The G. Venugopal Foundation successfully completed the third edition of its noble initiative, “Sasneham Vidyamritham,” aimed at distributing essential learning materials to children studying in remote tribal schools located within forest borders. This year’s drive took place on June 2 at the Thalathoothakkavu Tribal L.P. School, situated deep inside the Vithura forest area.

The school caters to twenty-five bright young children from the local forest settlement. The educational kits were distributed to all students in the presence of Headmaster Biju John, two other teachers, and the tribal chieftain (Ooru Mooppan), Shashidharan.

Sharing his experience on social media, acclaimed playback singer G. Venugopal highlighted the resilience of these children, noting how they adapt to life in the wilderness where wild elephants frequently damage the school walls during the jackfruit season. Following the event, the enthusiastic children posed happily for photos in the drizzling rain, proudly holding the colorful umbrellas gifted by the foundation. In previous years, this initiative successfully supported the Vlavetti L.P. School in Kottoor and the Puravimala L.P. School in Amboori. The singer extended his heartfelt gratitude to all well-wishers who supported this mission.

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KOCHI: The mortal remains of beloved National Award-winning Malayalam actor Salim Kumar have been kept for public homage at the Paravur Town Hall. Hundreds of fans, film industry colleagues, and political leaders have gathered to pay their last respects to the iconic performer.

The 56-year-old actor passed away late Saturday night at Amrita Hospital in Kochi due to health complications. His body was brought to the Town Hall at around 8:00 AM on Sunday, accompanied by his grieving family members.

According to official sources, the public viewing will continue until noon, after which his body will be taken to his residence in North Paravur. The funeral is scheduled to take place on his residential premises at 3:00 PM with official state honors.

Film Fraternity and Political Leaders Pay Tribute

Several high-profile personalities arrived at the Paravur Town Hall to offer their final tearful goodbyes. Among those who paid their anthismopacharam (final respects) were Union Minister Suresh Gopi, and actors Jayaram, Ramesh Pisharody, and Navya Nair.

Prominent icons from Malayalam cinema and the political spectrum shared moving tributes to honor Salim Kumar’s irreplaceable legacy:

• Mammootty: “You laughed and made us laugh; you thought deeply and made us think. At times, you wept and moved us to tears. But now, Salim, you leave us only with tears. Your loss is an unending grief, my brother.”
• Mohanlal: “He was a wonderful friend both inside and outside the film world. Malayalam cinema has lost a true gem.”
• Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan: “We have lost more than just a film star; we have lost a brother and a family member. He was the pride of North Paravur.”
• Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan: “The demise of Salim Kumar is an irreparable loss to the Malayalam film industry and the cultural landscape of Kerala.”
• M.A. Baby (CPI-M Leader): “Though he was an open Congress sympathizer, Salim Kumar was a human being who maintained deep personal relationships beyond politics. He was an extraordinarily talented actor, and his departure is a massive loss to the art world.”

The actor shared a viral video of individuals injecting drugs openly, prompting swift action from law enforcement.

In a commendable display of social responsibility, popular Malayalam actor Unni Mukundan brought a shocking case of public drug abuse to the attention of the Kerala Police. The issue came to light after the actor noticed a video circulating on an Instagram page named ‘Perumbavoor Stories,’ which showed young men, reportedly migrant laborers, openly injecting drugs and walking around with syringes in Perumbavoor.

Deeply concerned by the footage, Unni Mukundan directly forwarded the video to the Kerala Police via social media. The law enforcement agency responded immediately with a brief “Noted.”

True to their word, the police launched a swift operation and arrested the individuals involved by evening. Unni Mukundan later shared screenshots of the police action on his Instagram stories, expressing his gratitude with the message, “Thank you, Kerala Police.”

As the screenshots went viral, social media users and fans flooded the internet with praise for the actor. Many highlighted that his timely intervention sets a great example of how artists can use their platform and civic awareness to bring positive changes and combat the rising drug menace in society.