. R. Rahman. The music was composed by Girinandh, and the lyrics by Niranjan Bharathi.
The fifth project was an environmental theme song Ithu Namma Bhoomi composed by A. R. Reihana with lyrics by ThavaKumar & A. R. Reihana. This theme song was launched by environmentalist M.B.Nirmal, chairman of Exnora International.
The Sixth project was a theme song to celebrate womanhood, "Saathanai Pengal", co-produced by Sathyabama University. Music was composed by A.R.Raihanah, Lyrics by ThavaKumar and sung by super singer fame Sonia and Isai Medai fame Vijayalakshmi. This ong was launched by K.S.Chithra during Raindropss 2nd annual Women achiever awards on 9 March 2014.
Latest project was a theme song for Chennai city named "NAMMA CHENNAI" co-produced by Sathyabama University was launched on 15th August 2014 by drummer Sivamani. Music by A.R.Raihanah, Lyrics have been penned by vivek Velmurugan and sung by Hemachandra, Gana Bala, A.R.Raihanah, Yazin Nizar and Shamsudeen.
Upcoming Project
Annual Calendar - Mattram Thedi 2015
Events
- Women Achiever Awards (சாதனை பெண்கள் Saadhanai Pengal). Raindropss felicitates and presents awards to women achievers from various genres on International Women's Day every year. In 2014 Raindropss held the second of the annual Women Achiever Awards ceremonies. It was held on 9 March 2014 at Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidhyashram, Kilpauk, Chennai.
Lifetime Achievement Awards winners were:
- Dr.Padma Subrahmanyam
- K.S.Chitra
- Shoba Chandrasekhar
Other awards were presented to:
- Music – Nithyashree Mahadevan
- Social Entrepreneur – Girija Raghavan
- TV Personality – Revathi Sankaran
- Medicine – Dr. Kamala Selvaraj
- Instrumentalist – Dilrubha Saroja
- Sports – Kavitha (Kabadi)
- News Reader – Nirmala Periasamy
- VJ – Priya Dharshini
- RJ & Dubbing Artiste- Deepa Venkat
- Educationalist – Anusha Ravi
- Social Activist – Bhagyarathi, Founder – Anandham Old Age Home
- Director – TV Media: Subhashree Thanikachalam
- Lyricist – Kutty Revathi
- Costume Designer – Vasuki Baskar
- Inspirational Women – Preethi, Founder – Soulfree.Org
- Self Employment – Selvi (Auto Driver)
- TV Media: Gowthami Vembunathan
- Cinema: Dhansikha
- Entrepreneurship – Veena Kumaravel (CEO – Naturals)
- Raindropss have also organized many rallies and walkathons in Chennai to spread awareness among the public on various causes.
- Raindropss in association with EVP Amusement Park(EVP World) organized a Summer day out (கொண்டாட்டம்) with 800 underprivileged children and elderly people from various NGOs and Home’s on 31 March 2013 at EVP Amusement Theme Park.
- At Diwali Kondattam, Raindropss celebrated Diwali with 275+ children with Musical Cracker on 27 Oct 2013, Sunday evening at Spencer Plaza. Light music was performed by "Udhaya Raagam" U.K.Murali. The evening began with the magic performance of National Award winner Arun Loganathan and leading playback singers T.L.Thaegarajan, MLR Karthikeyan, Velmurugan, Hariharasudhan, Deepika Thaegarajan, Aravind, Haritha, Georgina entertained the children. Sutta Kadhai movie crew, Divya Dharshini (DD), Actor Mahendran, Dr.Rajamani (Director - Astro Channel, Malaysia) and many more attended the celebration and greeted the children from the orphanages. The transportation for the children was organised by Parveen Travels, and Velammal International School also took part in this celebration. Dinner, gifts, and donations for the children's costumes were presented on behalf of Raindropss.
- Musical tribute to AR Rahman at Isai Thamizha Awards - To mark double Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman's 47th birthday, Raindropss in association with Sathyabama University honored three musicians at the Isai Thamizha Awards 2014 held on 5 January 2014 at Spencer Plaza. Inspired by A.R. Rahman's social life and musical achievements, the Raindropss team celebrated his 47th birthday by presenting a musical tribute in association with Isai Thamizha Awards, whose aim is to felicitate musicians and instrumentalists from the music industry. Raindropss organized the grand celebration, and music director A. R. Reihana presided over it. Isai Tamizha 2014 Award recipients include Carnatic musician Anayampatti S. Ganeshan, violinist M.Kalyan and guitarist Kabuli. Playback singers and contestants of the reality show "Isai Medai" performed the most popular works of Rahman at the event. 75 children from SEERS charitable home participated.
