K. Thanigaivel runs salons in Besant Nagar, Shastri Nagar in Adyar, and Kamarajar Avenue and offers free grooming services to Corporation school students.
| Photo Credit: SHIVA
Among the students who got down from the Greater Chennai Corporation school’s van was Jaswanth*, a student of Chennai High School on Kamarajar Avenue. At his school, the teachers check the boys’ hair for length as they line up to go to class after the daily assembly. If it is beyond the standard length, the students are sent to ‘Dhanush Salon’ for a haircut that’s free of cost.
“I have been coming here for three years. It is fun here. Everyone here is nice to us,” he said with a gleam. For kids from families from the lower economic strata where a haircut might be too much to spend on, these haircuts mean dignity, comfort, and confidence.
That is why K. Thanigaivel, who runs three branches of salons, quietly began offering free grooming services to Corporation school students — no cameras, no banners, just scissors, mirrors, and heart-felt services.
A small note is pasted on his three branches — one each in Besant Nagar, Shastri Nagar in Adyar, and Kamarajar Avenue — it reads in Tamil: We proudly state that we are offering free haircuts to students studying in Greater Chennai Corporation schools.
“I started this initiative a decade ago, when I noted that even ICSE [Indian Certificate of Secondary Education] students hesitate at the price of a trim, imagine how hard it is for the son of an autorickshaw driver or a daily-wage worker,” the 46-year-old owner of the salon said.
“Some students have brought their parents as well to the salons and we have offered them haircuts at a discounted price. Some parents bring children, falsely claiming they are students of Corporation or government schools. So, we offer haircuts only to those students who arrive in their uniform with their ID cards,” he added.
He said that even if the GCC plans to established salons for the students, he is willing to pay workers from his salon to work in those facilities. A long-time reader of The Hindu, he added: “My father used to tell me that The Hindu is renowned for its language. So, I encourage the school students to read the paper while waiting for their turn.”
A senior official from the Education department of the Greater Chennai Corporation called it a commendable initiative and said it has been brought to the attention of higher authorities so the salon owner can be formally appreciated for his thoughtful service.
Hair donation
T. Vijayalakshmi, his wife, said she has frequently offered free haircuts to college students who wish to donate their hair to the Adyar Cancer Institute. “Many students wanted to donate their hair, which needs to be at least eight inches long, but they often cannot afford the proper haircut. Since this is for a good cause, I have been providing haircuts to numerous college students since last year,” she said.
Published – June 12, 2025 11:19 pm IST