UAE-based man loses 16-year-old son, turns to spirituality

Sharjah - Sadashivan, along with his wife Ambika Sadashivan, created a website - Abhirox - in memory of their son.

Artist and author Sadashivan Ambalamedu lost his 16-year-old son Abhimanyu, who committed suicide in 2015. Now, he is trying the spiritual way to regaining his mental strength.
Sadashivan, along with his wife Ambika Sadashivan, created a website - Abhirox - in memory of their son and then established a charitable trust. Abhirox Charitable Trust initiated its first educational aid distribution programme in Ernakulum, Kerala in November, 2015. Scholarships were given to 15 needy students from different schools and colleges in Ernakulum district.
"Abhi loved his life as he loved his parents, his family and friends... He had a thirst to read and a heart for music," say the parents in the website.
Sadashivan Ambalamedu says mental depression is too much in the Gulf countries, especially in the nuclear middle class families. "I have experienced the shortage of a good guide and guru after my son's incident. There is nobody to give a proper guidance. Even the neighbours are strangers.
"These suicide stories reveal that the mental depression should be addressed from human mind itself. What is happening in the mind has nothing to do with the external environment. The problem is due to the decay of educational system. Good educational system should give such a mental awakening to students," he said.
The parents regret that they could not give due attention about what was going on in their son's mind before he took the drastic step. And now, they are trying to rectify the problems by giving more attention and care to his younger brother, who is also a student. 
"Three years ago we lost our son and we are trying to cope up with the loss. We are trying to get solution through the spiritual route. I am trying to overcome the material problems. "With my younger son and wife, we are visiting many schools in Uttar Pradesh with small gifts to poor students and such charity is done in the name of Abhimanyu," he added.
Exam time counselling
Recently, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) said it will provide counselling to de-stress students during exams. In India, the CBSE has ordered appointments of special counsellors to handle examination-related stress after a number of teenage suicides were reported during examination times. The CBSE counselling is provided over phone to students of all CBSE-affiliated schools. The service is available to CBSE-affiliated schools located outside India as well and an expert counsellor in a Ras Al Khiamah School is appointed to take care of Indian school students in the Gulf countries. The helpline started functioning on February 9 and will continue till April 29.
sathish@khaleejtimes.com   
 
 
 

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