Chief Functionary.
Mr.MP.Palanisami was born in a Tribal community in a poor family. He was the first school-going student in his tribal community. His father and mother were uneducated. A Christian pastor in Pudukkottai Mr.Danapalan and his wife Mrs.Daisy took him and help to study up to the 10th standard with their two sons Mr.Rajadurai and Mr.Kennedy who is a Social workers in Bihar island doing service.
Mr.M.P.Palanisami thought what is the use of his education without the other tribe's children and parents' education and development. So he organized an evening educational coaching center for the tribe's children. This has helped to enroll the children into schools and prevent school dropouts.
Then he worked in an NGO in the Pudukottai district as a Coordinator for gained experience in the mobilization of women, encouraging them to small savings, internal lending, building the capacities of the women grassroots, and networking with them during his tenure as coordinator. He underwent training in women empowerment, Income generation activity, sustainable agriculture, alternative livelihood for the poor households, Children's education rights, herbal medicinal plants and home medicine production, Women's Health, STD, HIV/AIDS prevention education, care, and support of PLHAs and family counseling. He had attended the HIV/AIDS International Conference- for 5 days in 2004, in Chennai hosted by Dr. MGR Medical University, Tamilnadu Government Chennai. He underwent training in reproductive and child health organized by TNVHA, Chennai in 2005.
Then he realized that it is good to work as a group with an organization so that the development is more possible. So the organization was named by him CANDLE (Community Action, Development, Liberative and Education) because the candle gives light to others with sacrifice and without any benefits. It was registered with Government in August 2003. Registered with the Government Ministry of home affairs under FCRA to receive foreign grants and registered under tax exemptions under sections 80G and 12A(a).
While he worked with the tribes for their development he saw the hunger, poverty, and discrimination of Dalits and other poor people in different castes. This has made it work for the other people also. Now the CANDLE working and helping all needy people without any discrimination of caste, creed, color, or religion.