- Cuckoo Special Screening for Visually Challenged - "Raindropss, took 25 visually challenged people to see CUCKOO film at Sathyam Cinemas. I was impressed by the way Raju Murugan has potrayed the life of visually challenged people. We wanted to make these visually challenged people happy and took them to watch the film, listen to brilliant dialogue andn music, thanks to Mahendran Raja and Anitha Mahendran for supporting us and making this happen", said Aravind. Raju Murugan, director of Cuckoo, hero Dinesh, Cinematographer Varma and A.R.Raihanah (Brand Ambassador of Raindropss), joined them for the show along with the Raindropss family.
Jammu&Kashmir - Prime Minister's National Relief Fund
It's a heartburn situation we had in Jammu & Kashmir due to the unforeseen flood recently. Raindropss always stand for a cause and extend full support by joining hands for noble initiatives.
Social networking is being our best way to reach wider crowd and it has become a must channel among youngsters.Raindropss commenced a noble initiative named as "Raindropss KASHMIR's 100rs Challenge initiative", believing that many of our 100’s can definitely make a difference in thousands of our brothers and sisters affected in JAMMU & KASHMIR flood. The call was made to all the helping hearts through the powerful media "FACEBOOK", with a note as people interested to support the cause, can donate by giving minimum of 100rs filled Cheque / DD in the favor of "PRIME MINISTER's NATIONAL RELIEF FUND", it’s true that the power of social media again proved.
"We wanted to use social networking sites for the noble initiatives and prove that young minds always think different and unique. We received enormous response from our supporters across the globe including Dubai, Singapore and various parts of India. JATAYU- a team of energetic college going students who took Raindropss has an inspiration, have also joined hands with us in this initiative and supported us well, which is truly a commendable effort. We are very proud that on a total we were able to raise an amount of Rupees Eighty thousand (INR 80,000) through this noble initiative. The very aim of the fund is to help all our sisters and brothers struggling to get their priceless life back in Jammu and Kashmir.
Calendar
Raindropss publishes an annual table top calendar Maatram Thaedi – Be the Change with the support of PARK Group of Institutions. It features achievers from various walks of life, and carries a strong social message in order to raise funds for the education of children living with HIV. The rationale behind this project is twofold: firstly it will show the pictures of achievers from whom the public may take inspiration; secondly the proceeds go towards a charitable cause.
Well-known figures including Padma Shri Dr.K.Balachander, Padma Shri Dr.A.R.Rahman, Dr.Mylswamy Anandurai, Padma Bhusan Dr.S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Dr.M. B. Nirmal, Padma Shri. Sudha Raghunathan, Padma Shri. Dr. Sudha Murthy, Kamala Selvaraj, Cricketer Srikkanth, Dr.P. Manorama, Educationalist Anusha R (CEO - PARK Institutions), and A. R. Reihana have associated themselves with Raindropss in supporting this project.
The first copy of the calendar was released on 1 December 2013 (World AIDS Day) by Iyakkunar Sigaram Padma Shri Dr.K.Balachander and received by director A R Murugadoss. Dr.K Balachander was felicitated in the event with a lifetime achievement award in the field of cinema. Raindropss donated a sum of Rs.1 Lakh (100,000) on this occasion to Community Health Education Society (CHES), using a portion of the proceeds from advance sales of the calendar.
Christmas gift project
Raindropss Jingle Bells - Be a Santa is an initiative that aims to spread joy to children through offering them small gift-wrapped packages. Raindropss works with CSC's Corporate Responsibility Team on this initiative that connects lesser-privileged children with the employees. Wish cards filled up by children from various NGO's are distributed to employees, who register in this program to fulfill the children's wishes. In 2013 the gifts were distributed to the children on 21st December at a grand function organized at Spencer Plaza in the presence of leading playback singers and music directors A. R. Reihana and James Vasanthan. The children’s wishes are necessities more than luxuries like Hero pens, school bags, clothes, stationery, footwear, and sports equipment.
Raindropss Lifetime Achievement Awardee's
K.Balanchander
Rajalakshmi Parthasarthy
P.Suseela
K.S.Chithra
Padma Subrahmanyam
Shoba Chandrasekhar
Awards
- 2011: Silver Eye Award - For the outstanding short video and theme song on eye donation
- 2012: India Book of Records - For being the first team in India to spread social awareness messages to public through theme songs and short films
- 2012: Big Chennaiite Award - For outstanding contribution towards social awareness
- 2013: Inspiring Youth Team of the Year - Presented by Humor Club
Further reading
- "Musical Messages", The Hindu, 2 February 2014