Datin Paduka Mother A Mangalam Iyaswamy Iyer
For Malaysia, this gentle and humble demeanor woman can be identified to what Mother Theresa to India was all about. She has made human rights the work of her life, working to provide for orphaned children at the Pure Life Society, independent of race or faith. To all the young souls, she is the only lady they call mom.
When asked about her accomplishments throughout her lifetime, she said:
“My accomplishment?” I’m not sure of what it actually is. All have committed to the job, that’s all I can claim.
Over the years, Mother Mangalam had become a ‘mother’ to multi-ethnic orphaned children, and is a testament that satisfaction and pleasure can be attained by a life devoted to helping others.
The Spirit of Merdeka personifies her selflessness, spirit and lifetime of devotion to the less fortunate.
Datin Paduka Mother A Mangalam A/P S Iyaswamy Iyer was born in Singapore on May 17, 1926. She spent her childhood living in an extended family home with her grandfather, CK Sundaram Iyer, as patriarch.
"I must say I had a privileged background as my grandfather was a landed proprietor with quite a number of houses, but he was frugal. He always had a sob story about paying bills, and that encouraged me to do something to relieve the situation, to study harder and build myself up," she says.
Mother Mangalam has always been a firm believer in the concept of purity, which she says is the thread that binds all people together, and can motivate a person to reach his or her full potential.
"Purity is an element present in all religions, and it doesn't mean a life with no marriage. It means the use of creative energy within us for a higher purpose, for the propagation of species and creation in other fields like music, art or scientific discoveries, for the benefit, welfare and comfort of mankind. These divine elements are often misused, all because of people's misunderstanding of this great power," she said.
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