Chennai, Aug 7 (PTI) Film producer and educationist Latha Rajinikanth formally launched ‘Makkal Medai’ on Friday, introducing a grassroots movement aimed at uniting citizens, professionals, and domain experts for community-driven social welfare projects.
Operating under the Bharat Seva and Dhaya Foundation umbrella, the initiative (Citizens’ Platform) prioritises waste management, water body restoration, education, and rural agricultural preservation.
Unveiling the platform’s official website and member ID cards, Latha announced a large-scale “plogging” (picking up plastic while jogging) and clean-up drive across 50 locations in Chennai scheduled for this September.
The platform has set an ambitious target to desilt and restore 7,000 ponds across various districts in Tamil Nadu within a year by consolidating volunteer efforts, she announced.
According to her, its ‘Cow Care India’ project has already onboarded 22 goshalas, facilitating the care of over 15,000 cattle and promoting organic farming practices.
Highlighting the initiative’s core philosophy, Latha drew parallels to traditional Indian local self-governance.
“Patriotism is above everything. The goal is to bring people together, without divisions, to work for their localities,” she stated.
She clarified that while ‘Makkal Medai’ will operate physically at the street and village levels, its digital platform will connect inter-state and international contributors.
Responding to press queries on executing large-scale ecological projects, Latha noted that the organisation will function as a unified body, consolidating efforts from individual social activists to submit structured, actionable proposals to the government for support.
Other upcoming initiatives include a ‘Sports Super League’ to nurture rural athletic talent and the official rollout of ‘TASKS,’ an independent educational model researched and developed over 34 years.
When asked about the backing of her husband, actor Rajinikanth, she affirmed the initiative has his full blessings. PTI JR JR KH
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