An Unforgettable Day of Music, Dance, and Youthful Celebration Shows How A Strong Community Could Emerge in Kanchipuram’s Electronics Sector
Savithri C, hailing from a small village in Tamil Nadu, had never performed on stage before. But recently, she sang a hit Tamil song in front of a crowd of around 750+ people. “This was my first time. After seeing others on stage, I wasn’t shy or scared,” said the 23-year-old. Savithri wasn’t alone in conquering her stage fright. T. Dhivya and Surya also sang popular Tamil songs at Kanchipuram’s St. Joseph’s College of Engineering auditorium on August 15th. They were joined by P. Sneha, Raj Kumar, Sayed, Parimala, Yogeshwari, and V. Chithra, who danced as the audience cheered them on (in pics below).
These young performers work in electronics factories located in Kanchipuram’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs). For a few hours, both the workers and the audience could set aside their professional lives and simply have fun. “I enjoyed the experience. You brought many of us together and helped us show our talents,” said Savithri. This sentiment encapsulated the essence of the August 15th event — Cividep’s Ilam Thozhargal Sangamam or Youth Sangamam — an event that drew young workers, mostly from the electronics industry.
The goal was clear: create a worker-led Independence Day celebration, helping young electronics sector workers make new friends and break the isolation of factory life. A Cividep team had noted this social isolation since it began its work in Kanchipuram in 2007. The rise of SEZs has drawn young workers from all over Tamil Nadu, offering jobs in industries like electronics, automobiles, glass manufacturing, and more. Many of these workers have steady incomes for the first time. However, they often find themselves in unstable, temporary positions, cut off from meaningful cultural and social connections due to poor amenities and transport links. Long working hours and demanding schedules leave them with little time for leisure, and many are unaware of their rights or how to address workplace grievances.
Bringing Workers Together
This is where the idea of a Sangamam, a gathering of young workers, came to life. “The Sangamam is all about recognising the human aspirations of young workers in modern manufacturing industries like electronics and automobiles,” says Gopinath Parakuni, Cividep’s Founder and Director (Strategy). Organising an event of this scale wasn’t easy, especially given that many of the workers live in company-run hostels and are carefully shuttled to and from factories in official buses. Those who live in shared housing, especially young women, are often closely monitored by overprotective landlords. When the field officers were tasked with bringing together 1,000 workers, they knew they had a significant challenge ahead of them. The team went through intense discussions, back-and-forth planning, and kicked off a digital campaign with a special Instagram page to reach the youngsters and get them excited about the meetup.
At first, many workers laughed off the idea when the field team approached them at bus stops. “We don’t want to attend more lectures,” some said, referring to Cividep’s previous rights-based education programmes. But the field officers didn’t give up. “We arranged food and transport to make it easier,” recalls one of them. The field team explained to the workers — mostly young men and women from different districts of Tamil Nadu — that it would be a fun Independence Day event with music and dance, and they would even have the chance to perform. Slowly, interest picked up, and registrations closed quickly.
Hardwork Pays Off
As the event day approached, preparations were frantic: buses were arranged to transport workers from various locations, caterers were brought in, and safety checks, including ambulances and fire services, were finalised. “It was both interesting and challenging to coordinate with a large team and make sure each element was moving in the right direction,” recalls Kohila Senbagam, Cividep’s Programme Lead (Electronics and Leather).
The efforts paid off. On August 15th, the weather was perfect, and the college grounds were decorated with tri-colour balloons, creating a festive atmosphere. The photo booth was crowded with workers, eager to take selfies and create reels. The welcoming beats of the Parai drum by Buddhar Kalai Kuzhu (in pic above) set the tone for the event as many headed to the food hall for hot idlis and chai.
Inside the auditorium, workers’ artwork from previous Cividep workshops adorned the walls. As familiar faces greeted each other, the buzz grew louder, and MC Vikram Arul Vidyapathi charmed the crowd with his wisecracks while a DJ played Tamil hits. Chief guest poet Rajathi Salma congratulated the workers for contributing to the nation’s growth while A. Devaneyan, Director of Thozhamai, encouraged them to upskill for better job opportunities. CITU leader, E. Muthukumar reminded the audience to be aware of their rights and understand their crucial role in the global economy. Sona Pradeep, Cividep’s Director of Programmes, offered heartfelt thanks for attending the celebrations.
A Day of Joy & Connection
The true highlight of the day, however, was when the workers took the stage. Performers like Savithri, though nervous at first, were quickly cheered on by the audience. There were dance and singing performances, with the crowd enthusiastically joining in. The Parai performance by the Buddhar Kalai Kuzhu brought everyone to their feet, and the musical band On the Streets of Chennai turned the auditorium into a giant dance floor. Even as the event came to a close, participants asked for one final dance, filling the stage with workers from different companies, all dancing together.
Gomathi from Villupuram called the day a “great stress-buster,” while her friend Ganga found the chief guests’ speeches motivating. “Also, I got to enjoy the Parai after a long time,” she added. Most importantly, as Loganayaki from Dindivanam put it, “I had good food!”
The team hopes the event will build lasting connections and a supportive community among young workers. “Businesses are primarily interested in extracting labour from their workers. Fair enough. However, workers and their collectives play far greater roles, and can be said to shape human history. Art and culture become powerful weapons in the hands of workers against oppressive and exploitative working conditions,” says Gopinath. And for workers like Savithri, the event has already sparked future dreams. “This time, we performed in front of 500 people. Next time, we will do it in front of thousands!”
(Ilam Thozhargal Sangamam or Youth Sangamam was organised as part of Initiative for Global Solidarity (IGS), which is working on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperationand Development (BMZ), and is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, with the intent to promote the implementation of human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD) in global supply chains.)
(With inputs from Bhavana Biju, Nandhini K, Kohila Senbagam)